FIA wanted to apply solution Verstappen for track limits problems
Last weekend in Austria, there were an awful lot of problems with the track limits. As always, the white lines were the track limits, but this weekend it was very difficult for drivers to stay within them. Max Verstappen's suggestion was to widen the white lines to make it easier for drivers to stay within the limit.
Especially in the last two corners, turns 9 and 10, it was difficult for the drivers not to exceed the track limits. In all sessions at Spielberg, a lot of times were deleted. After qualifying on Friday, Verstappen already indicated that the drivers are definitely not idiots, but that it is just very difficult to estimate where exactly the limit is.
Rain puts a stop to Verstappen's solution
The Dutchman's solution was to widen the white lines, which would make the track limits more visible to the drivers. Following the racing action on Friday, the FIA planned to work on Verstappen's solution, a spokesman of the organisation confirmed to Motorsport.com.
Unfortunately for the drivers (and fans), the plan could not go ahead. Due to Friday's end-of-day and Saturday morning rainfall, the FIA was unable to allow the paint job to go ahead. This had major consequences, as it turned out on Sunday. Here, many of the drivers were penalised for exceeding the limits. Esteban Ocon received the biggest penalty, with the Frenchman getting a total 30-second time penalty. Even after the race, a lot of penalties were handed out to the drivers as Aston Martin had gone into protest.