69 replies to this topic

[FirstnameLastname]

Pushbikes now banned from the track walks

https://www.motorspo...e-ban/10444503/

Wonder what solution for something no problem has been found F1 can come up with next?

[Bartonz20let]

No room for bikes but Will.I.AM's are welcome.

Honestly, I wonder about F1 sometimes, are they OK?

[Disgrace]

Probably got sick of picking up discarded Lime bikes left around the circuit.

[Gambelli]

Yeah I can understand this stance.  It wont have come about because someone was bored one day and want to write new rules, it will have stemmed from numerous complaints.  What those complaints are we clearly aren't 100% privy to, but you can imagine that it would have been all levels of crazy out there with all sorts of people out there on vehicles with different speeds stopping and starting in their own little worlds, and groups, so it's not hard to see how it can be a hazard, so simples, just say no, easier that way.  If yo can't walk 6km in an hour, or two hours with stops to inspect track, you're in the wrong job....

[FirstnameLastname]

"the use of any means of transport .... is forbidden"
So that rules out jet-packs, hoverboards, teletransportation... There's nothing for Newey to work with!

Feet were a means of transport last time I checked?

[Hellenic tifosi]

I can understand why they would want to ban scooters, but bicycles as well? That makes no sense!

[wheadon1985]

You do all know that two wheel transport has been banned at most UK circuits for at least the last 2/3 years. MSV started it off, most other circuits have followed. MSV now even put security on Pit Exit on Fri & Sat evenings to stop people going out on track. As always, it's for insurance, nothing more and nothing less!

Edited by wheadon1985, 18 March 2023 - 09:31.

[pdac]

I can understand why they would want to ban scooters, but bicycles as well? That makes no sense!

 

A blanket ban means that there's no arguing about something that may or may not fit within an "allowed" definition. It also does give the possibility of gradually introducing exceptions in a managed way over time (whether they will or not remains to be seen).

[Hellenic tifosi]

Seems that everything is being over regulated these days.

[LolaB0860]

Seems that everything is being over regulated these days.

Thank god you can still win with illegal cheating cars in some series though.

Edited by LolaB0860, 18 March 2023 - 10:08.

[Beri]

Thank god you can still win with illegal cheating cars in some series though.

Which has nothing to do with F1 in the nearest sense of the word. So totally irrelevant.

[BRG]

Which has nothing to do with F1 in the nearest sense of the word. So totally irrelevant.

Yes, because there has never ever been any cheating in F1, has there?

[Thursday]

There is always a workaround. Heelys for everyone.

[Heyli]

There is no need to bring cheating in F1 (or any other series for that matter) into this thread.

 

Unless the cheating is specifically about how you can cheat on this new rule of course.

[Sterzo]

You do all know that two wheel transport has been banned at most UK circuits for at least the last 2/3 years. MSV started it off, most other circuits have followed. MSV now even put security on Pit Exit on Fri & Sat evenings to stop people going out on track. As always, it's for insurance, nothing more and nothing less!

Thank you for the info wheadon - now it makes sense. Have quoted your post as others seem to have ignored it...

[danmills]

Absolute nonsense again. Who the hell is responsible for signing off these pointless decisions? The world has gone mad with political correctness and appeasing everyone that might have an issue with something.

 

Bikes are dangerous. But it's ok to drive at 180kmh.

 

Multiple wind tunnel hours and more than 4 engines is not eco friendly. But we will still fly to 6 new circuits next season and bring a bazillion tyre compounds each week.

 

It's times like this you feel every sort of governing body needs representation from various professional and ordinary citizen level to evoke some common sense at the top.

 

Wtf are they smoking?

 

And I thought the local council made absurd decisions.

 

If Kimi was still in F1 he'd turn up on a unicycle or tricycle. 

Edited by danmills, 18 March 2023 - 11:52.

[lustigson]

Well, it is called a "track walk". 

[ANF]

We racing drivers are actually professional athletes but a 5-kilometre walk is too much for me. I'll stay in the motorhome and watch some videos!

[Sam1]

Ok I'll just use my sister's roller skates

[Hellenic tifosi]

We racing drivers are actually professional athletes but a 5-kilometre walk is too much for me. I'll stay in the motorhome and watch some videos!

I think they are mostly reacting to what they perceive as a stupid decision.

[YoungGun]

Feet were a means of transport last time I checked?

 

Inline skates vs an e-scooter with the tag line "When you ride never drink" could make for a new Heineken commercial.  

[Dolph]

We racing drivers are actually professional athletes but a 5-kilometre walk is too much for me. I'll stay in the motorhome and watch some videos!

