The FIA is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle the persistent issue of track limit violations. Last year, the sheer volume of track limit breaches at the Red Bull Ring took the stewards a staggering five hours to review. The FIA hopes that with the aid of AI, the stewards will have a less burdensome task this year.
During the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, the stewards had to investigate a whopping 1,200 track limit violations. This resulted in a five-hour delay post-race before the final Grand Prix results could be announced. To prevent a similar scenario this year, the FIA previously recommended installing gravel traps at turns 9 and 10. Additionally, the organization behind the Austrian race hopes that artificial intelligence will help solve the track limit problem.
Drawing the Line
AI is set to take over the task of evaluating whether a driver has crossed the track limits during the Spielberg race. To facilitate the use of AI at the Red Bull Ring, a thin blue line has been painted at turns 5, 9, 10, and 11. “The blue line is intended to delineate the white line from the exit kerb, creating a more noticeable visual difference. The concerning turns are also equipped with cameras,” explains PlanetF1.
The FIA has been training AI with old camera footage since the Abu Dhabi 2023 to recognize when cars exceed the track limits. Any doubtful cases will still be reviewed by the stewards themselves. The governing body hopes that this will allow the stewards to focus on other potential issues on the track during this edition of the Grand Prix. Although the AI technology is not yet perfect according to the FIA, the governing body hopes that the stewards will be able to work much faster in Austria.
