5 replies to this topic

[naskata53]

There is one simple rule
2 - OVERTAKING
a) during a race, a car alone on the track may use the full width of
the said track. However, as soon as it is caught up on a straight
by a car which is either temporarily or constantly faster, the driver
shall give the other vehicle the right of way by pulling over to one
side in order to allow for passing on the other side.
b) if the driver who has been caught does not seem to make full
use of his rear-view mirror the flag marshal(s) will give a warning
by waving the blue flag to indicate that another competitor wants
to overtake.
Any driver who does not take notice of the blue flag may be
penalised by the Sporting Stewards.
Systematic or repeated offences may result in the exclusion of the
offender from the race.
c) curves, as well as the approach and exit zones thereof, may be
negotiated by the drivers in any way they wish, within the limits of
the track. Overtaking, according to the circumstances, may be
done either on the right or on the left.
However, manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers such as
premature changes of direction, more than one change of
direction, deliberate crowding of cars towards the inside or the
outside of the curve or any other abnormal change of direction,
are strictly prohibited and shall be penalised, according to the
importance and repetition of the offences, by penalties ranging
from a fine to the exclusion from the race.
OK. Can somebody tell me, what is the rule after the start. How many times drivers can change directions after start before first corner. Now I saw drivers changing his positions 2-3-4 times after the start. In Monza one MKL do it 3 times.
Is there a drivers agreement or something, because if this rule above is valid for start, every time 4-7 drivers must be penalized.
So?
????

[Chevy II Nova]

I think this belongs in Readers Comments, but oh well.

As for your question, I don't know. I have never seen a car that wasn't trying to pass someone, try to block multiple times.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Are they whipping back and forth to hold off guys behind them, or in the case of someone like a Renault, they got such a good launch they're weaving their way up the grid?

Even if there's a gross violation, its difficult because literally the entire grid is responding to each other

[naskata53]

I think that rule is not valid before first corner - a lot of drivers make 2 or more change of directions and they are not penalised?

[Chevy II Nova]

I think you are confusing attempted blocks with attempted overtaking.

[klover]

Basically, you are not allowed to defend your position with more than one blocking move. The Schumi haters for example used to whine about the so-called Schumi chop/swerve across the track a couple of years ago but Charlie Whiting cleared it and said you are entitled to one change of direction if you want to block an overtaker. It was already in the rules anyway and it does hold for the start because that's when Schumi most blatantly used it to such good effect when starting from pole. Rarely if ever he was beaten by the man sitting next to him on the grid. However, you can't do it more than once obviously.
I have no clue about what agreement you are talking about. It is a safety issue and obviously drivers discuss such issues at the briefings before the race. The general agreement is that extra caution should be employed after the start when everyone is trying to make a position or two. It may seem that drivers are swerving left and right but these are not blocking moves, they are trying to get ahead. And even if somebody gets blocked by the guy in front who in turn is trying to get the better of the guy in front of him, there are no penalties since in all honesty these actions are not really intentional. Hope that helps.