Hamilton: Kerbs need changing before "someone gets hurt"
Reigning Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has called for changes to kerbs at the Red Bull Ring, which are believed to have contributed to two suspension failures during qualifying.
The kerbs at the track have been redone in order to more harshly penalise those going off-track and the change has now contributed to several incidents throughout the weekend.
After Max Verstappen crashed over the kerbs in FP1, three more drivers have had suspension failures on Saturday - Nico Rosberg in FP3 and Sergio Perez and Daniil Kvyat in Q1.
It was an especially worrying shunt for Kvyat, whose right-rear suspension gave out when he drove over the kerbs at Turn 8, with the Russian a passenger when the car went on to hit the inside barrier before coming to a stop in the gravel on the outside.
Hamilton, who took pole for the Austrian Grand Prix and had previously gone on record to say danger is a part of F1's appeal, insisted that the kerbs were a step too far.
"I can't speak on behalf of all the drivers but, for me looking at it, those yellow kerbs are quite dangerous, we've seen a couple of incidences already," Hamilton said.
"How many more is it going to take before a car ends up in the wall and someone gets hurt?
"[This is] something I am sure Charlie [Whiting] and the FIA are looking at, but that's definitely an area we can improve.
"The idea is good, they don’t want us to run wide and use outside of the circuit but, perhaps, another solution is going to be needed."
Don’t miss our Austrian GP video preview…
Share Or Save This Story
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments