Safety car line

[Mark]

Regardless of what happened in Monaco. What do you think of the new rule for this year that cars can now overtake after the 'safety car line' just after the pit-in.

Previously drivers could only overtake once past the start / finish line.

I remember way back (in 1996!). After a safety car period they would have a single 'green flag' lap where cars could go at racing speed, but not overtake!

[SGWilko]

Regardless of what happened in Monaco. What do you think of the new rule for this year that cars can now overtake after the 'safety car line' just after the pit-in.

Previously drivers could only overtake once past the start / finish line.

I remember way back (in 1996!). After a safety car period they would have a single 'green flag' lap where cars could go at racing speed, but not overtake!

WHat do I think of the SC line? Hmmmmmmmmm.

I like the idea behind it, in that a track like Barcelona cars do not have to wat to traverse half the straight before overtaking, but, I think it is more trouble than it is worth.

Look at the bottleneck and kerfuffle at, I think, China, when Webber and Vettel tried to sandwich Lewis and Webber came off worse. They were all clearly racing.

This in stark contrast to Monaco, where I don't think they all were.

But, I really think they should revert to removing the SC line, and use the start/finish line.

[race_director]

IMO, the old rule of no overtaking till start/finish line is fine. No confusion clear rules.

The present rule of racing after safety car line is a bit dangerous. In Monaco the line is near a very slow corner , then also we saw confusion at the end. In case the line is in high speed tracks like canada/Indy. the driver behind can always bck of and build speed and zoom past the car front ahead. That would be a unethical move IMO. he cannot get passed since he is behind the safety line. but he can put his foot on his pedal and overtake the driver in front of him.

anyone can understand wht the f i am trying to say? :)

I still stand my ground that MSC was a brilliant move, may be move of the year . caught a snoring Fred .

[Big Ben]

One would wonder why so many complain if they are so easily satisfied.


And back to the topic: better if all line coincide. The most simple option is the best, like almost always.

[gloomyDAY]

I think having a SC line is a good idea that's poorly implemented by the FIA. The rules need to be changed in order for there not to be any confusion in future races.

[Saint Devote]

Too many goddam rules - when the safety car heads for the pits, let the drivers give it all the welly they have and drivers like Schumi can give the young 'uns a racing lesson.

[Saint Devote]

I think having a SC line is a good idea that's poorly implemented by the FIA. The rules need to be changed in order for there not to be any confusion in future races.

Schumacher wasn't confused - cannot remember that he ever was that way on a race track - funny that about the truly great drivers!

It was Alonso that almost hit the barrier in fright - now THATS confusion for you :D

[Tazio]

Is this a trick question?
I think all rules should to be conceived by Mike,
approved by "The Boss",
have ya''awl boys take a beat-down by Fred,
Or........have an ice-cream bar with Kimi!

What's your take M' billy?

[markabilly]

Is this a trick question?
I think all rules should to be conceived by Mike,
approved by "The Boss",
have ya''awl boys take a beat-down by Fred,
Or........have an ice-cream bar with Kimi!

What's your take M' billy?
my take is that if the lead car is required to keep close to the SC, and is not permitted to get all squirrely before the SC leaves (as in all this sudden stop and go nonsense), then it will make for smoother starts and potential passing.

But that is a big IF, because I can see the squirrels coming out on the last two or so corners before the SC line.... :eek:

Before, the change, SC pulls in and the lead car gets all sorts of stop/go/stop/take off, and given the constentino (or whatever they call it) the leader would never get passed between where the SC pulled off and the start/finish line

[fandango]

Can we please not talk about whether Scumacher's move was right on this thread, too?

As far as the new safety car line goes, I think it's fine. The safety car goes into the pits and we're away. It makes more sense to the casual viewer, rather than having to know that they can't overtake till the start/finish line.

Some drivers will benefit, some will lose places. The current situation greates more racing opportunities.

[wedge]

Too many goddam rules - when the safety car heads for the pits, let the drivers give it all the welly they have and drivers like Schumi can give the young 'uns a racing lesson.

:up:

[Saint Devote]

:up:

Thank you :s mokin:

Regards your signature - I read an interview with Moss and Tony Brooks a while back. Remarkable people.

Looking back I realize that as fans our approach to the dangers of racing are significantly influenced by the drivers of an era as well as the degree of interest one has in motor racing history.

I was most impressionable during the 1970's and it does influence me relative to say a fan that was similarly affected during the noughties, for example.

[Saint Devote]

I am so pleased to find that the Autosport published today supports Schumi in this matter.

An excellent article and an analysis by Gary Anderson as well as good graphics. No legal speak but plain English.

Well done!

