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Grosjean wants asphalt run-offs replaced with grass or walls

Grosjean wants asphalt run-offs replaced with grass or walls

28-06-2019 08:24 Last update: 09:02
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Bevan Youl

Romain Grosjean has commented that he wants circuits with asphalt run-off areas to be replaced with grass to stop drivers taking advantage of going slightly off the track to try and overtake.

After the French Grand Prix Daniel Ricciardo was handed two five-second time penalties for going off the track and gaining an advantage after overtaking Lando Norris and Kimi Raikkonen towards the end.
 
A decision Grosjean felt was right, especially as the overtake on Norris was similar to that Ricciardo did on Grosjean earlier in the race.
 
But the Haas driver feels that something needs to be put in place to prevent drivers from going wide of the track without any issues.
 
Grosjean said (quoted by RaceFans): “We’re putting ourselves in a position which has become a nightmare with those circuits with run-off everywhere.
 
“I mean you don’t have a problem at Suzuka, you don’t have a problem in Monaco, you don’t have a problem in Canada.
 
“So I think the answer: Is always say Paul Ricard, I love it – it’s my home race if you put two metres of grass on each side of the white line, the track limits, it can become the best track of the world. But just because there’s so much run-off. who gives a damn about going straight?

“Put that and you don’t have any more problems, we don’t have any more of this discussion.
 
“Ricciardo would have gone to the left, not to the right and then maybe it doesn’t make the move and then maybe Kimi [Raikkonen] stays ahead.”
 
MercedesValtteri Bottas backed up Grosjean's comments, saying that grass, gravel or walls would be the best thing to have outside the circuit.
 
Bottas said: “I think the best thing outside the track is a wall, gravel or grass.
 
“That’s what I prefer. It’s very simple. There is a hard limit and no talks of track limits then.”
 
At the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix, they have run-off areas on a few of the corners but are built up with high kerbs to keep drivers away.
 
“Some of those very aggressive kerbs, they definitely do the job because you can easily break the car so you really don’t want to go there,” Bottas added.

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