Mechanics sweep dirty side of track for start? (merged)

[Sodemo]

I wonder if we will see the teams for the cars starting on the dirty side of the grid sweeping the dust before the start of the green flag lap?

What are teams legally allowed to do to the track? Can they lay something on the track?

I wonder if they have hoover-type devices?

[twig]

Funnily enough, i was reading the regulations not too long ago - after the Euro GP (After the MS incident).

And although i read that a few years ago, JPM's team used a broom on the track to sweep the dirt away, as he was starting on the dirty side of the track, but i dont think its allowed.

There is a rule which says that no team can artificially clean the track or do anything to improve the grip levels of the track, except for the laying down of rubber when the car spins its wheels away.

So to your question, no they cannot.

[Wrex]

I think you will find it is, and always has been common practice to clean (sweep) the track. It's not dust anyway, but more the oil etc that does'nt get destroyed as the cars go over it.

[twig]

Sorry, after just reading over the regulations again, i was wrong, here is what it says:
--------------------------------------
b) Other than tyre rubber left when cars leave their pit stop position, Competitors may not attempt
to enhance the grip of the surface in the pit lane unless a problem has been clearly identified and a solution
agreed by the FIA Safety Delegate.
--------------------------------------

So that is to do with the pit lane, and not the race track.

[Rocktracer]

so expect to see those tyres lighting up on the warm up lap...

what races are prior to the GP? I guess a few bribes could be floating around to encourage drivers to drive on that side of the road

[Sodemo]

Whats the bet that JPM will get an abysmal start and get swamped by 5th and 7th place guys?

I bet JPM is glad that TGF is on the dirty side too.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by The Monster

I bet JPM is glad that TGF is on the dirty side too.

And Rafe!!!

[BootsOntheSide]

This situation is really unfair, it's an age old problema dn one which can surely be solved somehow. Allowing teams to clean teh trakc themselves seems only fair,because the changes of position at the start are too artifical.

[avsfan733]

I agree with boots. You shouldn't have a situation where the second place qualifier is getting screwed for beating out the thrid place qualifier. It defeats the purpose of qualifying.

[CATMAN]

WE WANT OVER TAKING IN F1, time and time again we hear it. So sweep the track before every race and let the guys have some clean tarmac to overtake on. After three days of **** from F1, F3000, Porsches and other F1 invites and you have a racing line governed by the "marbles" of 3 days of useage. Clean the track and let the guys have more overtaking space!

[Svend]

Originally posted by CATMAN
After three days of **** from F1, F3000, Porsches and other F1 invites and you have a racing line governed by the "marbles" of 3 days of useage. Clean the track and let the guys have more overtaking space!

When was the last time you went to a Grand Prix?
I'd wish they had some more non F1-races during a weekend.

[paulzinho]

look at it another way, the guys who get a bad start are supposed to be faster, right? If they get overtaken at the start it should mean that they have the strategy to reovertake!

Should be interesting though!

[Logrence]

The track owners normally send street sweepers out to try and clean the track a bit...

The Ferrari launch control has been abysmal of late - Schumi and Barrichello are going to get eaten for breakfast by the midfield - Raikkonen and Alonso are going to be the main benefactors, I think.

[Sodemo]

Did anyone notice that the Williams boys didn't exactly light up their tyres much on the warm up lap? :confused:

[Mr V]

Proberbly too dusty to allow for the smoke as the wheels were spinning on cr@p!

[KC]

I would think they would spn them hard to clean the area and lay down some nice rubber for a launching pad.

[Valve Bounce]

This problem has plagued nearly every circuit in motor racing, but at Hungary it was particularly bad. Why is it not possible to sweep the track during the hour before the start with some street sweepers? Surely 3 street sweepers in staggered tandem could sweep not only the start line but the entire track proprly beffore the start.
When teams spend millions of dollars to put cars onto a race track for a major race, the cost of hiring a number of street sweepers is insigniicant.

[ralf fan]

i agree with Valve. ( i'm biased the dirty track cost Ralf a win.) Bernie and the Fia are rich enough a few extra employess will do no harm.And if the FIA dont want to make the effort the least they can do is allow the teams to sweep the area where their car is going to start!!

[Glen]

Is it possible that they don't want to accidentally clean off the rubber from the racing line, or even worse only partially clean it off?

[Bononi]

I guess it's part of the show... like rain.

[ralf fan]

I guess it's part of the show... like rain.

Yeah but when a race is affected by rain all the cars are disadvantaged , whereas with a dirty track only half the grid is affected which is not fair.
But as Bononi says its part of the game.

[Francesca]

but when it rains, it rains on everyone. I think a large hoover is in order.

[Jay]

It's not just dust and marbles though. The side of the start line that is one the racing line has 3 days worth of rubber built up on it - which will naturally provide a lot more adhesion than even the cleanest pavement that hasn't been run on at all. I don't think cleaning the other line would have much effect. It might have been worse at Hungary because of the pavement or that fewer cars had gone down that side of the straight.

I just see it as a reality of standing starts - nothing you can do about it.

[903cc]

In my opinion the drivers should realise that they have a 50% chance of starting on the Dirty line. Why not do a significant percentage of your laps to clean it up? IF all the drivers put in say just 10 laps each on the dirty side then that is 200 cars going down there that should help a bit.

Now where is my medication....

[R]

You know, that is a good suggestion...! Not only would it clean up the track, but you would also get some rubber laid down. Admittedly not as much as on the racing line, but still. Good thinking!