Caring at all about minor violations of the track limits, as it seems like everyone involved didn't for the previous 20 years of F1 before this recent round of nonsense began, adds nothing but annoyances to the sport.
I think for qualifying the minor violations should still result in a laptime being deleted. For the race, I think only clear, excessive violations of track limits should be punished.
For the race, I think only clear, excessive violations of track limits should be punished.
What's excessive then? Maybe they can let the race director and stewards decide based on current mood, again. We had clear rules applying to all for only two seasons. That's enough. Right?
That would be far too sensible. I guess the problem there is that if there is no clear cut limit teams who get penalised would start appealing decisions and it would be utter chaos.
Because it's better to fix a problem rather than rule around it. Drivers will always try to get as close to the line as possible (literally in this case) so change the tracks to allow them to go harder or to make it too costly to risk.
Also people don't like races to be decided by penalties because it seems too arbitrary and isn't as exciting. Fix the track, improve the experience!
Making the penalty isn't going to do anything when the punishment is handed out laps later when the driver doesn't even know which corner they went off at. The best way to enforce track limits is with a physical barrier, be that kerb, grass or armco. I think Hamilton wasn't getting any track limit violations until they moved the track in and effectively got rid of any physical barrier. When it's just a white line you can't see and you go over my millimetres, there's no way to know you're within limits unless you drastically reduce the amount you push, something only Max could really get away with.
The best way to enforce track limits is with a physical barrier
Or we can stop acting like we're living in the last century and put technology in place that exists already. Helmets can be fitted with HUDs and sensors can be installed on the cars and at corners which need policing. With processing power that exists in current embedded systems, a virtual representation of track limits to an extremely accurate degree can be projected onto the visor in real time.
Okay I have a proposal, giant gluel traps. If the driver goes off track they get stuck in a glue trap. Not sticking enough to fully stop them but enough to slow them down and lose a second or two. Plus if they are made removable then they can be taken up for other racing events. Plus it will have the added side effect of keeping track invaders off the track by trapping them like flies.
Seriously this will keep happening until the divers have some immediate negative impact that affects the race.
That's basically what gravel pits do. The problem is large flat curbs that don't upset the car. Just put walls, we race in Baku and Monaco no problem there.
The current cars are also able to stay within the track limits, the problem is more that from the seating position the lines are hard to see and apparently the drivers rely to feeling the kerb vibrations to a large degree.
It's a track design issue. The drivers just go as fast as possible and no matter what we say, lines won't actually deter them. The curbs barely affect the car now so there's no danger to go hard and maybe too wide. Even with smaller cars drivers haven't seen the lines under their tire since at least the mid 90's anyway.