Austria GP: discussions about track limits, AI tech innovations

SPIELBERG, Austria -- Formula One returns to Austria this weekend for the second race of its European triple header. The Red Bull Ring has become synonymous with discussions about track limits.

Formula One faced considerable scrutiny last year at the Red Bull Ring. It took nearly five hours for the FIA to confirm the results of the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, after the stewards sifted through 1,200 possible track-limit breaches. The race, which lasted just one hour and 25 minutes, saw 12 penalties across eight drivers, altering the final positions significantly.

Max Verstappen summed up the drivers' frustrations: "Throughout the lap the tires are overheating, the front tires are getting really hot, so you naturally just understeer wide, and sometimes it happens already on the entry of the corner and then the outcome on the exit [going over the track limit] is one of a few millimeters, which then gives you a track penalty."

The FIA and the Red Bull Ring have introduced a novel solution for 2024. They’ve installed 2.5-meter-wide strips of gravel beyond the curbs to penalize any driver who runs wide. Additionally, a blue line has been added to the white line marking the track exit, aiding an AI system to highlight possible transgressions before human judgement.

FIA Race Director Neils Wittich emphasized, "[The drivers] will know where the limit is. That's what they want and what they have asked for. It's a natural deterrent and that has been the number one request from the drivers."

Drivers express concerns

Despite the new measures, some drivers are skeptical. Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull remarked, "It's a good modification, but hopefully it won't be like Monza, second chicane, that all the gravel come into the racetrack and increase the chance of a puncture."

Williams driver Logan Sargeant added, "I don't think it'll completely solve the issue, to be honest. I would like to see a way in the future where it's completely eliminated with the design of the track."

The effectiveness of these changes will be tested in the opening practice and sprint qualifying session on Friday.

Stroll aims to bring Newey to Aston Martin

Lance Stroll rarely shows enthusiasm, but a prospect of Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin brought out a different side of him. "It would be pretty f------ awesome!" he said. "He's the GOAT, he's got more championships than anyone in this paddock."

Newey will be available after departing from Red Bull at the end of the year, and Aston Martin has emerged as a possible destination for him. "We have a super-exciting wind tunnel being built, we have a very exciting campus, all the tools that a team wants and needs to succeed to be very competitive," Stroll added.

Should motor racing be included in the Olympic Games?

Motorsport has been a potential candidate for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles but was recently rejected by the International Olympic Committee. Opinions among drivers are divided.

Charles Leclerc responded, "It would be great to have motorsport at the Olympics. However, I think it's a bit more difficult to organize than other sports."

Max Verstappen, however, dismissed the idea: "No, it's not for me. It's too much just car related. Also, you didn't grow up in that kind of Olympic environment."

Lewis Hamilton agreed with Verstappen, saying, "No. I just don't think it's an Olympic game. But I am looking forward to going because one of my good friends Miles Chamley-Watson is competing in fencing, so I'm really proud to watch and support him."

The debate continues, but for now, motor racing remains outside the Olympic fold.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Red Bull Ring as the Austrian Grand Prix weekend unfolds.

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