Sergio Perez has described Suzuka as a “great example” of how other circuits should define track limits.
The Japanese GP venue is one of the most old-school venues on the calendar with only a handful of corners seeing tarmac run-off or some kind of reprofiling for safety reasons since it was created.
However, ahead of last weekend’s race, the issue of track limits was back on the agenda after a range of incidents in the run-off areas in Sochi, including a scary F2 crash caused by drivers not slowing down.
“I just find that every year we tend to go into those arguments, unnecessary arguments [on track limits],” Perez, who was involved in his own incident with Kevin Magnussen, said.
“You see the track layout that we have in Turn 2 [in Sochi], I would definitely expect a change for next year. What happened in F2, that kind of thing, it just looks silly. They have to make a change.”
The issue of drivers speeding through run-off areas also arose after the fatal crash of Anthoine Hubert at Spa, who was hit in the tarmac section to the right of the track at the top of Raidillon.
Recently, former F1 driver Jean Alesi, whose son Guiliano was caught up in that Hubert crash, suggested all drivers should be required to reduce their speed by half if they do go off track.
“Obviously we have the rule in place, if you go off you have to go through the bollard. Some respect it, others not, like in F2, and then you get a crash,” Perez explained.
“Ultimately, I think the corner [Turn 2 in Sochi] is just wrong. There should be a natural penalty for people going off, whether it’s gravel or grass, whatever.
“I think it’s come to a point where we’ve got to make a change. As usual, it’s a never-ending story.”
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It was then the Racing Point driver made the comparison between Sochi’s tarmac paradise and the grass and gravel that lines Suzuka.
“This is a great example of how tracks should be,” he stated.
“If you go off anywhere, you pay a big price and I wish every track was the same with the run-off areas.
“It’s a safe circuit, but this is a circuit that you’ve got to respect.
“If you go off, it’s always going to be a big shunt. I think as a driver you like this kind of circuit. It’s also a great energetic place.”