The FIA has shared details of track limits, changes to circuit, DRS and more for F1 Qatar GP, as details emerge about fresh firing within the governing body.
The track limits remain the white lines as per the FIA Race Directors’ note for F1 Qatar GP, as an additional note of negotiating exit of Turn 16 has been set where if the drivers’ don’t, that lap time and the following lap will be automatically deleted.
Elsewhere, Haas noted about Nico Hulkenberg missing Thursday’s media day due to catching cold from his travel from Las Vegas to Qatar. In terms of the circuit changes, the FIA listed a big list of it, they are –
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 1.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 2.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 3.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 4.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 5.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 12.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 13.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 14.
- 2.0 m wide gravel strip installed behind kerb at exit Turn 15.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 1.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 2.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 3.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 4.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 5.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 10.
- Kerb height reduced at entry and exit Turn 12.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 13.
- Kerb height reduced at exit Turn 14.
- White line moved to a distance of 1.5 m to the gravel at exit Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15 and entry Turn 12.
- White line moved to a distance of 1.5 m to the back edge of the kerb at the exit of Turn 10.
The lone DRS zone’s detection point is 40m after Turn 15, while activation is 305m after Turn 16. In terms of the FIA stewards, the panel will be led by Garry Connelly where he will have the support of Mathieu Remmerie, Derek Warwick and Amro Al-Hamad.
Ahead of the F1 Qatar GP weekend, news broke about FIA removing Tim Mayer as a steward with F2 Race Director Janette Tan also leaving her role. The news comes after F1 Race Director Niels Wittich was replaced by Rui Marques from Las Vegas GP onward in a sudden change as well.
Due to Tan leaving her role, Marques will also have to oversee the F2 races in Qatar. Mayer, though, didn’t hold back when speaking with BBC Sports about his removal. “She [Tan] is the epitome of the type of person we want working for the FIA, the best of the next generation of race directors,” he said.
“I don’t know the circumstances, but one would think they would work very hard to keep someone of her character. I know how hard both of those jobs are. I like Rui a lot, but it will put him under incredible pressure. There aren’t a lot of ‘platinum-level’ FIA race directors, which is the FIA’s highest level certification. I’m one of them.
“It’s a lot of work and, if you are doing the job right, you wake up every day with an ulcer thinking of all the various things you need to be thinking about. They’re not doing themselves any favours. They are literally running out of people to do those jobs. His [FIA President] view is that the drivers need to be penalised for swearing – and what has happened since reflects that.
“There are times when he has directly involved himself in making his views known. Not with the stewards directly, but via his staff. Part of the job of the stewards is to enforce the FIA’s policy on the rules. Technically, bad language is outlawed, so it’s not unfair. Whether it’s sensible we should be chasing drivers for rather mild swearing is another matter.
“Most drivers, English is their second, third or fourth language and every go-kart kid in the world, it’s the first word they are taught in English. There are other ways to handle that kind of thing unless your desire is to flex your muscles,” summed up Mayer, who noted that his firing happened due to him representing the US GP promoters in the right of review launched by them after a fine by the FIA.
The track invasion at Circuit of the Americas led to an investigation where they were handed a suspended fine. The promoters appealed the decision and the wording of the decision was slightly altered, although the fine remained. Mayer’s involvement didn’t bode well with the President.
“For a federation that relies on volunteers to fire by text somebody who has made a significant contribution does not speak well of the management of the federation,” said Mayer. “The official reason that will be given is they felt there was a conflict of interest with the FIA as I had led the right of review in my role as organizer.
“But that is not why I was fired. Being an organiser is a role that I have fulfilled, benefiting the FIA, for over 12 years. This isn’t new. In spite of the matter being resolved quietly and amicably, he’s still upset and decided to fire me. After 15 years of volunteering my time as a steward, a decade teaching other stewards and hundreds of hours volunteering in other roles, I got a text from one of his assistants.
“I didn’t write that part of the document, but it was my job to present it. There was no intention of trying to cause a problem with the FIA and I will continue as the sporting organiser of the three US Grands Prix. This was such a minor point that it is baffling that anyone would take such offence. In US legalese, that is synonymous with negligence, which is problematic for a US corporate body.
“Following the right of review hearing, the stewards subsequently agreed with us and changed the penalty to a breach of Article 26.7 of the F1 regulations, which states that no one is allowed in the track before all the cars are in the pits, which is a statement of fact. Some fans did reach the track. In the process, there were hurt feelings on behalf of the president, which I think is odd because there was no cause for his feelings to be hurt when everyone else dealt with this in a professional manner,” summed up Mayer.
Here’s the full Race Directors’ note: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2024%20Qatar%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Race%20Director’s%20Event%20Notes%20.pdf
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