Pace Car Not Required To Obey Pit Lane Speed Limit

[pete55]

It seems the pace car is not required to obey the pit lane speed limit. I would have thought the idea of having a pit lane speed limit is a safety issue. If it is i would have thought any vehicle would have to obey it. This is what Robert Jones (driver at Pukekohe) said on the V8 Supercar web site.

The highlight? Probably rattling through pit lane at pace (without fear of a penalty) due to a first lap incident in race one (Dean Canto).

[STEALTHY]

Yes the safety car (and any support vehicles etc) need to follow the speed limit. I think if it is correct the safety car was speeding, he will get a fine for it.

[stmorri]

Even if the pace car was required to obey the pitlane speed limit, what would they do if it didn't?......give it a drive through penalty?

[BFC]

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

Yes the safety car (and any support vehicles etc) need to follow the speed limit. I think if it is correct the safety car was speeding, he will get a fine for it.

YES all vehicles must obey the speed limit...i have been slapped for exceeding it

[pete55]

Originally Posted by BFC

YES all vehicles must obey the speed limit...i have been slapped for exceeding it

Well it seems it didn't happen in NZ.

[STEALTHY]

Maybe something happened behind the scenes as not to cause an uproar about it.

For all we know, the driver may have now lost his job, or got that fine i mentioned. If they don't act and it is known to pitlane, people will be doing it all race saying why can't i, the safety car can' etc

[pete55]

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

Maybe something happened behind the scenes as not to cause an uproar about it.

For all we know, the driver may have now lost his job, or got that fine i mentioned. If they don't act and it is known to pitlane, people will be doing it all race saying why can't i, the safety car can' etc

I would have thought there would be some sort of penalty, but this was stated on the V8 Supercar site.

[GTRMagic]

Take a squiz at the old Bathurst footage... the unlimited pit lane speed limits were an accident waiting to happen!

[grange54]

Item 17 in the Safety Car and Observer - Briefing Notes which are issued to the nominated safety car and course car drivers at each event clearly states speed needs to be reduced to 40km/h on reaching the pit lane speed limit sign.
I would expect that the stewards of the event would take a dim view of any speed infringement and the driver would be fined.

[Uncle Cranker]

The only exception to the pit lane speed limit is emergency vehicles, (FIV fire vehicle ambulance) BUT only under direction of the C of C

[Pro Racer]

what a goose coming out publicly saying you broke the rules he should and might have already been fined.

[ensign14]

They should send the pace car to the back of the line.

[Adam43]

Speaking generally and not on that particular situation: If the pace car is required somewhere else it is all about balancing the risks. It might be better for the pace car to get to where it is going quicker than obey the limit. I see no reason why it should, except to search for outrage.

The race cars need to be limited because there are more of them and would make a distorted judgement when it comes to driving safely in the pitlane. The person who drives least safely could benefit! This is not the case wih the pace car, the gain for the pace car is to aid others not to gain places on the track.

In addition, the speed limit is generally conservative for the race cars, so it is quite possible for one pace car, in a particular situation to drive faster than the limit.

[pete55]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

Speaking generally and not on that particular situation: If the pace car is required somewhere else it is all about balancing the risks. It might be better for the pace car to get to where it is going quicker than obey the limit. I see no reason why it should, except to search for outrage.

The race cars need to be limited because there are more of them and would make a distorted judgement when it comes to driving safely in the pitlane. The person who drives least safely could benefit! This is not the case wih the pace car, the gain for the pace car is to aid others not to gain places on the track.

In addition, the speed limit is generally conservative for the race cars, so it is quite possible for one pace car, in a particular situation to drive faster than the limit.

Perhaps another question needs answering. Why was the pace car at the far end of the pit lane. I would think it should be close to the exit so it can get onto the circuit as soon as possible. Also at the time of the pace car going through the pits at speed there may well have been a car or cars in pitlane (not as far as i know in this incidence) at the time with the pit crew/s doing their job.

[Adam43]

Good question about the positioning. Was this early in the race,had it just come in?

There could have been cars in the pitlane, but that is part of my point: The pace car should be allowed to make the judgement on the current situation.

[STEALTHY]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

Speaking generally and not on that particular situation: If the pace car is required somewhere else it is all about balancing the risks. It might be better for the pace car to get to where it is going quicker than obey the limit. I see no reason why it should, except to search for outrage.

The race cars need to be limited because there are more of them and would make a distorted judgement when it comes to driving safely in the pitlane. The person who drives least safely could benefit! This is not the case wih the pace car, the gain for the pace car is to aid others not to gain places on the track.

In addition, the speed limit is generally conservative for the race cars, so it is quite possible for one pace car, in a particular situation to drive faster than the limit.

So going by yur rules, if just ONE car pits by himself, its safer, so he doesn't have to obey the rule?
I know its the safety car, but the point it safety. Marshals have red flags if theres such an emergency that the safety car is needed so urgently, so there is no need for it to be speeding.
The rule is there because of the high foot traffic in pit lane, even the driver of the safety car can't predict if someone is going to walk out infront of him, expecting he's only doing 40.

[RotorFan]

Its not the first time the Safety Car has been irresponsible.

In the same maneouver, the Safety car *raced* in front of the field, passing a couple cars at race speed. Why isn't that an issue?

I think I remember Lowndes having to slow right down to let the safety car past at Adelaide too. Then there was the contact in pit lane at Bathurst as the Safety Car pulled out without looking and hit a race car. They have no idea what Safety means unless it concerns the teams actions.