An hour wasted during a tightly packed weekend, when it could be 10 minutes instead. Id scoff at that.

[CoolBreeze]

F1 is seriously becoming a farce. 

 

Already second race, and there's engine penalties. 

 

Now they are banning bicycles. Soon, they gonna ban walking altogether and ask everyone just to watch videos. 

[Thursday]

What about wheelchairs? 

Surely they can't ban wheelchair user from accessing the track.

[Ruusperi]

What's the penalty? They are rich, so they can do whatever they want. Just grab a bicycle and give a middle finger to everyone and gob at them.

Edited by Ruusperi, 18 March 2023 - 13:43.

[B Squared]

There must be a set of rules for the rulemakers. Maybe the teams could give all of the officials the proverbial "anal exam" week after week.

[pdac]

Does anyone know the exact reasons why they have introduced this. Without confirming the reasons are stupid, it's not valid to condemn this rule as ridiculous.

[loki]

Rules are rules.

 

 

 

 

Unless you have a Prince Albert…

[loki]

What about wheelchairs? 

Surely they can't ban wheelchair user from accessing the track.

They couldn’t ban them if you had a medical reason.  But then it’s likely you wouldn’t be driving that weekend if you needed a mobility device.

[Sterzo]

Does anyone know the exact reasons why they have introduced this. Without confirming the reasons are stupid, it's not valid to condemn this rule as ridiculous.

Quite so.

 

wheadon1985 speculated it could be insurance, which may well be correct. If you're an organiser, why would you think of asking your insurer to cover bicycle accidents on a walk? It's not the most obvious risk.

[pdac]

Quite so.

 

wheadon1985 speculated it could be insurance, which may well be correct. If you're an organiser, why would you think of asking your insurer to cover bicycle accidents on a walk? It's not the most obvious risk.

 

It also does not seem to me to be a risk that would significantly affect the premium.

[danmills]

I was always under the impression drivers cycled it because they see things as a driver in such mindset that you just don't get by walking.

Plus it takes ages.

[taran]

Quite so.

 

wheadon1985 speculated it could be insurance, which may well be correct. If you're an organiser, why would you think of asking your insurer to cover bicycle accidents on a walk? It's not the most obvious risk.

If every team is sending both drivers and their technical entourage out, you easily have dozens of people on track. If some of them are using motorized transport and bikes and others are walking and there is a fair amount of dawdling going on, accidents are inevitable. It would be similar to allowing pedestrians, touring bicyclists, speed bicyclists and moped users on the same road.

 

If a driver is injured in a collision and misses the race, it could trigger all kinds of financial repercussions for the track. And it would certainly drive up insurance rates.

 

There must have been complaints with somebody (somebodies?) ruining it for everyone. This is why F1 teams can't have nice things.

[as65p]

What about skateboards and roller blades?

[owenmahamilton]

They couldn’t ban them if you had a medical reason.  But then it’s likely you wouldn’t be driving that weekend if you needed a mobility device.

 

Billy Monger uses a wheelchair, or has he officially retired from racing now? I haven't heard anything to say he has.

[Sterzo]

What about skateboards and roller blades?

Exactly. We can foam at the mouth about the evil FIA not allowing bicycles, but if it wasn't "walking only" you can be sure there'd be motorised roller skates and drivers on rocket-powered drones to contend with... The objections to the rule really are a lot of fuss about nothing.

[Primo]

Does anyone know the exact reasons why they have introduced this. Without confirming the reasons are stupid, it's not valid to condemn this rule as ridiculous.

One reason, valid IMO, is the modern electric bikes. They can allow for serious speeds. Banning electric bikes only would introduce procedures to detect them, which will become harder and harder as they develop. There are already many that looks just like a normal bike. In the end, it is a track walk. If they don't want to walk, they can do like Leclerc. Maybe jogging can be allowed. 

[Zoe]

I can understand why they would want to ban scooters, but bicycles as well? That makes no sense!

 

The suggestion came from Alex Rins?   Too dangerous.

[AncientLurker]

Yeah I can understand this stance.  It wont have come about because someone was bored one day and want to write new rules, it will have stemmed from numerous complaints.  What those complaints are we clearly aren't 100% privy to, but you can imagine that it would have been all levels of crazy out there with all sorts of people out there on vehicles with different speeds stopping and starting in their own little worlds, and groups, so it's not hard to see how it can be a hazard, so simples, just say no, easier that way.  If yo can't walk 6km in an hour, or two hours with stops to inspect track, you're in the wrong job....

