[WEC] The ACO's Safety Car 'Overhaul'

[Mike E]

It's maddening, isn't it? A safety car is a valid response in certain circumstances. A long debris field to clear or a major barrier repair that requires track workers to actually be on the track means having the field bunched behind one or more safety cars is safer than having them continually driving by at 80kph. It's driven by necessity and it should be used when it's appropriate. But to then use it as a way of manipulating track position... For 'The Show'... Ugh.

Also, if it is for the show, do they really want a new audience, drawn in by the New Golden Age, to have to endure the misery of a half hour long, IMSA-like SC procedure?

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Also, if it is for the show, do they really want a new audience, drawn in by the New Golden Age, to have to endure the misery of a half hour long, IMSA-like SC procedure?

When the end goal is as close to a green-white-chequered as possible, the long waits under safety car procedures are not as important. Viewership always ticks up towards the end of most sporting events. Those who have only tuned in for the start/finish can catch up on the "middle" later if they want to. Anyone patiently watching most of the race are dedicated enough that they are highly unlikely to turn off because of this.

The entertainment reasoning contains the assumption that most fans are unable to hold attention for even a couple of hours, but unfortunately that's been borne out by recent successes in the wider motorsport context.

[RL17]

Is it final or have dual French/English regs not been issued yet?

So before Green do you have 1 or 3 SC chains? And does Eduardo give commands that make sense for cars in all 3 SCs at the same time?

And then at the restart you have leaders potentially going off as the unlappers all stream through on tyres at full race temp?

2 to 4am in the dark how do the drivers have a clue unless you're the overall leader, plus a few fuel stops whilst it all goes on?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by RL17

Is it final or have dual French/English regs not been issued yet?

So before Green do you have 1 or 3 SC chains? And does Eduardo give commands that make sense for cars in all 3 SCs at the same time?

And then at the restart you have leaders potentially going off as the unlappers all stream through on tyres at full race temp?

2 to 4am in the dark how do the drivers have a clue unless you're the overall leader, plus a few fuel stops whilst it all goes on?

I can't see it officially announced yet or picked up elsewhere - but the E:I article is very detailed.

Would be one safety car line at the restart. Other two cars presumably return to their mid-circuit parking spots. The warm vs cold tyres thing - I guess depends on how long the switches take. I don't think it will be an issue given you'd have to do P2 dropback and then GTE dropback. Then go back to green at the start finish.

And yeah there's going to be a very big need for radios to be working for this to run smoothly.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Mike E

It's maddening, isn't it? A safety car is a valid response in certain circumstances. A long debris field to clear or a major barrier repair that requires track workers to actually be on the track means having the field bunched behind one or more safety cars is safer than having them continually driving by at 80kph.

Not necessarily. I remember at Silverstone when it went from FCY to SC because of marshals on the track it became less safe because of cars belting round to catch the queue.

I'm thinking if they have three Safety cars, why not designate one as Hyper, one as LMP2 and one as GT. When told it's OK to do so, simply go and join the back of the one that has your class behind it. Anyone who's in front of the class leader when picked up can be moved on to the back of the next one at an appropriate safe time/place.

[Coach Ep]

Except cars are not belting around at LM to catch a SC - they're being released from pitlane when the last car in the queue behind either SC1, SC2 or SC3 has passed pit out so they'll be caught up almost instantly. The only more elevated 'danger zone' might be Dunlop as cars come speeding out of pitlane before joining the end of the pack.

Wave by-pass by-drop backs not to occur until incident has been cleared.

[RL17]

Finally found Google translate - didn't improve much. Columns of cars on right and left going through Ford & Motul chicanes with cars possibly needing emergency pit

Agree on 3 SCs with Category colour lights flashing so you start let categories form once track clear and then move stragglers on so leader behind SC but don't give everyone out of position a lap back.

[Simmi]

Some paddock opinions on the new SC rules: https://www.autosport.com/le-mans/ne...-win/10450321/

Not a surprise that Toyota aren't keen. The purist in me isn't either.

[GT6]

i read that earlier, appears porsche are not as against the changes as toyota

[Steve McQ]

They should not : this new rule will have a negative effect on the overall race pace. Leader will not need to push to create any gap as he knows it will be crushed anytime. Which means there are even less chance of a mechanical issue or driver mistake at the front. If Toyota or Ferrari runs at 90% of their potential, Porsche has no chance to win.

