THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF grand prix racing, there have always been troublesome objects littered around the edge of the track for drivers to have problematic interactions with: walls, trees, straw bales, buildings, railway sleepers, gravel, catch fencing, tyre barriers – all sorts. These days, aside from the odd wall if you search for it hard enough, the most troublesome enemy is the sausage kerb, lying in wait to cause problems, sometimes even car damage, for the unwary.
During Friday practice, plenty of drivers hit trouble with the new 50mm sausage kerb laid at the exit of Turn 20. This right-hander, which leads almost directly into the final corner, is deceptively fast – taken in fifth gear on a quick lap – and carrying speed through it is worth a decent…
