The FIA are looking into improving the efficiency of the run-off areas around tracks, following Michael Schumacher's accident at the British Grand Prix last week.

"The gravel was not efficient in Michael's case," admitted FIA president Max Mosley. "He said it didn't feel as though he was slowing at all. The basic problem you have is that a car goes out of control and ideally you want to stop it before it hurts someone, and that was always the idea with gravel."

FIA technical advisor, Peter Wright, believes that gravel should not be discounted completely, but changes should be made to the current gravel traps. "Gravel beds don't work as badly as people think, but we have a lot of data on how well cars brake on the track and off it. We have put forward the idea that maybe in some cases you would be better off with a specially designed tarmac than gravel. It is not the perfect solution, but it is something that we are looking at very seriously."