Rule changes for 2012

[Dave B]

I'm getting these drip-fed from Twitter, but will provide a proper source as soon as possible:

#F1 Other changes, races can now only run for four hours including any red flag stoppages (see Montreal)

#F1 In other changes, under a safety car lapped cars will now unlap themselves and join back of queue so they are not in way at restart

#fia changes- drivers not allowed to move back on racing line after defending off it, 3 day test in-season, drivers can use all tyres in FP1

#F1 And drivers can no longer cut corners on way back to pits in qualifying etc (see Vettel in Korea).

Edit: Ah, that's more like it: a full list here: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/12/07/w...nges-for-2012/

[Dave B]

This in particular is interesting: • Drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position.

In other words, a "Massa/Hamilton/Schumacher rule"!

[I am evil Homer]

Well it's clarified it in that the "one move" is now moving to defend not the racing line - move - back to racing line, which seemed to be the source of contention and conjectture. It's now in black and white

[truefan72]

I read all the changes and actually like them all

[Big Ben]

Didn't we have that thing with the lapped cars being able (or forced?) to unlap themselves under the safety car before? Will they keep change it back and forth every time someone complains about the issue one way or another?

And with that stupid drs all we needed is rules that make passes even easier.

[Dave B]

Well it's clarified it in that the "one move" is now moving to defend not the racing line - move - back to racing line, which seemed to be the source of contention and conjectture. It's now in black and white

Indeed, and hopefully now we can press the reset button on penalties and only apply them when there was a clear breach of the rule rather than on every little racing incident. If that means investigating them after the race so as to acquire all the evidence - including driver testimony - then so be it.

[Dave B]

Didn't we have that thing with the lapped cars being able (or forced?) to unlap themselves under the safety car before? Will they keep change it back and forth every time someone complains about the issue one way or another?

Yes we did. It potentially adds to the number of safety car laps as you can't have cars flying round at racing speeds to unlap themselves while there might be people on the track, but it does make the restarts that much fairer without slow cars having to dive out of the way.

And with that stupid drs all we needed is rules that make passes even easier.

Hopefully with a year of data to work on the FIA can tweak the DRS zones so that they negate the disadvantage of running in dirty air but don't let a driver simply breeze past his rival on a long straight. The concept itself is sound but as usual the devil is in the detail.

[wedge]

This in particular is interesting: • Drivers may no longer move back onto the racing line having moved off it to defend a position.

In other words, a "Massa/Hamilton/Schumacher rule"!

OLD

http://www.motorsportforums.com/f1/1...clarified.html

[Dave B]

Not really "OLD", it was run as a trial to see whether it could or should be written into the 2012 regulations, as has now happened. In Korea it was merely "adopted as a viewpoint", to quote the Autosport report at the time. Now it's offically confirmed.

[wedge]

Regardless, it still daft. Absolutely daft.

So when is it OK to break the tow? Probably can't do that in 2012?

So you can't retake the racing line even if the car behind isn't close enough to overtake?

Blocking/chopping still controversial even if you time your maneuver right for one move - just look at some of Schumi's antics/aggressive driving in the past. In ALMS for instance, blocking is clamped down on as its defined as reacting to an overtake as defined by Beaux Barfield