Daniel Ricciardo has declared himself a supporter of gravel traps as opposed to run-off areas, insisting that drivers should be punished for their mistakes.
The issue emerged as one of the key talking points following the Mexican Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg both escaped penalties for retaining their position by taking to the grass at turn one, while Max Verstappen was penalised for a similar offence in his battle with Sebastian Vettel.
Bernie Ecclestone, meanwhile, recently proposed that tracks be surrounded by artificial walls to enforce track limits, which remains one of the sport’s most divisive issues, and increase the risk factor.
Ricciardo, though, believes only gravel traps offer a sufficient deterrent to drivers running wide, maintaining that Hamilton ought to have incurred the wrath of the stewards following his turn one blunder.
“I’m a fan of gravel traps, and stuff like that, because it is a proper deterrent,” he told Autosport.
“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.”
Throughout the season, the FIA have only penalised drivers if they believe they have gained an advantage by running wide, with the resulting inconsistency confusing fans, pundits and drivers alike.
Many fans believe that lap times should be invalidated regardless if a driver puts all four wheels off the track, though perhaps lengthy discussions over track limits can only result from a lack of excitement in the races themselves.
