Stewards look to end subjective corner cutting penalties

Formula One could end it's subjective views on corner cutting by modifying track layouts that would naturally punish a driver if he goes off-track. 

The issue was brought up during a stewards meeting this week in Vienna. One example used was what happened to Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican Grand Prix this year.

"The rules say a driver can rejoin the track as long as you do it safely and gain no lasting advantage, [but] the word lasting is again very subjective," said Connelly.

"Does it mean lasting for 500m, until the next turn, the next few laps or the whole race?

"That subjectivity is removed if the circuit is modified or designed [with suitable features] to immediately disadvantage a driver if he does go off track."

Connelly referred to turn one at Monza for what could be put in place around the circuits.

"There are now probably only 11 or 12 corners across the whole championship where there is the potential for cutting corners in a very obvious way," he added.

"There are solutions that can be adopted to sort those issues out, such as the solution for Turn 1 at Monza, where if you do go off there is a natural penalty.

"It takes you longer to rejoin than if you had used the [primary] circuit – that makes it a lot easier for the stewards, as the penalty is applied on track."