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F1 is at the Losail International Circuit for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. Ahead of the race, Race Director Michael Masi's event notes have seen numerous updates. One of the most recent of these revisions pertains to track limits at the 5.38km circuit.
Post Friday's free practice sessions, the latest update by the Race Director states that drivers crossing the kerb at Turns 2, 7, and 16 will have their lap times deleted during FP3 and the qualifying session that will take place later today.
Everyone's learning the new circuit as they go, promising unpredictable performances and team strategies in the 57-lap Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.
Are track limits likely to steal the show at Qatar Grand Prix?
With modern circuits increasingly ditching gravel traps for asphalt runoffs, track limits are enforced to prevent drivers from gaining an unfair advantage by exceeding certain boundaries which are merely marked by little more than white lines.
However, these limits have sometimes played a key role in deciding the outcomes of qualifying and race results. With the track limits imposed on three turns at the Qatar Grand Prix, it's worth exploring the possibility that this could have a major impact on the race this weekend, and subsequently, the championship.
The Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this year is a perfect example of the impact track limits can have. Lewis Hamilton's victory in the very first race of the 2021 F1 season witnessed a dramatic aftermath regarding the Turn 4 track limits and the interpretation of rules by each driver.
Despite a warning to the British driver over the team radio, Hamilton drove beyond the red-and-white kerb, something that Red Bull was certain should have proved consequential for Car 44.
More often than not, track limitations have created a certain level of ambiguity, which has often led to controversial decisions by the FIA. With a 14-point gap separating Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the new track limits at the Qatar Grand Prix could end up playing a crucial role before the weekend is in the books.
