Safety Car / Virtual SC Alternatives
Discussion
I am absolutely sick of races being affected or results ruined by the number of safety cars / VSCs in every race. I've lost count of the number over the past few years, but it's far too common. Even VSCs result in vital seconds being gained/lost due to the way the delta times are set across the laps. Plus there should be no tyre changes allowed, again giving certain drivers luck. In short, an incident for another driver should not affect the race whatsoever!
To me, in the most technolgically advanced racecars in the world, it must be possible to remotely disable/restrict the cars by race control, so they can limit the cars (say maximum 10mph) in a sector of concern, this means no car can gain an advantage (other than your location when it stops and starts, but that is inevitable). 10mph should be slow enough to enable marshalls to be safe to remove the incident.
Oh and another rule that if there's an incident within the final 5 laps, then it's an immediate red flag (again no tyres changed or work on the car).
Any other options you can think of? There just has to be a better option than currently.
To me, in the most technolgically advanced racecars in the world, it must be possible to remotely disable/restrict the cars by race control, so they can limit the cars (say maximum 10mph) in a sector of concern, this means no car can gain an advantage (other than your location when it stops and starts, but that is inevitable). 10mph should be slow enough to enable marshalls to be safe to remove the incident.
Oh and another rule that if there's an incident within the final 5 laps, then it's an immediate red flag (again no tyres changed or work on the car).
Any other options you can think of? There just has to be a better option than currently.
It happens occasionally, that we simply run out of laps and finish behind the safety car - and that’s okay.
Sometimes a straightforward recovery takes longer than expected, and the rules on minimum sector times catching the SC, and getting everyone in the right order to restart, was always going to take too long yesterday.
Trying to force a racing finish, or some sort of ‘competition caution’ with a red flag, is what leads us down the long and winding road that finished in Abu Dhabi last year. I think we can all agree, that that wasn’t F1’s best day.
Sometimes a straightforward recovery takes longer than expected, and the rules on minimum sector times catching the SC, and getting everyone in the right order to restart, was always going to take too long yesterday.
Trying to force a racing finish, or some sort of ‘competition caution’ with a red flag, is what leads us down the long and winding road that finished in Abu Dhabi last year. I think we can all agree, that that wasn’t F1’s best day.
I don't see anything wrong. The VSC were a smart move IMO.
You really don't want race control having any direct control over the power a car has available to it. Can you imagine if someone pushed the wrong button or something went wrong with the system at a crucial part of a crucial race?
You really don't want race control having any direct control over the power a car has available to it. Can you imagine if someone pushed the wrong button or something went wrong with the system at a crucial part of a crucial race?
Mandate an extra 3 laps worth of fuel (tank capacity might be an issue) and say laps behind safety car don't count if it's in the last few (define a number or percentage) laps of race. If cleanup looks like it'll take more than 3 laps then red flag, allow a top up of X laps worth of fuel if required and always finish on green.
It's a little convoluted but if you want to avoid safety car finishes it's probably the best way.
For what it's worth, Sunday's race didn't annoy me that much, but with the increasingly cautious nature of F1, safety car finishes are likely to become more frequent if something isn't done.
It's a little convoluted but if you want to avoid safety car finishes it's probably the best way.
For what it's worth, Sunday's race didn't annoy me that much, but with the increasingly cautious nature of F1, safety car finishes are likely to become more frequent if something isn't done.
Edited by patmahe on Monday 12th September 12:55
Yeah I agree yesterdays race wasn't really impacted, but there's been plenty of others that have.
All I'm saying is that there must be a better option. The VSC does go someway to solve the issue, but there is still every opportunity to gain/lose time as the whole lap time is affected. Maybe another option is to reduce the VSC delta time to the sector of concern then rather than the full lap? And make it a much lower threshold (i.e. 80% lower sector time than your best).
