The FIA shared track limits details for F1 Abu Dhabi GP along with changes to the circuit, DRS zones, stewards names and more.
The final FIA Race Directors’ note was sent out on Thursday ahead of the F1 Abu Dhabi GP as Neils Wittich laid down the rules and details for the weekend ahead. The track limits memo had more than just white line describing the limitations.
Turn 16 was pointed out as the main area for track limits abuse by the race director. Here’s the full description of the same:
- In accordance with the provisions of Article 33.3, the white lines define the track edges. During Qualifying and the Race, each time a driver fails to negotiate with the track limits, this will result in that lap time being invalidated by the Stewards.
- The dotted white line across the support category pit exit is the track edge line.
- A lap time achieved during qualifying or the race by leaving the track on the exit of Turn 16, will result in that lap time and the immediately following lap time being invalidated by the Stewards.
Moving on to the two DRS zones, the first one’s detection point is 250m before Turn 5 with the activation being 210m after Turn 5. At the same time, the second one’s detection point is 50m after Turn 7 with the activation being 165m after Turn 7.
In terms of the FIA stewards, Garry Connelly will lead the panel of Felix Holter, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Mohamed Alhashmi. On the circuit side, there’s not a lot of changes with just handful of them from last year, here’s what the note said:
- Between Turn 4 and Turn 5 new debris fence in front of YAS Central Pit lane.
- At Turn 15 on LHS new debris fence.
- At Turn 7 / Turn 16 Island, new debris fence.
The final Abu Dhabi weekend will see host of FP1 drivers too with seven teams fulfilling the FIA regulation and one outside it. The latter has Alfa Romeo’s Robert Kubica in place of Zhou Guanyu, with the Polish driver continuing his contracted FP1 outing.
Among others, Red Bull will have Liam Lawson in place of Max Verstappen, with Robsert Shwartzman taking over Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, Pato O’Ward in Lando Norris’ McLaren, Jack Doohan in Fernando Alonso’s Alpine, Felipe Drugovich in Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, Logan Sargeant in Nicholas Latifi’s Williams and Pietro Fittipaldi in Mick Schumacher’s Haas.
Here’s the FIA Race Directors’ note: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2022%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Race%20Director’s%20Event%20Notes.pdf
