FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[scotty]

From itv-f1.com:

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=44173

Ferrari will revert to using a ‘lollipop’ to control its drivers during pit stops in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix following the chaos caused by its traffic light system in Singapore.

Felipe Massa’s championship challenge was dealt a big blow in F1’s inaugural night race when a mechanic wrongly pressed a button giving him the green light to leave his pit box while the fuel hose was still connected, with the Brazilian knocking a mechanic over as he drove away.

Ferrari subsequently used the ‘lollipop’ for its remaining pit stops in the race and team boss Stefano Domenicali has now said it will keep with the traditional system in Fuji.

“Right now we need calm and therefore we’ve preferred to go back to the old lollipop system because, even if the traffic light system gave us an advantage, at this stage it is better to give all the people who work on the car in these very tense moments an important psychological boost,” he was quoted as saying by Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Ferrari’s blunders in Singapore were not the first time this season that its unique system had caused it problems.

It was fined for releasing Massa into the path of Adrian Sutil in Valencia, while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen knocked a mechanic over in the same race after pulling away before receiving a green light with the hose still attached

Massa’s Singapore misfortune cost the Brazilian a likely victory and the lead of the world championship and he and the team heads into the season’s final three races trailing McLaren in both points standings.

It only took two injured mechanics and three pitlane incidents for them to realise it's a dangerous and unnecessary system.

[bud]

its a good system when there is no one else in the pit lane, the light goes green when the fuel rig is released! this would be quicker than the lollipop mans reaction time to seeing the fuel rig released.

Its problem is when the light system is manually operated in a congested pitlane. as we saw in Singapore. If the guy who controls the lights makes a mistake its hard to show the driver to stop just by repressing the red light, Compared to a frantic lollipop man who slams the lollipop back down on the drivers head or there abouts if he makes a mistake.
The driver will notice the lollipop man over a green light reverting to red, so maybe Ferrari will use both next year when they say they will use the light system again next season.

[przemo]

I've read somewhere that it's probable other teams will also use the lights next year. Hope they get it right or there'll be more injuries. I would still use a lollipop though whenever there's a big traffic in the pitlane, like when a safety car is out.

[f1maniac95]

Hoepfully now we will see Ferrari and Mclaren fighting on the track not Mclaren winning due Ferrari's stupid traffic light system.

[Martin]

This lights system instead of a lolipop reminds me of the spaceship mentality. Technology for the sake of it. The Americans spent $000s on developing a pen that would work in a gravity free environment.
The Russians used a pencil !! - a victory for common sense over techno nonsense.
Will a lights system save time? I cant see how.
Will a lights system improve safety? Obviously not.
Will a lights system be a little more equipment on the car and maybe go wrong. Yes
What is the point?
Technology where it is useful, not just for the sake of it. Its the same as electric pepper grinders - can anyone really not turn a grinder themselves?
(disabled people excepted) again - what is the point?

[Kiwi_Chris]

From a championship point of view im kinda gutted they are dropping the system but it really duck up Massa's chances- i wonder if it had anything to do with Di Motezemelo's comments that the Singapore gp basically sucked

[bud]

The Americans spent $000s on developing a pen that would work in a gravity free environment.

The Russians used a pencil !!

thats a good one

[KyrosV]

The Americans spent $000s on developing a pen that would work in a gravity free environment.

The Russians used a pencil !!

thats actually an urban myth they both used pens because of the danger of a broken-off pencil tip

- and normal pens work in space

[7UpJordan]

About bloody time. Next drama to happen to the pits will be Kimi driving past his own garage and having to reverse in or Massa driving off and his rear wheel falling off and having to stop in the middle of the pitlane and get it put back on again.

Now guess what should happen to both of them if this happens? And there was 1 driver who had this happen to him before at the same circuit in different years.

[Martin]

The Americans spent $000s on developing a pen that would work in a gravity free environment.

The Russians used a pencil !!

thats actually an urban myth they both used pens because of the danger of a broken-off pencil tip

- and normal pens work in space

I stand corrected - Thanks KyrosV. That does sound logical I must say, however, an American aquantance of mine said that he was involved in the development of a 'space pen' for the space missions.

[KyrosV]

The Americans spent $000s on developing a pen that would work in a gravity free environment.

The Russians used a pencil !!

thats actually an urban myth they both used pens because of the danger of a broken-off pencil tip

- and normal pens work in space

I stand corrected - Thanks KyrosV. That does sound logical I must say, however, an American aquantance of mine said that he was involved in the development of a 'space pen' for the space missions.

i think they made a pen that can write on anything.. rather than a pen that works in space

[bud]

- and normal pens work in space

is that correct? i thought the basic functions of ink pens involved gravity?

[KyrosV]

- and normal pens work in space

is that correct? i thought the basic functions of ink pens involved gravity?

its true look it up, I think biros are pressured so they would work. try writting upside down

[racechick]

- and normal pens work in space

is that correct? i thought the basic functions of ink pens involved gravity?

Yes because if you try to write high up on something, you have to keep shaking the pen to make the ink flow

[racechick]

- and normal pens work in space

is that correct? i thought the basic functions of ink pens involved gravity?

its true look it up, I think biros are pressured so they would work. try writting upside down

biros dont work upside down