Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo and team principal Christian Horner have called for Formula One to impose tougher track-limits deterrents.
Large asphalt run-off areas are now commonplace at most F1 circuits on the calendar, but Ricciardo and Horner believe such run-off areas do not punish drivers for making a mistake. The debate was fuelled following separate incidents at the Mexican Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both ran wide into Turn 1 but were able to maintain position without suffering immediate consequences.
"I'm a fan of gravel traps, and stuff like that, because it is a proper deterrent," Ricciardo said. "Even if you get through the gravel trap, still at some good speed and you maybe don't lose a whole lot of time, you have still got stuff in your radiators or stones on your tyres, so there is more of a penalty.
"I don't like how a driver can defend, lock up, make a mistake while defending, and then cut through and continue. The first corner with Lewis, I didn't think that was right. The start of the race is a crucial moment, and a mistake like that with so many cars around, you should pay more of a price."
While Hamilton's moment on the grass at Turns 1 and 2 was not investigated, Verstappen received a five-second time penalty after the race for gaining an advantage by running wide in his defence of Sebastian Vettel, who vented his fury with a series of expletive radio messages.
The FIA has imposed track limits and applied subsequent penalties at some circuits this however, but has decided against doing so at other races. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone had suggested erecting artificial walls around corners in order to solve the problem by preventing drivers from simply running wide. Agreeing with Ricciardo, Horner feels asphalt run-off areas allow for too much interpretation.
"Bernie's view is put a wall there, which is probably one end of the spectrum," he said. "But I definitely think there's an argument for a gravel trap because if you end up in the gravel you either lose an enormous amount of time or you're out of the race.
"It remains too open to interpretation because why was Max's move any different to Lewis at the chicane in Monte Carlo or Lewis on lap one here? You're leaving it constantly up to stewards interpretation on individual events. If there's a gravel trap there they pay the price, it's as simple as that."