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[headless]

Its not unfair, as all the drivers/teams have the same rule.
Its just abit poo, as it can be difficult for certain teams/drivers and its just awfully unlucky.

[Kiwi_Chris]

Closing the pit lane for as long as they do is crazy, how long does it take for the cars to form up? personally i think it should be closed for the first lap of the saftey car and then reopened- as for the thing of putting an extra couple of laps in you never know when there is going to be a crash so sticking extra fuel in isnt always gonna help

[McLaren Fan]

Whiting simply said to carry another two laps of extra fuel just in case, but that will cost you a lot of time, especially in qualifying. In that regard, it could become a strategic thing, whereby you risk carrying extra fuel depending upon the likelihood of the safety car coming out. In saying that, teams often split their strategies at tracks where there is a high chance of a safety car. Anyway, I don't think the current setup is fair, not least because some people are losing out and others are making gains, and in both cases very often did not deserve that fate.

[Dardas]

You can call it bad luck, but it's not unfair as long as this rule apply to everyone.
Saying that I was very angry with Kubica bad luck, bad also Nico did recover from it. Team call him immediatelly and at the end it does paid off for Williams.
Quick thinking save their race even with 10sec stop and go penalty.

F1 is not just about drivers, so if a team can help to cover "bad luck" than this is just making it a bit more exciting for me.

plus it was great to see new cars in front of race.

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Teams continue to seek solution to SC issue

By Jonathan Noble Monday, September 29th 2008, 16:10 GMT

Formula One teams are to ramp up their efforts to get the sport's safety car rules overhauled in the wake of the problems they caused in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Discussions between teams, drivers and the FIA have taken place all season about finding a way to stop the need for the pitlane to be closed during the early stages of a safety car period.

The rule was introduced to prevent drivers racing back to the pits at high speed - potentially through the scene of an accident.

Tests have taken place this season for a way to control a drivers' speed through an incident zone – and drivers were encouraged by the latest evaluation of software in Singapore last weekend.

But with Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica punished for pitting under the safety car in Singapore, teams now think it essential that a new safety car system is introduced for the start of next season.

McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh said teams had already discussed the matter in Singapore and he felt the events of the race would be a catalyst to ensure change is made.

"It will happen I am sure by the start of next year," he said. "For people to change now they have to accept they got it hopelessly wrong, and it has to change during the winter. Everyone knows it has to change and I am very confident that it will."

The latest version of the safety car software in the cars provides drivers with an audible warning if they go above a predetermined speed through the sector where an incident has taken place.

Tests of the system are likely to continue for the remainder of the season before a full implementation at the start of 2009.

[Denthúl]

Banning refuelling would make it fairer, as would simply allowing the cars to come in for fuel at any time but they must travel around at the same speed as the safety car train at all times. That way, there would be less risk of an accident.

[texasmr2]

I hate the 'pit lane' rules that are now in place but then again I'm old school.

[darwin dali]

I hate the 'pit lane' rules that are now in place but then again I'm old school.

So no scheduled pit stops and refueling for ya, eh?

[texasmr2]

I hate the 'pit lane' rules that are now in place but then again I'm old school.

So no scheduled pit stops and refueling for ya, eh?

I think you know what I meant.

[darwin dali]

I hate the 'pit lane' rules that are now in place but then again I'm old school.

So no scheduled pit stops and refueling for ya, eh?

I think you know what I meant.

[nikon133]

You can call it bad luck, but it's not unfair as long as this rule apply to everyone.
Saying that I was very angry with Kubica bad luck, bad also Nico did recover from it. Team call him immediatelly and at the end it does paid off for Williams.
Quick thinking save their race even with 10sec stop and go penalty.

F1 is not just about drivers, so if a team can help to cover "bad luck" than this is just making it a bit more exciting for me.

plus it was great to see new cars in front of race.

I think it still is unfair when one looses race - or significantly drops position - without any mistake from his or his team side, just because someone "decided" to crash at the time of one's planned pitstop. Not to mention loosing championship (which can happen). We could say you require some luck in F1, but influence of luck should be minimised in favour of good driving, car performance and team strategy.

[nikon133]

From autosport.com:

Teams continue to seek solution to SC issue

By Jonathan Noble Monday, September 29th 2008, 16:10 GMT

Formula One teams are to ramp up their efforts to get the sport's safety car rules overhauled in the wake of the problems they caused in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Discussions between teams, drivers and the FIA have taken place all season about finding a way to stop the need for the pitlane to be closed during the early stages of a safety car period.

The rule was introduced to prevent drivers racing back to the pits at high speed - potentially through the scene of an accident.

Tests have taken place this season for a way to control a drivers' speed through an incident zone – and drivers were encouraged by the latest evaluation of software in Singapore last weekend.

But with Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica punished for pitting under the safety car in Singapore, teams now think it essential that a new safety car system is introduced for the start of next season.

McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh said teams had already discussed the matter in Singapore and he felt the events of the race would be a catalyst to ensure change is made.

"It will happen I am sure by the start of next year," he said. "For people to change now they have to accept they got it hopelessly wrong, and it has to change during the winter. Everyone knows it has to change and I am very confident that it will."

The latest version of the safety car software in the cars provides drivers with an audible warning if they go above a predetermined speed through the sector where an incident has taken place.

Tests of the system are likely to continue for the remainder of the season before a full implementation at the start of 2009.

Also from http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 5527.shtml:

Singapore reignites safety car rule issue
Plenty of opposition, but no action as yet
29/09/08 15:55

The appearance of the safety car during Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix has reinvigorated the debate about the controversial rules.

Because the pitlane is closed immediately upon deployment of the safety car, the regulation can hugely benefit or disadvantage drivers depending on the progress of their race strategy.

For example, in Singapore, Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg had to serve stop-go penalties for entering the closed pitlane, because they were out of fuel.

Renault's Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, had to admit his race victory was borne almost entirely out of the luck of the safety car draw.

"If I try to be polite, this rule is not a good one," team founder Peter Sauber told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

It is rumoured that most teams want to change the rule, but an immediate shakeup would require an unanimous vote. Apparently, two small teams have exercised their veto.


The new FOTA alliance of teams, however, is able to change the rule for 2009 with a majority seven out of the ten votes.

"A change this season is not possible," BMW Sauber boss Mario Theissen, who wants the rule to be changed, is quoted as saying by motorline.cc.

Toyota Team Principal Tadashi Yamashina added: "We have had a lot of intense discussion on this matter, so I think it is time the situation was improved."

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

[przemo]

Or we could just roll the dice and if some driver pits on the lap the dice show he gets a 10-sec penalty. Just to add a little random factor to the race.

More seriously, I think that it's completely unfair and it can ruin races.

You can call it bad luck, but it's not unfair as long as this rule apply to everyone.

But that's just it, it doesn't affect all the drivers - only those that are running out of fuel and need to pit while the pit lane is closed.

[Hanwombat]

It can ruin drivers races but nevertheless, Nico had a Stop-and-Go and managed Second

[przemo]

Maybe he would've won, had he not had the penalty.