FIA enforces track limit rules ahead of French GP

The FIA has moved to clamp down any potential corner cutting ahead of the French Grand Prix weekend at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

The nature of the track, which has prominently been used as a test venue in recent years, means that there is a lot of runoff for the drivers if they make a mistake.

However, there have been bollards and signs placed around the circuit in order to stop the drivers taking advantage of the runoff area, ensuring they will lose time and rejoin the circuit safely if they do so.

At Turn 2, two yellow bollards have appeared along with some red and white signage to indicate where a driver should rejoin the circuit.

The event notes states: “Any driver who fails to negotiate Turn 2 by using the track, and who passes completely to the right of the first fluorescent yellow bollard on the apex of the corner, must keep completely to the right of the fluorescent yellow bollard and re-join the track by driving through the two arrays of blocks in the run-off by passing to the right of the first and to the left of the second."

A similar system has been enforced further on in the first sector, at Turns 3 through to 5:  “Any driver who fails to negotiate Turn 4 by using the track, and who passes completely to the left of the fluorescent yellow bollard on the apex of the corner, must keep completely to the left of the fluorescent yellow bollard and re-join the track by driving to the left of two blocks in the run-off prior to Turn 5.”

The rules will not strictly apply to free practice sessions, and each case will be handled and analysed differently depending on the circumstance.