Eli5 Why do race tracks have rough sides?

Question

Especially f1 or carting tracks

In: 4

Answer 1

Nearly everything you see next to a race track serves two purposes,

a) create respect for the track. It should cost more to go astray than staying on

b) create a passive slow-down-scheme for all vehicles that go outside of the track. In case the driver is incapacitated and the vehicle is running astray with no-one to control it. It saves lives.