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FIA introduces strict SC/VSC pace rule; Sainz puts down injury

  • Darshan Chokhani
    • Carlos Sainz, F1

    FIA introduces stricter rules under Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car periods, as Carlos Sainz asks people to ‘stop inventing’ potential injury.

    FIA rule –

    In order to further push drivers to be safe when driving under yellow flags or the SC/VSC periods, the FIA is introducing a stricter rule from Monaco GP onward. The rule comes in after research and review of previous incidents plus consultation with teams and drivers.

    As of now, the drivers are asked to reduce speed significantly and not overtake anyone. But from this weekend in Monaco, the rule will be more precise and strictly enforceable where they will have to undertake a set maximum speed limit in the affected areas.

    The track tests showed that the wet safety car reference speed limit achieved a good step in safety and the restrictions won’t catch the drivers by surprise. There will be some loss of performance, but from a safety point of view, it will be a winner.

    “What we want to do is to provide drivers with a tool to help them during incidents and to make races even safer,” said the FIA Technical Director Tim Goss, who has overseen the project. “For some years with the Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car we have used delta times, a reference to a speed limit that we have around the track.

    “So, when there is a physical or virtual safety car, the drivers are informed of that delta time on their dashboard display and by radio tones and they have to maintain a positive value, meaning they are slower than the reference time for the lap. However, there are occasions where cars can legitimately temporarily increase their speed to recover any time they have lost relative to this reference time.

    “What we want to do now is to extend the use of the delta time concept to ensure that cars are strictly slowed to the required delta time when double waved yellow flags are shown under a Virtual Safety Car or Safety Car, so we are introducing a dedicated reference speed limit in the area where those flags are displayed.”

    At the same time, the FIA Head of F1 Electronics Olivier Hulot added: “Under a Virtual Safety Car, when a driver enters the double yellow, what he sees on the dashboard is zero, so the delta time resets, and he then has to drive below the new speed limit. And he again gets a positive or negative delta relative to that speed limit. So it’s the same principle as before, except that it’s specific to a double yellow zone.

    “We have already brought in a system of warnings for yellow and double yellow. The driver gets a warning in the marshalling sector ahead of the yellow or the double yellow. That has been successful already and will help with the new system.

    “Loss of performance relative to others – if a car goes through a double yellow, but not another one and that car has to slow down, it is losing time relative to rivals. However, for the FIA safety is paramount and when there is a hazard on the track or marshals on track then we have to minimise the risks no matter what.”

    Carlos Sainz –

    Following the annual charity football match in Monaco on Tuesday, photos emerged of Ferrari’s Sainz being looked after and patched up on his thigh area on his right leg. There was immediate discussions about the Spaniard being potentially injured.

    With Monaco GP only few days away, F1 fans speculated about Sainz being injured, but the Spaniard was quick to out down those by noting them to ‘stop inventing’ things. He also posted a photo of him playing with the message on his social media.

    “Hi everyone. Just wanted to let you know that I am well and completely ready to race this weekend in Monaco. What happened yesterday was simply a contact during the traditional charity football match, but it was not an injury.

    “I enjoyed playing football as I always do and now I am really looking forward to the weekend,” said Sainz, while adding #StopInventing. The Spaniard had teammate Charles Leclerc in the football match along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

    Here’s host of photos and videos:

    https://twitter.com/AlertaF1/status/1661082728077627398?s=20

    https://twitter.com/Vetteleclerc/status/1661051232813826053?s=20

    https://twitter.com/Vetteleclerc/status/1661055319936581643?s=20

    https://twitter.com/LeclercNews/status/1661072878819844097?s=20

    https://twitter.com/LeclercNews/status/1661086862843232269?s=20

    https://twitter.com/LeclercNews/status/1661162181335941121?s=20

    https://twitter.com/LeclercNews/status/1661163085653000193?s=20

    https://twitter.com/lercsainzz/status/1661059797918322695?s=20

    https://twitter.com/AlertaF1/status/1661070134835048448?s=20

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