F1 Safety Car Regs Overhaul

mark_l · 18 Oct 2006, 16:07 (Ref:1741329)

Taken from Autosport.com

"FIA approves safety car rules shake-up

By Jonathan Noble Wednesday, October 18th 2006, 15:25 GMT

...

"

EDIT: Link: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/55215

LongJohnSilver · 18 Oct 2006, 16:36 (Ref:1741371)

So basically, everyone who has been lapped by the leader, but not everyone of the lead lap cars, gets 1 lap back.

Also, there must be a change to the one pit stall regulations now. If you cant immedietaly come in, then every team will be guaranteed to have stacked stops, royally screwing each teams second place car. After the pit stops you will have a situation where the top 11 wont have 2 cars from the same team, assuming that everyone is on the lead lap.

kipper · 18 Oct 2006, 17:45 (Ref:1741412)

I have to admit that I'm not overly fond of the new initiative; whilst I can see why it is a disadvantage for cars running in the pack on the lead lap have when they have to lap cars after a safety car period, the new system disadvantges a race leader, for could have any advantage over the rest of the cars eroded. In addition, it could be that there will be a number of cars running at racing speed in order to make back their lap, which to me doesn't seem in keeping with the idear of a safety car.

2112 · 18 Oct 2006, 18:56 (Ref:1741458)

That`s a good point..there will be a race within a race.

And to what benefit to the car given the lap back? In Nascar, that car may win...but in F1, a boat anchor remains a boat anchor.

**ScotsBrutesFan** · 18 Oct 2006, 20:55 (Ref:1741551)

I agree that this rule disadvantages the leader too much.

A driver has built up a lead, and passed several backmarkers. For another driver to win he has to also pass the back markers in order to catch up with and then challenge the lead car.
Having a safety car intervention, and the backmarkers pulled out of the way isn't in my book very sporting.
I'd go as far as to suggest it's the FIA Race-fixing.

And how long before the 2nd driver of Team A "accidentally" hits the kill switch for the engine stopping at an apex of a corner - safety car! It's "total coincidence" that the 1st driver for Team A is 20 seconds down and has 3 lapped cars between himself and the leader.
Oh look when the safety car peels off into the pits, 1st driver of Team A is right under the gear box of the leader !

No if the leader has passed the back markers at racing speed then it's up to everyone else to do the same thing.

.....
As for the pitlane, Yes I like the idea of the pitlane being closed until everyone bunches up, however I'd go further and keep the pitlane closed for the duration of the safety car period. Green Flag stops only!
And if someone has to stop for fuel or repairs during the safety car, they are automatically scored 1 lap down.

**Adam43** · 18 Oct 2006, 22:32 (Ref:1741647)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

And how long before the 2nd driver of Team A "accidentally" hits the kill switch for the engine stopping at an apex of a corner - safety car! It's "total coincidence" that the 1st driver for Team A is 20 seconds down and has 3 lapped cars between himself and the leader.
Oh look when the safety car peels off into the pits, 1st driver of Team A is right under the gear box of the leader !

This tactic could well have been applied to almost the same degree previously. In addition it isn't used like that in other series where safety cars are more common. I think this is overly cynical.

That is not to say I agree with this new SC method.

outflat · 18 Oct 2006, 22:38 (Ref:1741652)

A ludicrous change. Surely gaining back your time gap to the car in front is "reward" enough under a safety car, without having backmarkers removed from the equation too?

There's no sporting justification for this.

Marbot · 18 Oct 2006, 23:45 (Ref:1741708)

If the cars are in order of race position behind the safety car,then they should also remain at the approximate distance from each other when the safety car was deployed.Shouldn't be too difficult for race control and the teams to do.

Craig Senior · 19 Oct 2006, 08:16 (Ref:1741889)

I thought the Safety car was there for the "Safety" of Marshals etc on track?

With the current regs you would get the Safety car followed by a train of cars all travelling at a speed dictated by the safety car.

The new regs would spread the cars out and have backmarkers racing found to rejoin the back of the train losing out on the control of the pack and the "Safety"

Doesn't really make alot of sense to me, maybe they should just call it "The car"

I may of course be wrong, it has happened before

ljakse · 19 Oct 2006, 10:49 (Ref:1741979)

Well, I have a mixed opinion on this...

First, I personnaly like the idea of removing backmarkers - If I was to explain way, it would take me 2 pages, so I'll just say that I like it...

Second, for issues others allready pointed out, I don't like the way it's going to be done - I would prefer to have them bunched up, and backmarkers let everybody pass them at low speeds. That way, the effect of SC would remain, and backmarkers would be in the back.

**Adam43** · 19 Oct 2006, 11:32 (Ref:1742003)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Senior

The new regs would spread the cars out and have backmarkers racing found to rejoin the back of the train losing out on the control of the pack and the "Safety"

I see no comprimise in safety. They will not let they pass the SC until the problem they had was removed. These cars will not race round, because they can't overtake. So they will travel in a safer manner than when racing. It can only be considered unsafe if you consider cars on a track to be unsafe!

