Spielberg track limits still a problem: Ferrari discusses penalty controversy in Austria. Ferrari’s Diego Ioverno addresses the recurring track limits penalty issue .

Diego Ioverno, Sporting Director at Ferrari, discussed the recurring penalty issue linked to track limits, which often becomes a central topic during race weekends at Spielberg, home of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Each year during the Austrian GP weekend in Spielberg, the issue of track limits resurfaces, with penalties frequently altering the final race results after the checkered flag, as pointed out by Ferrari’s Sporting Director, Diego Ioverno.

It’s a factor to closely monitor, especially in the current F1 landscape where multiple teams are capable of fighting for top positions. As Fred Vasseur has also confirmed, perfection will be crucial at Spielberg, where every thousandth of a second matters.

Diego Ioverno discusses the penalty issue
In the usual preview leading up to the race weekend, Ferrari’s Sporting Director Diego Ioverno addressed the track limits issue. “The Spielberg circuit often delivers exciting races with close battles right up to the final laps, thanks to its layout that makes overtaking easier. The wide run-off areas encourage drivers to push their cars to the limit. This very characteristic has caused some issues over the years.”

“The International Sporting Code requires that a portion of the tyre’s contact patch must always remain on the track to avoid a track limits infringement, which results in penalties. In qualifying, lap times are deleted, while during the race, three infringements are allowed before a five-second penalty is applied. In recent years, the FIA has decided to enforce the rule strictly, leading to a sharp rise in infringements and making it necessary to find a proper solution,” Diego Ioverno explained.

“Physical deterrents are the most effective solution. For years, high orange kerbs were used, but they had the downside of damaging or even launching the cars. Nowadays, gravel traps are more commonly used—areas filled with gravel that significantly reduce speed. Gravel traps have greatly mitigated the issue, but Spielberg remains one of the circuits where track limit penalties are still most frequent,” Ferrari’s Sporting Director concluded.