Verstappen is right after all: FIA sets Track Limits at turn eight

Prior to the weekend in Bahrain Max Verstappen already announced that track limits would be needed at turn eight and after the first free practice Verstappen was right. The FIA has set the limits for FP2 in Sakhir.

The Sakhir Grand Prix is the second race in Bahrain, but Formula 1 has a different layout of the Bahrain International Circuit. The twisty second sector is now left (actually on the right) for a few short corners, after which immediately the straight is driven again, making it a short and fast circuit.

That short and fast track only becomes faster if a driver can take turn eight very wide. Even before this weekend, Verstappen said that this was likely to be a problem, but the FIA did not say anything at the time. However, after the qualification of Formula 2 those rules have been tightened up.

From now on the drivers have to keep within the lines of turn eight. So this afternoon's practice session can be partly forgotten by the drivers, because in order to drive a lap as fast as possible, turn eight will now have to be tackled in a completely different way.