I would argue the counter point. If you need an hour or two to walk the track when you can bike it in a fraction of the time, you are in the wrong job. F1 is about efficiency. The teams and drivers have a lot better things to do on the race weekend than waste an extra hour walking a track (in the heat or rain). If it is so busy with all these people, then set a window where only team personnel are allowed on track. If they can do it for a music video they can do it for the teams who are racing the circuit.

[pdac]

I would argue the counter point. If you need an hour or two to walk the track when you can bike it in a fraction of the time, you are in the wrong job. F1 is about efficiency. The teams and drivers have a lot better things to do on the race weekend than waste an extra hour walking a track (in the heat or rain). If it is so busy with all these people, then set a window where only team personnel are allowed on track. If they can do it for a music video they can do it for the teams who are racing the circuit.

 

If F1 was about efficiency, then the FIA would scan the track in detail and give each team a virtual model for them to analyse - no track access needed.

[absinthedude]

If e-bikes and scooters are the problem, then ban them. Has MSV specifically said why they banned bikes from British circuits? 

 

ISTR Alonso and others bicycling around circuits on the Thursday before a grand prix 20 years ago. Drivers often walk to check out any differences compared to the last time they raced there or to get a "driver's eye" view of a new track. The bike just makes this a little less time and energy consuming. Typical F1 tracks are 3 miles long, after all. 

 

If the FIA really are not sufficiently competent to make a rule that permits push-bikes, forbids e-bikes and e-scooters and to police it....then why not open a tender for the official bicycle of the FIA F1 World Farce...sorry World Championship? Which ever bicycle manufacturer wins can then have great publicity with the drivers smiling while astride their fine two-wheeled products. 

[AncientLurker]

....then why not open a tender for the official bicycle of the FIA F1 World Farce...sorry World Championship? Which ever bicycle manufacturer wins can then have great publicity with the drivers smiling while astride their fine two-wheeled products. 

 

Whyte Bikes would be a good fit, they've had previous branding presence in F1.

[southernstars]

ISTR Alonso and others bicycling around circuits on the Thursday before a grand prix 20 years ago. Drivers often walk to check out any differences compared to the last time they raced there or to get a "driver's eye" view of a new track. The bike just makes this a little less time and energy consuming. Typical F1 tracks are 3 miles long, after all. 

 

I mean, there's the famous story of how Willi Weber lied to Eddie Jordan that Michael Schumacher knew Spa like the back of his hand so that Eddie would give Michael the seat, and then Michael rode around Spa on a bike to learn the track before his debut. And that was over thirty years ago! It's not like the drivers riding the track on bikes is a new concept.

[taran]

If e-bikes and scooters are the problem, then ban them.

If the FIA really are not sufficiently competent to make a rule that permits push-bikes, forbids e-bikes and e-scooters and to police it....

If you allow bicycles, it will only be a matter of time before teams use hidden motors in the bike.

(https://www.cyclingt...nder-23-titles/)

 

Just so they can be more efficient while reconnoitering the track of course....

 

And why would the FIA or track operator have to go through the hassle and expense of policing all bikes for hidden engines etc. when they can simply blanket ban all bicycles and have people actually walk during the track walk.....?

[PayasYouRace]

A much better solution would be to have a pool of F1 pushbikes for the drivers and engineers to borrow to take around the track.

Though frankly, who cares if it’s a bike with a hidden motor? Just issue fines to anyone who rides recklessly.

[pdac]

A much better solution would be to have a pool of F1 pushbikes for the drivers and engineers to borrow to take around the track.

Though frankly, who cares if it’s a bike with a hidden motor? Just issue fines to anyone who rides recklessly.

 

Indeed. Those millionaire drivers will hand over their money and ride as badly as they like (the benefit of riches is that you don't have to worry about rules that are policed with  fines).

[PayasYouRace]

Indeed. Those millionaire drivers will hand over their money and ride as badly as they like (the benefit of riches is that you don't have to worry about rules that are policed with fines).

Honestly can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or cynical.

[pdac]

Honestly can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or cynical.

 

Honest. This is always the problem with fines as a penalty. The penalty for the same infringement should hit offenders equally.

[PayasYouRace]

Honest. This is always the problem with fines as a penalty. The penalty for the same infringement should hit offenders equally.

Only if it’s a fixed penalty, as opposed to a means tested fine.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Honest. This is always the problem with fines as a penalty. The penalty for the same infringement should hit offenders equally.

 

I agree that fines such as parking fines should be adjusted according to (e.g.) salary or car value. There is someone near to my workplace who owns a Ferrari SF-90 (amongst other exotic cars down the years), his restaurant doesn't have parking space, so he parks outside on double yellows pretty much every single day...there's always a parking ticket on the windscreen. The fine means nothing to him.