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[LapLegend]

2012 Rule Changes

4 Hour time limit.

The FIA will impose a maximum time limit of four hours on Grands Prix as of 2012.

It comes after last year’s Canadian Grand Prix took four hours and four minutes to complete due to heavy rain causing a lengthy suspension. The existing two-hour time limit on races that are not suspended will remain. During a race suspension, cars which are in the pits when a race is suspended will be allowed to re-join the cars on the grid in the position they were in.

Driving Standards.

The FIA has also confirmed new rules on driving standards. When defending a position, drivers will not be allowed to move back onto the racing line after moving off-line. Drivers have also been told they can no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason. Some drivers have been cutting chicanes during practice and qualifying sessions to save time and/or fuel.

Tyres during practice

Drivers will be allowed to use all sets of tyres that are allocated to them on the first day of practice if they choose.

Technical Specs

The FIA also announced the following changes to the technical rules:

“All engine standard ECU set up and control parameters, which were formerly contained only within a technical directive, are now contained within the relevant parts of the technical regulations.
“The exhaust tailpipes are now strictly regulated in order to ensure that the aerodynamic effect exhaust gases have on the car is kept to an absolute minimum.
“Better marking of in-car emergency switches operated by marshals are now stipulated.
“The side impact structures will now have to be subjected to a further (upward) push-off test.”
Teams will also be required to have their cars pass all FIA crash tests before they participate in pre-season testing.

[killem2]

I'm happy with the time extension.

[vaptin]

2012 Rule Changes

4 Hour time limit.


Driving Standards.

The FIA has also confirmed new rules on driving standards. When defending a position, drivers will not be allowed to move back onto the racing line after moving off-line. Drivers have also been told they can no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason. Some drivers have been cutting chicanes during practice and qualifying sessions to save time and/or fuel.

Per passing attempt? Per corner? When would the defending driver be allowed to move back onto the racing line? On the first corner Driver A turns in early in to prevent driver B but they continue into the second corner, Driver A still ahead can then not be allowed to move into the racing line for the next corner?

[LapLegend]

Per passing attempt? Per corner? When would the defending driver be allowed to move back onto the racing line? On the first corner Driver A turns in early in to prevent driver B but they continue into the second corner, Driver A still ahead can then not be allowed to move into the racing line for the next corner?

Real potential for teams to exploit it, I understand why the rule is there, "For safety reasons" but I hate it. Really dulls the sport down. I want to see wheel to wheel action, attacking and defensive driving should be an integral part of the sport. Safety brigade gone mad.

[vaptin]

Per passing attempt? Per corner? When would the defending driver be allowed to move back onto the racing line? On the first corner Driver A turns in early in to prevent driver B but they continue into the second corner, Driver A still ahead can then not be allowed to move into the racing line for the next corner?[/quote]



Real potential for teams to exploit it, I understand why the rule is there, "For safety reasons" but I hate it. Really dulls the sport down. I want to see wheel to wheel action, attacking and defensive driving should be an integral part of the sport. Safety brigade gone mad.[/quote]

It seems to read to me [the rule) as it's designed to increase overtaking by limiting the defending driver. But as a general rule the driver in front would dictate the line as long as s/he didn't have another driver in the way of where s/he wanted to go.

It's pretty much the anti weaving/ one move to defend per attempt rule in different wording. But I can see very similar problems emerging, particularly as a driver will pretty much always have moved back onto the racing line because it is the damn racing line, its the best place to be. Presumably this rule will apply for the entire period a driver is seen to be defending his position, but thats quite debatable.

[spankyham]

2012 Rule Changes

4 Hour time limit.


Driving Standards.

The FIA has also confirmed new rules on driving standards. When defending a position, drivers will not be allowed to move back onto the racing line after moving off-line. Drivers have also been told they can no longer leave the track without a justifiable reason. Some drivers have been cutting chicanes during practice and qualifying sessions to save time and/or fuel.

Per passing attempt? Per corner? When would the defending driver be allowed to move back onto the racing line? On the first corner Driver A turns in early in to prevent driver B but they continue into the second corner, Driver A still ahead can then not be allowed to move into the racing line for the next corner?

With this rule, the FiA may have reached a new all time level of ridiculous, not to mention creating a rule where almost any move can be interpreted as a breach. I'd simply ask Charlie Whiting and the Einsteins at the FiA to show me the "racing line" LOL.