Quote:

Originally Posted by outflat

There's no sporting justification for this.

The fans want close racing. This gives us closer racing. The fans have got what they want at the expense of sport and fair competition.

Knowlesy · 19 Oct 2006, 11:40 (Ref:1742007)

I'm torn really. One the one hand, we will avoid those daft starts where Alonso drives away whilst the Midlands behind him appear oblivious that the race has restarted, holding everyone up to the tune of three minutes.

On the other hand, it is perhaps harsh on the leaders. But then, they will just have to do a bit more to win!

On second thoughts, this is better than what we have now.

**Bononi** · 19 Oct 2006, 11:46 (Ref:1742016)

It looks right to the front runners. And this way, the backmarkers will regain the lap they were passed... at least one.

Marbot · 19 Oct 2006, 12:38 (Ref:1742064)

Perhaps we can have a "Lucky dog" driver (gets to go back onto lead lap again),like Nascar.

pole2pole · 19 Oct 2006, 12:45 (Ref:1742069)

I like the new regs. I don't know about the rest of you but when I was reading them I kept thinking these regs are about ten years too late. I also think that these regs have been introduced to improve the show for television. It is interesting though that they are designed to stop teams gaining a massive advantage. Anything that forces racing and passing on the track instead of the pit lane...I am a big fan of.

**Adam43** · 19 Oct 2006, 13:48 (Ref:1742127)

Hopefully this sort of thing can be introduced into other sports. Randomly bunch the pack up in marathons, rowing and cycling. We can't have people getting too far ahead that would be too fair.

In fact make this compulsary in F1. Whenever a gap on the circuit gets to over 10s get out the SC. Imagine if that had alsways been the case. Nurburgring '57 would have been a lot more exciting. And we wouldn;t have had anything as tedious as Stewart winning by 4 minutes as we did at that venue a few years afterwards.

I'm done now

pole2pole · 19 Oct 2006, 14:59 (Ref:1742162)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

Hopefully this sort of thing can be introduced into other sports. Randomly bunch the pack up in marathons, rowing and cycling. We can't have people getting too far ahead that would be too fair.

In fact make this compulsary in F1. Whenever a gap on the circuit gets to over 10s get out the SC. Imagine if that had alsways been the case. Nurburgring '57 would have been a lot more exciting. And we wouldn;t have had anything as tedious as Stewart winning by 4 minutes as we did at that venue a few years afterwards.

I'm done now

Go ahead there Adam

I see where your coming from....Donington 93 springs to mind. If these regs would have been in force at that time then we would have never seen Senna showing them all how it was done.

Marbot · 19 Oct 2006, 15:56 (Ref:1742205)

I can see it now...Mandatory safety car! The leader is perillously close to lapping a back marker..it's Sato!...Not even with a million waved blue flags and every teams pit board declaring "He's behind you ******" would you hope to pass him safely.Enter the safety car-problem solved.

Bleu · 19 Oct 2006, 16:03 (Ref:1742212)

With this years rules one problem is that you can slow and accelerate way before finish line. IIRC at Melbourne Alonso got about 4-5 seconds as lapped driver didn't react very well.

Marbot · 19 Oct 2006, 16:12 (Ref:1742221)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleu

IIRC at Melbourne Alonso got about 4-5 seconds as lapped driver didn't react very well.

Hence the change to the regulations.

Knowlesy · 19 Oct 2006, 16:33 (Ref:1742242)

The only problem I foresee with this rule would be if it were abused. Which I'm quite sure it wouldn't be.

mark_l · 19 Oct 2006, 16:58 (Ref:1742273)

Something the marshals will have to look out for is cars going at racing speed whilst the safety car is out.

Example:
Sato is directly behind the safety car with the leader behind him. Safety Car passes incident and then waves Sato past. Sato belts round at racing speed to catch the back of the queue again and passes the incident again at racing speed whilst doing so.

Kempi · 19 Oct 2006, 17:28 (Ref:1742300)

Quote:

Example:
Sato is directly behind the safety car with the leader behind him. Safety Car passes incident and then waves Sato past. Sato belts round at racing speed to catch the back of the queue again and passes the incident again at racing speed whilst doing so.

(Almost) Lapped cars were always sent past the SC if they ended up in front of the leader. The SC always picked up the leader.

Also: I don't see a risk for the marshals, they won't wave them past the SC as long as work is done, only when the track is clear again. Might take a lap longer until the SC pulls off track, though.

mark_l · 19 Oct 2006, 18:39 (Ref:1742351)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kempi

(Almost) Lapped cars were always sent past the SC if they ended up in front of the leader. The SC always picked up the leader.

Also: I don't see a risk for the marshals, they won't wave them past the SC as long as work is done, only when the track is clear again. Might take a lap longer until the SC pulls off track, though.

So that means the safety car will be out longer than it is now, and ITV can have longer ad breaks and still come back in time to miss the restart.

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