Drivers have been warned that they must re-join the track in a certain manner if they run deep at Turn 8/9 during this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The tricky final right-left chicane has caused controversy in the past, with higher kerbs, and a polystyrene block, installed in recent years, in order to deter corner-cutting.
This regulation has now been extended to the Turn 8/9 chicane, where gravel on the outside of the corner has been replaced by asphalt run-off for this year’s event.
“Any driver who fails to negotiate Turn 9 by using the track, and who passes completely to the left of the orange kerb element on the apex of the corner, must keep completely to the left of the orange speed bump on the exit of the corner and re-join the track at the far end of the asphalt run-off area,” read the event notes issued by Formula 1 Race Director Charlie Whiting.
“Any driver who fails to negotiate Turn 14 by using the track, and who passes completely to the left of the orange kerb element on the apex of the corner, must keep to the left of the red and white polystyrene block and re-join the track at the far end of the asphalt run-off area.
“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.”
Several safety-based changes have taken place since last year, though the track layout has not been altered.