[Storm]

Although this caused confusion, I believe the change to passing after the SC Line is a good thing.
earlier cars would be on each others gearboxes but all depends on the speed of the P1 car, and they cannot pass till the Finish line (much further ahead on the straight than this SC Line) and mostly cars ended up diving down at T1 but not being able to make it stick.
Now they can start this manouvre earlier and can get side by side half-way through the straight (at most tracks) which might mean more passing opportunities after teh SC than the usual procession dictated by the leader's pace. Just what I think..could be wrong!

[Ari]

I HATE it. So far it's stuffed Schumys race and also Webbers in China.

Don't like it one bit.

When the SC comes in you floor it and are back to racing after the start finish line on the straight. I cannot tell you how much I think the SC line is a stupid idea and a problem.

[Ari]

Although this caused confusion, I believe the change to passing after the SC Line is a good thing.
earlier cars would be on each others gearboxes but all depends on the speed of the P1 car, and they cannot pass till the Finish line (much further ahead on the straight than this SC Line) and mostly cars ended up diving down at T1 but not being able to make it stick.
Now they can start this manouvre earlier and can get side by side half-way through the straight (at most tracks) which might mean more passing opportunities after teh SC than the usual procession dictated by the leader's pace. Just what I think..could be wrong!

In that case they should make it at the start of the straight. Having it before the final corner for me is an absolute recipe for disaster as we've already seen a few times.

[Mark]

At least it's not confusing like in American racing where as soon as the lead car crosses the safety car line, then *everybody* is allowed to overtake, even those who may be still only half way around the lap!

[Mia 01]

As long as the drivers and the teams know the rules, its fine with me.

MS who.

[wedge]

At least it's not confusing like in American racing where as soon as the lead car crosses the safety car line, then *everybody* is allowed to overtake, even those who may be still only half way around the lap!

What's so confusing about it? There's a marker letting the leader know when to floor it when the pace car pulls in.

And why on earth does F1 find it embarrassing that a race finish under yellow/SC conditions that the SC has pull back into the pits and not lead the pack over the start/finish line.

[Ent]

when the safety car heads for the pits, let the drivers give it all the welly they have and drivers like Schumi can give the young 'uns a racing lesson.

From what I understand, that is the purpose of the safety car line. It's designed to allow the safety car to safely get back in the pits, and at that very instant, racing is back on. That's why the line is usually right at the pit entrance. For that reason, I think it's a great idea allowing racing from there.

It is also supposed to be safer. The rule is designed to make the cars stay close to the safety car, then have to start racing immediately after the car pulls in, so as to not allow the lead car to slow right down (losing contact with the safety car) and bank everyone up, causing potential accidents such as the one we saw in China where Hamilton ran Webber off the road at the first corner. China was a big stuff up and they should have penalised Button for not staying within the correct distance of the safety car, just to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Once they get it working properly and all the bugs are ironed out, I think it will be vast improvement over the old system.

[AndyL]

China was a big stuff up and they should have penalised Button for not staying within the correct distance of the safety car, just to make sure it doesn't happen again.

They couldn't really have done that because once the safety car's lights are out, the leader is allowed to drop back from it.

[slorydn1]

At least it's not confusing like in American racing where as soon as the lead car crosses the safety car line, then *everybody* is allowed to overtake, even those who may be still only half way around the lap!

Actually this is not true. No passing is allowed by any car until said car reaches the start/finish line, at least in Nascar. Until the advent of the double file restart last year it was legal for a car to jump to the outside if there was room and pick off a spot or 2 provided the leader had reached the restart line and the green flag was out....not anymore.

And actually, I mispoke, there's a restart area, two lines that are certain amount of feet apart depending on the track (the formula is the pace car speed multiplied by 2 and displayed in feet; at Talladega its 55mph x2= 110 feet, at Martinsville its 35mph x2= 70 feet)...the leader has the option of matting the gas pedal anywhere with in that zone....if he makes it to the 2nd line and hasn't gone yet the flagman displays the green and the 2nd place car may pass him before the start/finish line. Sounds a little confusing yes, but we have gotten used to it.

I'm honestly not sure what the rule is in Indy Car, it looks like the pace car drops off somwhere on the back stretch and the leader restarts in the middle of 3-4 (on the ovals-don't even get me started on the road courses, then I am even more confused) and all the cars are singled up and seems like pretty far apart, and no one is even in a position to try to pass by the start/finish line.

[ioan]

Schumacher wasn't confused - cannot remember that he ever was that way on a race track - funny that about the truly great drivers!

It was Alonso that almost hit the barrier in fright - now THATS confusion for you :D

:up: One of those rear moments when we agree.

As for the new rules, to me it looks like the WMSC is having a competition about how to make your life ever more complicated, and sadly they win every year, again and again.