The FIA has released details of the F1 French GP track limits along with the changes, DRS zones, the stewards and PU elements.
After no track limits in F1 Azerbaijan GP, they are back for French GP as F1 returns to a traditional circuit run. The FIA has marked Turn 1-2, 3-5 and 8-9 for monitoring, where drivers could be penalised if they don’t adhere to the set rules below.
Turns 1 and 2 –
a) 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.
Turns 3-5 –
a) 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 the block in the run off prior to Turn 5.
Turns 8 and 9 –
a) Any driver going straight on at turn 8 must re-join the track by driving through the four arrays of blocks in the escape road, to the left of the first, to the right of the second, to the left of the third and to the right of the fourth.
General – Turns 1-2, Turns 3-5, Turns 8-9 –
a) Each time any car fails to negotiate Turns 1-2 or Turns 3-5 and/or Turns 8-9 by using the track as described above, teams will be informed via the official messaging system.
b) On the third occasion of a driver failing to negotiate Turns 1-2 or Turns 3-5 and/or Turns 8-9 by using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag, any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards.
c) In all cases detailed above, the driver must only re-join the track when it is safe to do so and without gaining a lasting advantage.
d) The above requirements will not automatically apply to any driver who is judged to have been forced off the track, each such case will be judged individually.
Moving on the the two DRS zones, the first one’s detection point is 75m before Turn 7, while it can be activated 170m after Turn 7. At the same time, the second one’s detection point is Turn 14, while activation is 115m after Turn 15.
With Paul Ricard missing in action on the 2020 F1 calendar, the organisers have had multiple changes made to the circuit for the 2021 return, they are:
Resurfacing has taken place in the following locations:
a) Entry to Turn 1 through to the Exit of Turn 2
b) Point 2.5 through to the Exit of Turn 7
c) Point 7.5 through to Point 9.5
d) Point 10.5 thought to Turn 13
e) Turn 14 through to the Exit of Turn 15
f) The Pit Entry Road from the where it leaves the track until the first Garage.
The barrier separating the Pit Straight and the Pit Lane Entry has been extended approximately 15m.
Moving on from the track related details to off track information, the four FIA stewards for F1 French GP will be Tim Mayer, Eric Barrabino, Yannick Dalmas and Jean-Marie Krempff. As for the PU elements, everyone bar Honda and Alpine switched to their second element.
Among Honda, only Max Verstappen remains on his first element, whereas the rest of the three have some elements used more than one. The Alpine duo are the only other to be on their first element – both the manufacturers are expected to use their second one.
Here’s the FIA Race Directors’ Note: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2021%20French%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Race%20Directors’%20Event%20Notes.pdf
Here’s the PU element list: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2021%20French%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20PU%20elements%20used%20per%20driver%20up%20to%20now.pdf
Here’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes on F1 French GP
