Formula 1 and the support categories that accompany it weekend after weekend of races must coexist with a security element that was introduced not many years ago. The so-called ‘sausages’, located on some curb edges on the outside of the track, have caused a huge controversy in the paddock.
We have witnessed several incidents where these small mounds have been the protagonists, such as that of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in the last Italian Grand Prix , but also in competitions further away from the media spotlight.
Curiously, on the same Monza track, in 2019, Alex Peroni went flying after stepping on a ‘sausage’ in the Parabolica and, fortunately, he only had to regret the breakage of a vertebra. During the last 2021 United States GP , W Series driver Abbie Eaton and F4 driver Christian Weir suffered similar accidents, ending up with fractures after bouncing off the ground.
These elements were at the exit of turn 1, and the stewards decided to remove them for the Formula 1 race. The main function was that these ‘sausages’ prevent actions such as that of Raikkonen and Alonso, where a driver could go outside the track and overtake or take advantage.
Track limits create an extreme headache for Michael Masi and the FIA, and they have not yet found a solution for all circuits. The directors of the GPDA (the drivers’ association), Sebastian Vettel and George Russell, spoke during the last part of the world past about the ‘sausages’ of the pianos.
” I think they will have to be removed because it has caused two injuries and it’s unnecessary. I’d rather have an endless conversation about track limits than that,” the German driver told Motorsport.com.
“We can find a solution to that, but the main thing is that we don’t have any more broken backs , which is what those ‘sausages’ cause,” Vettel said.
George Russell, for his part, said: “This is something that F1 and the FIA need to look at because we already saw it in another accident in Monza (in reference to the one in Peroni).”
“We want to live in a perfect world, but unfortunately it doesn’t exist. Curbs are there to push the limits of the track, but if they can cause injuries, that’s unacceptable.”
“We need to find a better solution that is not dangerous,” said the Williams driver.
At the 2021 Mexican GP, the FIA removed those elements from Turn 1, although Michael Masi, F1’s race director, emphasized that each circuit should be studied individually.
“Our safety department investigates all these incidents. It’s a case-by-case thing, Turn 1 and Turn 8 were simple, because it goes by so fast,” Masi said.
“Looking at the Turn 1 and 2 setup, there is grass, so that meant we took the ‘sausages’ off on Thursday. As I’ve always said, it depends on the track , in Austin it was different to what we had here.
“We need to see each layout one by one and test how it works in each scenario,” he concluded.
Gallery: this are some of the pianos of the F1 World Cup
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Adam Cooper
Photo by: Adam Cooper
Photo by: Adam Cooper
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
