2024 Brazilian Grand Prix Weekend

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

How about:

1) When a red flag is shown race control takes the gaps between cars at the prvious timing sector - if you change tyres during red flag they add 15-20 seconds to your time and slot you where that would have put you at the last timing sector before the red flag (obviously a bit controversial if the red flag came after a safety car)

2) You are allowed to change tyres during red flag but it does not count as your 1 mandatory tyre change. So you still need to do another pit stop if you have not done it before the red flag

Still not perfect but might make it less random

I like 2, as it effectively stops the red flag from being turned into a free mandatory tyre stop.

[chillibowl]

by no means was it a certainty (none of us can see the future) but we have seen before drivers urging on action by race control through their radio messages (so and so went over the line or in this case there is too much water on the track) and when you combine that with most everyone running long on the inters as the first pit stop window was open and with conditions seemingly getting worse...

imo its a fairly a short step from there to everyone was anticipating a S/C or red flag (there had already been like 4 or 5 during quali that morning) and clearly thinking about getting in a free or cheap stop in, and/or how that might actually lead to the race being stopped at the half way mark...

of course this doesnt amount to it being a certainty, nothing can, but watching the race live a stoppage very much looked like the inevitable outcome in those moments imo.

i further question Mclaren pitting at the same time as GR when the overcut option looked to be a better hedge against the very real possibility of an imminent S/C red flag call...i would think that this is why the pitwall dismissed Norris' earlier suggestion to go for an undercut because they knew waiting a few laps made sense given the probabilities at play...but then they just decided to cover. perhaps nerves at that point?

hindsight of course and we will never know what any of the teams' data centres/race simulation teams were predicating at that moment?

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

Actully it would have been the opposite. All behind Ocon, Ver and Gasly would have been ok as they have already changed tyre before the red flag. Only the front 3 would have had to pit again after the race resumed to meet the mandatory pit to change tyre rule.

Or alternatively add 20 seconds to their race time at the time of the stopage and have them start in the position this would have put them if they chose to change tyres under the red flag.

races that start on inters or wets or a red flag restart requiring inters or wets negates the two compound rule no? rules changes would lead to more rule changes and will only lead to more unintended consequences imo.

such as, its hard to imagine any scenario in todays day and age where FOM/FIA/race control is going to accept the (legal and moral) risk of drivers going out on old cold tires because they know the potential consequences of that...a free tire change is the lesser of two evils really...plus its the sensible and simplest thing to do right?