24/10/2020
NEWS STORY
Following a day on which over 120 times were deleted, the FIA has eased the rules on track limits for the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Over the course of yesterday's two sessions, drivers had their times deleted no less than 125 times for exceeding the track limits - 65 times in FP1 and 60 in the truncated second session.
While race director, Michael Masi had initially warned drivers on exceeding the track limits at the exit of Turns 1 and 4, he subsequently added Turn 15 to the list.
"Each time any car fails to negotiate the Turn 1 exit, Turn 4 exit or Turn 15 exit by using the track, their team will be informed via the official messaging system," he warned. "On the third occasion of a driver failing to negotiate any of the three exits using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag, and any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards."
In the latest update to the race directors notes, Masi warns that "a lap time achieved during any practice session or the race by leaving the track and cutting
behind the red and white kerb on the exit of Turn 1 or Turn 4 will result in that lap time being invalidated by the stewards.
On the third occasion of a driver failing to negotiate any of the three exits using the track during the race, he will be shown a black and white flag, and any further cutting will then be reported to the stewards.
For the avoidance of doubt this means a total of three occasions combined not three at each corner.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Portimao, here.