Safety Car procedure. Time for a change? Discuss...

[Bezzers1986]

Originally Posted by Chigley

I have no wish to go off topic.

Hmmm? I'm not sure what Post you were on but from the gantry every time the Safety Car went out I saw yellows lights on its roof and I definately didn't go green until the SC lights went out. What could have thrown you was when the checker went out instead of a green after a SC period at the end of the second GT race.

I was on Post 12 and it was the first race, and never saw lights go off. Post 10, 11, 13, 17, 18, and 19 def still had safety car boards (I think they were the posts I could see) out for at least another 1 - 2 laps.

I may have confused you with the lights bit, it had the lights on while it was out it just didn't seem to go round with them off so people on flag posts didn't seem to know when it was going in.

[AndyT]

Originally Posted by Bezzers1986

I was on Post 12 and it was the first race, and never saw lights go off. Post 10, 11, 13, 17, 18, and 19 def still had safety car boards (I think they were the posts I could see) out for at least another 1 - 2 laps.

I may have confused you with the lights bit, it had the lights on while it was out it just didn't seem to go round with them off so people on flag posts didn't seem to know when it was going in.

Surely this shows a need for radios/communication on all posts (or scanners)

[Bryan Degerlund]

If I may comment. I do not know Rockingham too well, so do not know where the post numbers are located. A safety car does not have to do a full lap with its lights off before entering the pitlane. Often, following a quick clearance by Recovery, etc. the CoC is able to call the SC in rather than have yet another lap behind the SC, with its lights off. The SC boards on the startline will be withdrawn as soon as the SC approaches the pit lane entrance (advised either visually or by radio depending on circuit) and the green flag made ready. The following posts should therefore receive a "heads-up"for withdrawing their SC boards Line of sight is quicker than the fastest race car, so there should be no delays in green-flagging the leaders.

As I said at the beginning, I do not know Rockingham that well, so this is a general comment, not specificallt related to Bezzers post.

[Bryan Degerlund]

Just to add to the above -- Yes, I have been caught out when a bunch of cars have been waved through at the end of an incident, to allow the SC to pick up the leader ( advised on a different radio channel) and suddenly appear, when I am expecting the SC. A rapid radio check followed to clarify the situation!