5 replies to this topic

[tony]

At the last race, a driver (I think it was Trulli) stalled briefly on the formation lap. He got going just a few seconds after everyone else. He easily caught back up with the pack. So when the cars got back to the grid why wasn't he allowed to go back to qualiying position.

What about passing? I realize passing is illegal on the formation lap. But if a driver stalls, doesn't everyone behind him pass to get around?

Finally, have the rules concerning this issue changed? Am I dreaming, or do I really remember at least on one occasion a car slowly cruising up the middle of the grid to get back to the correct position? What defines a stall? Is it defined by a time, or perhaps it has something to do with how far the other cars get. Maybe if the last car passes the SF line before you get going or something like this? Anyone know?

[The Soul Stealer]

So far as I know
If you get going before the last car passes you, you keep your position and if you don't then you don't.

[HP]

From the regulations

Overtaking during the formation lap is only permitted if a car is delayed when leaving its grid position and cars behind cannot avoid passing it without unduly delaying the remainder of the field. In this case, drivers may only overtake to re-establish the original starting order.

Any driver who is delayed leaving the grid may not overtake another moving car if he was stationary after the remainder of the cars had crossed the Line, and must start the race from the back of the grid. If more than one driver is affected, they must form up at the back of the grid in the order they left to complete the formation lap.

If the Line is not situated in front of pole position, for the purposes of this Article only, it will be deemed to be a white line one metre in front of pole position.

A time penalty will be imposed on any driver who, in the opinion of the Stewards, unnecessarily overtook another car during the formation lap.

[LindaC]

Originally posted by tony
At the last race, a driver (I think it was Trulli) stalled briefly on the formation lap. He got going just a few seconds after everyone else. He easily caught back up with the pack. So when the cars got back to the grid why wasn't he allowed to go back to qualiying position.

What about passing? I realize passing is illegal on the formation lap. But if a driver stalls, doesn't everyone behind him pass to get around?

Finally, have the rules concerning this issue changed? Am I dreaming, or do I really remember at least on one occasion a car slowly cruising up the middle of the grid to get back to the correct position? What defines a stall? Is it defined by a time, or perhaps it has something to do with how far the other cars get. Maybe if the last car passes the SF line before you get going or something like this? Anyone know?

The Soul Stealer and HP are right about the rules.

Just to be pedantic though, Trulli didn't stall, he had trouble getting first gear to go in.

If he'd stalled, the team would have had to re-start the car, and I think that would have had to take place in the pit lane. Then he would have had to start from the pit lane, but naturally, still at the back of the field,

[brad_d]

I was thinking of this rule as I watched the Italian GP, and it looked to me like Trulli had gotten started before Yoong (the last car in the field) got to the front of the grid.

As I understand that rule quoted above, that should have enabled Trulli to move up and retake his previous grid spot.

Obviously, the stewards didn't see it that way. As I recall, it was very close. Yoong was obviously well beyond Trulli by the time he got going, but he wasn't quite to the 1-meter-past-pole-position point.

Did anybody else see it that way?

[se7en_24]

Originally posted by LindaC

Just to be pedantic though, Trulli didn't stall, he had trouble getting first gear to go in.

Just to be even more pedantic - Trulli did stall, however the engine didn't ;)