Furthermore, they say 20 minutes of racing are lost to put the procedure fully in place. This doesn't make any sense to stop the race 20 more minutes after an incident leading itself in a lengthy race stoppage. Whoever designed that procedure is simply dumb : probably the very same guy who decided a few years ago to allow changing tires and refuelling in the same time the US way. It was a predictable complete disaster.

[Gingers4Justice]

The ACO: boy I can’t wait to have the world’s eyes on our amazing product in our centenary year.

Also the ACO: let’s make loads of untested changes to our product NOW!

[AstonGeoff]

Hopefully they will try and test it on the test day, and then realise the error of their ways!

[PhilipR]

One good point is that ACO tend to use mostly Slow Zones rather than Safety cars so maybe will not have many in the race

Hope this does not become an IMSA thing and we get a "convenient" safety car in last 50 minutes and then the commentators going crazy how it is such a close race and bla bla bla

Also no getting lap back so I imagine the gaps to be quite big by end of race if all runs smoothly

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

One good point is that ACO tend to use mostly Slow Zones rather than Safety cars so maybe will not have many in the race.

Hope this does not become an IMSA thing and we get a "convenient" safety car in last 50 minutes and then the commentators going crazy how it is such a close race and bla bla bla

I haven't seen an official summary of the new rules, but in the very detailed E-I article at the start of the thread they said there would be none of these extra procedures within the last hour of the race if a SC is required.

At least during the race it will give people watching at home a chance to nip to the shops, IMSA-style.

[Steve McQ]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I haven't seen an official summary of the new rules, but in the very detailed E-I article at the start of the thread they said there would be none of these extra procedures within the last hour of the race if a SC is required.

If it is not relevant in the last hour, why is it in the previous 23 ? It is one and only race, rules should not change in the "middle" of it. Or maybe we can allow the slower cars a bit of power boost in the last 6 hours just to spice it up

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Steve McQ

Furthermore, they say 20 minutes of racing are lost to put the procedure fully in place. This doesn't make any sense to stop the race 20 more minutes after an incident leading itself in a lengthy race stoppage.

If we were to hit the average amount of SCs from the last four years (4) then that's approx 1h20 of racing time completely lost due to additional procedures. As from my understanding they won't start the procedure until the incident is cleared - ie when we'd normally be going back to green racing.

Over such a long lap hopefully they'll find ways to safely make time savings - but like G4J points out, is it wise to introduce this new risky amendment for your biggest race?

On the last hour point - I guess it's an admission they know it's going to take a while and it creates more flexibility in the final hour and less chance of an ugly safety car finish? I agree though it is messy and having that final hour rule in place essentially shows the ACO are aware of what a big impact this can have on the race.

[RL17]

Should make any lapped cars (by class leader) run through the pitlane and restart race as leaders cross line. Gets them out of way at restart and chicanes doesn’t let any car on same lap get a huge speed advantage on those in front.

Stragglers would have already got help from bunching behind one SC so just give a bit back on restart.

[RL17]

Maybe the big screens at la Sarthe will switch to MLB or NASCAR during SC periods

[Mike E]

So Toyota understand the rule is there to help the others catch them and Porsche's very disappointing comment shows they understand their car is too slow to win on merit. Got it.

[Mike E]

Sam Hignett nails it too, not surprisingly: "looking at it long-term, a safety car that bunches up the field takes away from our strategic IP as a team.”

Boogity boogity boogity!

[Adam43]

I’m not keen, not keen at all. For that very reason.

[Mike E]

Not a fan of this safety car business but this is a clever way to test it.

'***A field of 40 esports drivers from Le Mans Virtual Series teams took part in simulations of the new safety car period rules that will be introduced at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gerard Neveu, executive director of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, told Sportscar365 that the procedure was tested multiple times and included a meeting with race director Eduardo Freitas. “It was a pure demonstration of how virtual can help reality,” Neveu said, citing the cost and safety benefits of a virtual rehearsal.’

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...ay-notebook-2/

[RL17]

would have made sense to do testing with those guys before introduction and maybe virtual testing/training with WEC team drivers before LM - 180 or so drivers in various conditions dry/wet and dark/light etc

At least 1 or 2 cars could get taken out in main race - apart from all the loss of green light racing.

Ummm? Hope they don't do multiple in race practices too

[Adam43]

Why could 1 or 2 cars be taken out?

[Mike E]

The new procedure has been tested at the ELMS Barcelona test session.

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...ock-notes.html