I agree with you, there. The idea of it is that the timing loops would be so short (I think they were originally set at every 50m or something) that you wouldn't be able to go very much faster than the average speed required to hit the deltas. However after the system was tested, the drivers successfully lobbied to have the timing loops lengthened, because they were finding it hard to stick to the deltas and keep their brakes and tyres in.
The point that the FIA is missing, in my humble opinion, is that aggressive tyre and brake warming poses a risk to track workers compared to cars maintaining a steady speed. But if cars were required to drive at a steady speed under a VSC procedure, they would lose tyre and brake temperature and this would prove dangerous at the restart.
The solution is to follow the first recommendation of the accident panel, which F1 has pre-empted by introducing its own system which doesn't do what the recommendation calls for. The recommendation is for a speed limit that applies where a yellow flag is shown and that's what should be implemented. There should be no restriction on either speed or overtaking on the remainder of the track. This solves the problem of critical loss of heat from the brakes and tyres. Hopefully the FIA will step in on the grounds of safety prior to next season and replace the VSC system with local yellow flag speed limits as recommended by its own accident panel. If they notify everyone about the rule change by the end of the year, the system could be tested in pre-season testing and on Friday at the first event, and incorporated into the sporting regulations and rolled out asap thereafter.
My sentiments exactly. The deployment of the safety car in my opinion is immaterial. Flag marshals and their Observer are the ones that have the expertise and knowledge as to how to control traffic at any given point on the track. Having been a flag marshal I find it disgraceful that flags are ignored and this is an agenda that needs to be hammered home and policed. I have said this time and time again (in another place) that there should be the most severe penalties (two strikes and you're out - license gone) for disobeying yellow flags.
When I was flagging back in the early 60's, we didn't have safety cars. The waved double yellow flag meant: "This is serious ****, be prepared to stop, we fncking mean it!!". The preceding flag point would hold out a stationary double yellow and the point before that a waved single yellow and the point before that a stationary single yellow. It gave the drivers plenty of warning that they may need to stop. In my days, it worked. A speed reduction at each progressive flag point was required and was usually given. The rare bird that failed to show an apreciable reduction in speed was reported to the stewards.
That was in the days when the tracks were much narower, and the cars weren't as fast, but the drivers back then were very respectful of the double waved yellow, and we didn't use them lightly, but it allowed us corner workers to be on track putting out fires, extracting drivers, cleaning up debris, spreading cement dust and pushing wrecks behind barriers as the cars picked their way between us.
I remember reading somewhere Martin Brundle said in relation to one of his wet weather accidents that he could not see yellow flags due to the spray from the preceding cars - fair comment. Today we have a massive electronics influence, yellow flags coud be displayed on the drivers dash as well as the now high viz electronic yellow "flags" track side.
My ideal, as an example, would be to have a lap layout showing max speeds at all given points. It there is a stationary yellow flag displayed, the maximum speed at that point must be reduced by 20%, a waved yellow flag reduce the max speed by 40%, stationary double yellow reduce max speed by 60%, waved double yellow reduce max speed by 85% and increase these margins in inclement weather. If the drivers find that they are incapable of controlling these parameters themselves, then do it electronically. They can continue to race once they get a green flag.
As an old flaggy, the strict observance of yellow flag speeds is imperative for the safety of marshals and for the driver/s involved in an incident. Yes, the virtual safety car is an option, but I would rather see the incident controlled locally, by observance by the drivers, of yellow flags.
The point raised about agressive tyre warming should also be addressed. If there is excessive temperature loss in an extended yellow flag session, then in my view, the tyre manufacturers need to examine this aspect, as a safety issue, and maybe rethink their tyre compounds and structures.
