The pilots will “only” be able to walk during the “Track Walk” and it is likely that some will even stop doing so.
During Formula 1 Grand Prix Thursdays, there is a space reserved for the “track walk”, a few hours in which the drivers and teams take the opportunity to explore the track on which they are going to compete during the weekend and find out about it. to other seasons.
It is common for pilots to take the opportunity to do that reconnaissance lap on a bicycle, since this way they can do it faster, on tracks that can reach seven kilometers from Spa-Francorchamps, and also in a more comfortable way. However, this has ended by order of Formula 1.
As published by the Motorsport.com website, the FOM (Formula One Management), as the organizer of each Grand Prix, sent a letter to the teams specifying that the use of “any means of transport (bicycle, electric bicycle, scooter or electric scooter, etc), will not be allowed during the time window indicated as “Team Track Walks” in the event agenda.
Apparently, the reason for this decision is that, during the laps that the drivers and their engineers give to the circuit, if they do it on a bicycle, they end up blocking the track, especially when there are support races (such as Formula 2 or Formula 3 ) and the number of participants grows.
Some pilots did not like the idea too much, although the truth is that it has not been specified whether any type of economic or sporting punishment would be imposed on anyone who breaks the rule.
“You will not see me on the track again”
That is what Charles Leclerc, a Ferrari driver, said when asked about the new ban implemented by Formula 1. “I didn’t walk, and since I think now it will be forbidden to ride a bicycle, you probably won’t see me again in clue, I’ll just watch videos”, said the Monegasque.
Following the ban on bike track walk, it is likely that many riders will choose not to do it simply to save time, as the benefits are not particularly great compared to watching videos of the track, and it may only be engineers from now on of the teams to complete the ride.
In Saudi Arabia, Formula 1 also changed the timing of the Track Walk due to the recording of the video clip of rapper Will.I.Am, which took place at various points on the track. This even left drivers without walking around the circuit, such as Hülkenberg, who said: “They have blocked the track and everything has gone wrong. I will see the return of the safety car.”
