Alianora la Canta’s rigorous analysis of the 2009 sporting rules turned up a surprising and un-announced change. The ‘pit lane closure’ rule has been dropped. The controversial rule required the pit lane to be declared closed at the beginning of a safety car period, and any driver who pitted during that time received a penalty. … Continue reading Drivers will not get penalties for pitting during a safety car period in 2009
safety articles archive
The state of Formula 1 in 2008
Posted onThe 2008 Formula 1 season ended on a high on the track – but the shock withdrawal of Honda was a sting in the tail. With 2009 almost upon us it’s time to take stock of F1’s position as one season ends and a new year begins: the quality of the competition, the future of … Continue reading The state of Formula 1 in 2008
The cost cutting plans: tyre warmers ban
Posted onOne of the surprising changes to be announced by the FIA and FOTA was the ban on tyre warmers from the beginning of 2010. These were originally going to be banned for 2009, but the change was dropped following objections from drivers. Why are they now slated to be banned again?
F1 2009: 10 questions for the off-season
Posted onAs the 2008 F1 season ends on a high we now look forward to what should be one of the most fascinating off-seasons for many years. With radical changes to the technical rules, fraught political tension between the rule-makers and the teams, and two holes suddenly appearing in the calendar, these are the questions that … Continue reading F1 2009: 10 questions for the off-season
FOTA discusses F1 refuelling ban
Posted onPlease please please please please
Five more pit box blunders (Video)
Posted onFelipe Massa’s accident in the pits at Singapore was dramatic and disastrous. But it wasn’t the first time a drivers’ race was ruined when he reached his pit box. We’ve seen plenty of drivers suffer refuelling fires or knock team members over – but there are other ways to get your pit stop wrong: here’s … Continue reading Five more pit box blunders (Video)
Luca di Montezemolo is right: F1’s safety car rules are humiliating for the sport
Posted onFerrari’s Luca di Montezemolo was not impressed by the role the safety car had to play in Singapore: When we race on tracks where staging a circus or something else would be better, anything can happen, because the spectacle is supplied by the Safety Car. This is humiliating for F1. Montezemolo may be sore about … Continue reading Luca di Montezemolo is right: F1’s safety car rules are humiliating for the sport
Refuelling rig fires and failures hit race
2008 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted onSeveral drivers had their Hungarian Grand Prix spoiled by problems with the refuelling equipment – which worryingly caused a number of fires. Sebastien Bourdais, Rubens Barrichello and Nico Rosberg were among the drivers affected. But what was the cause of the problems?
Video: KERS gives BMW mechanic shock
Posted onHere’s a video showing how a BMW mechanic suffered an electric shock and was thrown to the ground when he touched a car fitted with a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS): The incident occured during testing at Jerez last week. Links below.
New safety car rules for French GP
Posted onF1 is likely to have a new procedure in place for what drivers are supposed to do in the event of a safety car deployment in time for the next round at Magny-Cours. A trial of the new system will be held before the race. The plan is that, when the safety car is deployed, … Continue reading New safety car rules for French GP
Why do million-dollar F1 drivers keep making mistakes at red lights?
Posted onLewis Hamilton would be best advised to skip today’s newspapers. Unless he wants to read several unfortunate comparisons between his father’s prang in a Porsche last week and his crash with Kimi Raikkonen in the pits (see video here). Hamilton is not the only F1 driver to have messed up at a red light in … Continue reading Why do million-dollar F1 drivers keep making mistakes at red lights?
Tyre warmers set for 2009 ban
Posted onBridgestone is standing firm by its desire to see tyre warmers banned next year despite strong opposition from some teams and drivers. Director of motorsport tyre development Hirohide Hamashima said: Bridgestone has said to the FIA that we have confidence in (producing) a good specification of tyres, in terms of grip and handling, without tyre … Continue reading Tyre warmers set for 2009 ban
Has the FIA superlicence price hike caused a split within the GPDA?
Posted onSomething odd is going on with the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association at the moment. There have been stories going around since last year about some of its members being unhappy that certain drivers haven’t joined what is effectively the drivers’ union. The driver mentioned most often has been Lewis Hamilton, who over the weekend denied … Continue reading Has the FIA superlicence price hike caused a split within the GPDA?
Video: the safety car rules danger
Posted onThere’s been an excellent discussion in the post on Nick Heidfeld’s misfortune in the Spanish Grand Prix about how the problematic safety car rules might be fixed. Part of the difficulty in finding a solution is how to safely slow down a pack of racing cars when the safety car is deployed. This video shows … Continue reading Video: the safety car rules danger
How Formula 1 can improve safety following the Heikki Kovalainen crash
Posted onHeikki Kovalainen’s crash in the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday was another major escape for F1. It came less than twelve months after Robert Kubica survived an accident of immense violence in last year’s Canadian Grand Prix. (See here for video of the Kovalainen crash). Although the lightness of the injuries to both drivers is … Continue reading How Formula 1 can improve safety following the Heikki Kovalainen crash
2010 F1 calendar may have 5 night GPs
Posted onIf Bernie Ecclestone gets his way (and how often does that not happen?) five Formula 1 grands prix will be held under floodlights by 2010 – which by then will probably be a quarter of the calendar. It’s an ambitious target given that the first F1 night Grand Prix at Singapore hasn’t even been held … Continue reading 2010 F1 calendar may have 5 night GPs
Two good reasons to ban refuelling
Posted onTwo areas of the F1 rules have come in for criticism following the Australian and Malaysian Grand Prix. The qualifying format is under fire following the incident involving Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton in Sepang. And the safety car rules are being examined after several drivers were disadvantaged by them in Melbourne. Happily, both these … Continue reading Two good reasons to ban refuelling
2008: The new rules
Posted onSeveral major changes to the rules this year have attracted a lot of attention – the traction control ban, four-race gearboxes, and changes to qualifying. Which change are going to have the biggest impact on F1 this year? Here’s a quick look at some of the rules changes for 2008.
Imagining ‘Formula X’
Posted onHas Formula one lost sight of its purpose to be the ultimate form of motor racing with cars at the absolute cutting edge of technology? The FIA’s recent plans to reduce teams’ use of wind tunnels is just the latest in a long line of steps taken to reduce the development of Formula 1 cars. … Continue reading Imagining ‘Formula X’
David Coulthard: “This is another Senna situation”
Posted onDavid Coulthard is worried about the planned ban on tyre warmers for the 2009 season: The tyres are operating in a very different temperature range, and we are talking about some cars with 20psi and others that have just 14psi. This is another Senna situation. Does he have justified cause for alarm?