The FIA has overseen quite a few adjustments to trace limits on the Purple Bull Ring to attempt to keep away from a repeat of the post-race penalties that had been required eventually yr’s Austrian Grand Prix.
In 2023, eight drivers had been handed a complete of 12 penalties lengthy after the race had completed, with a closing race outcome not being delivered till some 5 hours after the provisional race classification had been revealed. That was as a consequence of there being over 1200 situations of potential observe limits infringements that wanted to be checked out by race management; the frequency being too fast and the method taking too lengthy for it to maintain up throughout the race itself.
On the time, the FIA instructed the addition of gravel traps could be a serious step ahead however it’s all the way down to the circuits themselves to make such a change, and so they produce other concerns. Following final yr’s race, although, the Purple Bull Ring has now put in 2.5-meter huge gravel traps on the skin of Flip 9 and Flip 10, the ultimate two corners.
On prime of this, the skin of Flip 4 has had its exit curb lowered in width, bringing the gravel lure nearer to the observe edge and guaranteeing a bonus can’t be gained by crossing the white line with all 4 tires.
Probably the largest distinction, although, is the introduction of AI know-how to extend the pace of reporting incidents. A blue line has been painted between the white line that denotes the observe edge and the exit curb at a number of corners, permitting the automated know-how to extra simply determine when a automobile has clearly left the observe. All 4 wheels throughout the white line will result in blue being seen, and these incidents will then be immediately saved as clips and despatched to race management to assessment, quickly bettering the period of time it takes to make a judgement.
The know-how has been studying at different circuits all through this season, and the blue strains had been seen on the exit of quite a few corners eventually weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Race management may also have help from 5 personnel within the FIA’s Distant Operations Heart (ROC) in Geneva.
The know-how shall be put to the check in 4 aggressive classes this weekend because it’s a Dash occasion in Austria, with only one observe session earlier than Dash qualifying on Friday afternoon.
