The FIA revealed details of the track limits for F1 British GP along with changes to the circuit, DRS zones, PU elements and more.
Moving onto Silverstone for the F1 British GP, the FIA shared the track limits details, with Turn 9 and Turn 15, the two key corners which will be monitored. There will be lap deletions and if not adhered for three times, then a penalty will be handed.
Turns 9 Exit –
a) A lap time achieved during any practice session, sprint qualifying session or the race by leaving the track and cutting behind the black and white kerb on the exit of Turn 9, will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards.
Turn 15 Exit –
a) A lap time achieved during any practice session, sprint qualifying session or the race by leaving the track and cutting behind the black and white kerb on the exit of Turn 15, will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards.
General – Turn 9 Exit, Turn 15 Exit –
a) Each time any car fails to negotiate Turn 9 Exit and/or Turn 15 Exit 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 Turn 9 Exit and/or Turn 15 Exit by using the track as described above during sprint qualifying session or 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.
Apart from the track limits, the FIA listed a vast amount of changes to the Silverstone circuit. Among them, there are safety changes such as fitting of tyre barrier at multiple corners along with installing upgraded debris fence at number of locations.
Drainage is another aspect which has been improved, while certain corners have the cemented kerbs repainted and put back as it is, with the plastic kerb removed. Additionally, the pit entry road has been resurfaced. Here’s the list:
- The run off area behind the Turn 1 exit kerb has been grooved to assist drainage.
- A number of kerbs have been sandblasted back to bare concrete and repainted.
- Additional concrete bumps have been added behind the apex of Turn 11.
- A tyre barrier has been installed on the right-hand side at the entry of Turn 6.
- The barrier has been realigned at the rear of the Turn 7 runoff to assist vehicle recovery.
- The drainage in the run-off area at the exit of Turn 9 has been removed and is now underground.
- The tyre barrier on the left-hand side between Turn 10 and Turn 11 has been extended.
- A concrete lead in has been added to the Turn 13 exit kerb / T14 apex kerb.
- The drainage in the run off area on the left-hand side at Turn 15 has been replaced.
- The pit entry road has been resurfaced.
- A tyre barrier has been installed on the right-hand side at the exit of Turn 18.
- A number of tyre barriers around the venue have been removed and replaced.
- The debris fence has been upgraded and added to in a number of locations.
Moving on the the DRS zones for the F1 British GP, the first of the two’s detection zone is 25m before Turn 3, while activation zone 30m after Turn 5. At the same time, the second zone’s detection point is Turn 11 and activation is at Turn 14.
For the FIA stewards, interestingly, there will be five of them instead of four. Nish Shetty will lead the team of Dennis Dean, Loic Bacquelaine, Emanuele Pirro and Eric Cowcill. In terms of the F1 PU elements used until now, majority of them are on their second part.
The Internal Combustion Engine, Turbo Charger and MGU-H has everyone on the second part apart from Williams’ George Russell, who is on his third. On MGU-K side, everyone barring AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly is on their second, with the Frenchman on third.
The Energy Store sees a mixed bag with many still on their one, barring Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin, Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon, Gasly and Russell, who are on their second, while AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda is on his third part.
The Control Electronics sees similar picture with few on one, barring Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Perez, Esteban Ocon, Gasly, Nikita Mazepin and Russell, who are on their second, while Tsunoda being the sole on third.
Here’s the full FIA Race Directors’ Note: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2021%20British%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Race%20Directors’%20Event%20Notes%20.pdf
Here’s how the F1 2022 model car looks like