Thread: Blue Flags
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Old 18 Mar 2006, 15:44 (Ref:1551887)   #17
Shelagh
Pit Lane Hooter
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Join Date: Nov 2004
England
Gnosall, Stafford
Posts: 2,443
Shelagh should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridShelagh should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridShelagh should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
The trouble with F1 is that the slower driver is expected to back off and let the leaders through. In fact, they get punished if they don't. This is unique to F1 and why flagging at grands prix is no longer a challenge.

In "normal" racing I would expect the driver being shown the blue to do the best he could so as not to impede the faster guys. In sportscars this usually means sticking to the line and keeping it clean so the faster car can get around safely. In other formulae it really depends on the level of experience/ability.

If you get a pack of leaders coming up on a pack of backmarkers - what the heck do you expect them to do? As a flag marshal it is a case of waving the blue like bu**ery with fingers, toes and eyes crossed that it doesn't end up in a big heap!

At the end of the day, it is always up to the faster car to safely negotiate the slower ones. The blue flag can only ever be a hint to the slower car that he needs to think "rear mirror" and not do anything stupid.

And that is why blue flagging is the best job on the circuit - the most rewarding and the most frustrating all rolled up into one - which is why I don't want to do anything else (unless it involves race control when the snow is falling)!
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