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[dant]

Why is the current pit lane rules under a safety car such a sham.

Its been mentioned a lot this season, from as early as the first race when Rubens was disqualified for leaving the pit lane under a red light and drivers getting 10 second stop go's or drive through's for pitting when the pit lane was "closed"

Its pathetic, i mean come on if a driver runs out of fuel when bunched up behind the safety car its likely that it will just extend the safety car period as the car may need recovering.

I think that the pit lane should be open at all times but there should be a rule for example that when pitting under safety car the cars exiting the pits should do so at a slow speed and join onto the back of the pack and then they have to work hard to regain their position once the safety car comes back in.

The current rules need looking at.

Opinions?

[Denthúl]

Once again, I will defend the red light rule, because it makes sense. The driver would otherwise have to slow down at the very end of the pit lane where it joins the track anyway and, with no red light to warn drivers behind, that could cause more collisions.

The pit lane being closed for refuelling is a rule I don't like, because a driver would lose out either way if they were low on fuel. I think that it would be better for there to be a limit to the speed of their in-lap during safety car conditions, though I don't quite think that would be easy to keep track of.

[stonemonkey]

What about a reserve fuel tank that they're only allowed to use under such circumstances?

[dant]

It would be easier and much more cost efficient for them to just open the pit lane without penalty.

[Denthúl]

What about a reserve fuel tank that they're only allowed to use under such circumstances?

It would have to be heavily regulated. They would all have to be the same size and all be full, otherwise teams could potentiall gain an advantage from it.

[stonemonkey]

@dant: They don't want to do that because of the mad rush back round the pits that used to happen when there'd been an incident on the track that caused the safety car to come out. The teams agree that was a problem but want a better solution.

[f1ea]

What about a reserve fuel tank that they're only allowed to use under such circumstances?

Yeah, BAR thought of this some time ago.. but the FIA didn't seem to like it

It could be easier to just submit data to race control to prove they have to pit on that specific lap. Could be during the race via some kind of live-feed, or after the race (and face a penalty if they are found to not need to refuel). I'm only guessing though...

[Kiwi_Chris]

They are looking at keeping the pit lane open and using laptime restrictions similar to what is used in qualifing that drivers have to keep to certain sector times to aviod penalty.
The red light rule needs to stay but it does need to be turned off as soon the cars clear the pitlane

[texasmr2]

Too many rule's and reg's are interfereing with what true racing is all about.

[racechick]

Why is the current pit lane rules under a safety car such a sham.

Its been mentioned a lot this season, from as early as the first race when Rubens was disqualified for leaving the pit lane under a red light and drivers getting 10 second stop go's or drive through's for pitting when the pit lane was "closed"

Its pathetic, i mean come on if a driver runs out of fuel when bunched up behind the safety car its likely that it will just extend the safety car period as the car may need recovering.

I think that the pit lane should be open at all times but there should be a rule for example that when pitting under safety car the cars exiting the pits should do so at a slow speed and join onto the back of the pack and then they have to work hard to regain their position once the safety car comes back in.

The current rules need looking at.

Opinions?

Because mad Max has had his mind...and his bottom... on other things

[8-ball]

here is my suggested solution.

No pitting under the safety car unless fuel is below is pre-determined level. simple and effective

[dant]

here is my suggested solution.

No pitting under the safety car unless fuel is below is pre-determined level. simple and effective

Why though, i dont see why they shouldn't be able to pit.

[bud]

red lights during a grand prix during a RACE a red light kinda defeats the race term there should be duck crossings as well!

Happened to Felipe and Fisi last year at Canada they both didnt see the red light either!

[przemo]

The red light is needed, because the train of cars from the pitlane could collide with the train on the start/finish straight. Besides, the cars that pitted must rejoin after the safety car and all other cars. The cars that want to rejoin racing have to wait regardless of the light. Should the light not be there, the drivers themselves would have to stop and someone could misjudge then stopping point or even not see the safety car

The other rule needs changing, the one with no refueling. And I hope that something will come out of the testing of the new rules in France. I wonder how's this going to work, the driver has to hit the speed limiter, or they will introduce minimum sector time?

[Big Azza]

I think that minimum sector times is a great idead, but the red light should stay.

I do however, also like the refuelling rules because it makes the race slightly unpredictable. Unpredictable + Race = Sutil Wins.