New safety car rules for 2009

New safety car rules for 2009

Postby Cheese » Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:41 pm

FIA race director Charlie Whiting has confirmed that the safety car rules have been altered for the 2009 season. The previous regulations, which saw the pit lane closed for a period of time after the safety car’s deployment, came under intense scrutiny last year after several drivers were penalised for pitting to avoid running out of fuel.

The revisions for 2009, however, will see the pit lane remain open at all times. But to prevent drivers rushing back to the pits (the reason for the original rule change), a new electronic system, which uses the standard engine control unit (ECU), will be implemented.

“The rule introduced in 2007 was a bad one, and we’ve gone back to the 2006 regulations,” Whiting explained. “The only difference is we intend to implement a minimum time back to the pits. When we deploy the safety car, the message will go to all the cars, which will then have a “safety car” mode on their ECUs.

“As soon as that message gets to the car, it’ll know where it is on the circuit, and it’ll calculate a minimum time for the driver to get back to the pits. The driver will have to respect this and the information will be displayed on his dashboard.

“If you remember, the reason we closed the pit entry was to remove the incentive for the driver to come back to his pit quickly. That’s gone now, as you won’t be able to reach the pits any quicker than your dashboard display allows you to.”

The teams have already sampled a version of the new system after taking part in a trial, which was held during the 2008 French Grand Prix weekend.

© F1.com
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Re: New safety car rules for 2009

Postby Reverend Gooner » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:03 am

Good, that rule had to go.

I wonder if they are considering increasing the speed of the safety car as the slicks need to be kept warmer than usual for grip.
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Re: New safety car rules for 2009

Postby UFGN » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:08 am

Until they stop the stupid rule that lets a team dictate which of their drivers can finish first then I wont watch it with much interest. Its called cheating.
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Re: New safety car rules for 2009

Postby Reverend Gooner » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:16 am

They can't do it blatantly as all radio is monitored but i suppose they can discuss it before the race, and besides every driver knows what is expected of them so that rule probably doesn't make that much of a difference.
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Re: New safety car rules for 2009

Postby UFGN » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:26 am

Reverend Gooner wrote:They can't do it blatantly as all radio is monitored but i suppose they can discuss it before the race, and besides every driver knows what is expected of them so that rule probably doesn't make that much of a difference.


Oh come on, what about a few seasons ago when one team did it blatantly, just before the finishing line in a race? It made a farce of the whole sport IMO.
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Re: New safety car rules for 2009

Postby UFGN » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:35 am

I'm not putting the sport down for the sake of it, I do enjoy it but that aspect, all the pre-planned aspect of it, ruins it for me.
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Re: New safety car rules for 2009

Postby Reverend Gooner » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:55 pm

Up For Grabs Now wrote:
Reverend Gooner wrote:They can't do it blatantly as all radio is monitored but i suppose they can discuss it before the race, and besides every driver knows what is expected of them so that rule probably doesn't make that much of a difference.


Oh come on, what about a few seasons ago when one team did it blatantly, just before the finishing line in a race? It made a farce of the whole sport IMO.


Oh i know i know, all i am saying is that was an on the spot radio order which cannot be given now (rule change last year). Although as i said all drivers know what is expected of them so they don't really need to radio it anyway.


Up For Grabs Now wrote:I'm not putting the sport down for the sake of it, I do enjoy it but that aspect, all the pre-planned aspect of it, ruins it for me.


There are many things you can put the sport down for, not just the pre planning. I hate the sport as much as i love it. I came so close to turning my back on it last year but i am keeping my interest up because of the new rules and also because i think the reintroduction of slicks will make for some great weather changing mayhem.
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