Rule changes for 2012

11th December 2011, 14:21

Yes, it's absolutely legal. I just finished a season in Europe and you can practically take the net with you coming down from a block, as long as you didn't touch the tape. Some of the club coaches in the region are now teaching their setters to release to the net, and touch it at the bottom when they get to their spot so they know they are in the right place.

**edv** · 11th December 2011, 18:24

As for lapped cars allowed to 'unlap' why not just have them pull over to the side of the track until the rest of the field passes by, then take up positions at the back?
That would certainly save the extra safety car time.
Sure they would unfairly save some fuel compared to the other cars, but a least it would accomplish the same thing only much safer.

**Bagwan** · 11th December 2011, 20:19

Originally Posted by Mark

15 laps before the end. Vettel is 45 seconds ahead with 6 lapped drivers between him and Button who has just put on fresh tyres. He could overtake but not make up the 45 second gap. Get the secondary driver (Hamilton) to crash?! Surely not.

This year , you made up the 45 seconds , but still had to deal with the guys in between .

Now , without them , Button would have a really decent chance , with fresher tires , in the last ten laps or so , once they sorted the backmarker population out .
While this particular scenario does sound exciting , is it fair to Vettel here , having worked his way through those markers , no doubt costing him time by which Button already was advantaged ?

It just sounds like another "DRS-esque" , hurt the guy ahead thing , that has the quantity of passing put firmly ahead of the idea of quality of passing .

And , yes , sad though it is , I can imagine Hammy being sacrificed for the team , if the points situation was critical , and his own cause was a no-hope tail-ender .
Before anyone suggests that it's a shot at Lewis , he is actually a good example , if only to illustrate that it could be anyone , so high are the stakes .

Of course , when you supply engines to several teams , folks might remember good deeds when deals are done .

**DexDexter** · 13th December 2011, 16:39

Originally Posted by Wim_Impreza

I stopped with watching F1 since there is DRS.

And? I'm sure there is someone who stopped watching F1 because he liked rubbing his nose more. That doesn't mean DRS isn't a success.

**edv** · 13th December 2011, 16:50

Originally Posted by Mark

15 laps before the end. Vettel is 45 seconds ahead with 6 lapped drivers between him and Button who has just put on fresh tyres. He could overtake but not make up the 45 second gap. Get the secondary driver (Hamilton) to crash?! Surely not.

I seem to recall a recent situation such as that which you describe, Mark...Vettel on old tires and Button charging up the field on fresh ones, when a red flag situation arose which allowed Vettel to get new tires while parked on the front straight (thus destroying the potential drama).
The safety car can be your enemy and also your friend..even within the same incident.

**schmenke** · 13th December 2011, 20:32

Originally Posted by edv

As for lapped cars allowed to 'unlap' why not just have them pull over to the side of the track until the rest of the field passes by, then take up positions at the back?
That would certainly save the extra safety car time.
Sure they would unfairly save some fuel compared to the other cars, but a least it would accomplish the same thing only much safer.

Where on track would they pull over, and who decides? All at a pre-designated spot, somewhere safe? Or at the driver’s earliest convenience?

Would this also not potentially cause the engines to overheat, parked waiting for the queue to go by?

I agree with Mark. The purpose of the SC is to slow the cars down, allowing marshalls to safely deal with an on-track situation. Allowing lapped cars to pass the SC, then zip around the track including the site of the incident, to joint the back of the queue defeats the purpose.

**wedge** · 7th January 2012, 16:38

Scarb's pick of the tech-regs

2012: Technical Regulations Published | Scarbsf1's Blog

5.5 Drivers torque demand via the accelerator pedal more tightly defined

9.2.5 Clutch control is more tightly defined

9.8.2 At the race start and at pit stops, first gear must be used until the car is travelling 100kmh

Clamping down on startline tricks.

9.8.5 Track position cannot be used as an input the gearshift control - ???

12.7.3 Only tyre heating blankets may be used to warm the tyres - does anyone know more into this?

12.8.4 Wheel guns can only run on Air or Nitrogen, not Helium - helium allows quicker air guns

**janneppi** · 7th January 2012, 17:06

Originally Posted by wedge

Scarb's pick of the tech-regs

9.8.5 Track position cannot be used as an input the gearshift control - ???

A GPS based automatic gear box?

12.7.3 Only tyre heating blankets may be used to warm the tyres - does anyone know more into this?

Wasn't there some talk few years ago when at least one team had oven type warmers, whic IMO were banned even then?

**Mark** · 7th January 2012, 21:37

The auto gearboxes were based on track position as I recall.

Currently the gear change must be actuated by the driver but there's no restriction in changing the way it shifts according to track position.

**wedge** · 8th January 2012, 13:24

Originally Posted by Mark

The auto gearboxes were based on track position as I recall.

Currently the gear change must be actuated by the driver but there's no restriction in changing the way it shifts according to track position.

That rings a bell