All I'm saying is that there must be a better option. The VSC does go someway to solve the issue, but there is still every opportunity to gain/lose time as the whole lap time is affected. Maybe another option is to reduce the VSC delta time to the sector of concern then rather than the full lap? And make it a much lower threshold (i.e. 80% lower sector time than your best).
After last year I am surprised they didn't look at anything else they could do to keep the race alive, must be of an anti climax for the punters.
I don't dislike the US way of doing it with full cautions and then allowing people to race to the pits etc but with no refuelling that doesn't really work.
Could they not just have a rule whereby if the SC/VSC is deployed within the last 5 laps everyone parks in the pits and then does one formation lap behind the safety car before starting again. Should at least get 1 or 2 laps of racing in.
I don't dislike the US way of doing it with full cautions and then allowing people to race to the pits etc but with no refuelling that doesn't really work.
Could they not just have a rule whereby if the SC/VSC is deployed within the last 5 laps everyone parks in the pits and then does one formation lap behind the safety car before starting again. Should at least get 1 or 2 laps of racing in.
stevemcs said:
Just add laps on like they do in BTCC
Let's go full BTCC and add success ballast, reverse grids and body contact 
Safety cars are part of the game, along as the rules are followed I don't see an issue. Red flagging a race just because there's a safety car needed in the last 5 laps is ridiculous. The race director shouldn't be making any decisions that involve improving "the show".
mw88 said:
Let's go full BTCC and add success ballast, reverse grids and body contact
Safety cars are part of the game, along as the rules are followed I don't see an issue. Red flagging a race just because there's a safety car needed in the last 5 laps is ridiculous. The race director shouldn't be making any decisions that involve improving "the show".
Ballast has gone and replaced with hybrid, they have been quite good this years and haven't played bumper cars too much.Safety cars are part of the game, along as the rules are followed I don't see an issue. Red flagging a race just because there's a safety car needed in the last 5 laps is ridiculous. The race director shouldn't be making any decisions that involve improving "the show".
audi321 said:
I am absolutely sick of races being affected or results ruined by the number of safety cars / VSCs in every race. I've lost count of the number over the past few years, but it's far too common. Even VSCs result in vital seconds being gained/lost due to the way the delta times are set across the laps. Plus there should be no tyre changes allowed, again giving certain drivers luck. In short, an incident for another driver should not affect the race whatsoever!
To me, in the most technolgically advanced racecars in the world, it must be possible to remotely disable/restrict the cars by race control, so they can limit the cars (say maximum 10mph) in a sector of concern, this means no car can gain an advantage (other than your location when it stops and starts, but that is inevitable). 10mph should be slow enough to enable marshalls to be safe to remove the incident.
Oh and another rule that if there's an incident within the final 5 laps, then it's an immediate red flag (again no tyres changed or work on the car).
Any other options you can think of? There just has to be a better option than currently.
Or just put the pit limiter on 200m before the incident and then continue as a VSC for the rest of the lap.To me, in the most technolgically advanced racecars in the world, it must be possible to remotely disable/restrict the cars by race control, so they can limit the cars (say maximum 10mph) in a sector of concern, this means no car can gain an advantage (other than your location when it stops and starts, but that is inevitable). 10mph should be slow enough to enable marshalls to be safe to remove the incident.
Oh and another rule that if there's an incident within the final 5 laps, then it's an immediate red flag (again no tyres changed or work on the car).
Any other options you can think of? There just has to be a better option than currently.
audi321 said:
All I'm saying is that there must be a better option. The VSC does go someway to solve the issue, but there is still every opportunity to gain/lose time as the whole lap time is affected. Maybe another option is to reduce the VSC delta time to the sector of concern then rather than the full lap? And make it a much lower threshold (i.e. 80% lower sector time than your best).
I really don't think there is. Variable safety zones work at places like Le Mans due to size of the place. But you don't want F1 cars having to brake from whatever speed to 60 or so every lap as that's carnage waiting to happen.
The theory behind the VSC is that it simply neutralises the race temporarily. I practice, this sometimes means some will gain and some may loose out bit that's part of the variable that exist.
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