MS, safety car fiasco

[QuickSilver]

I still don't get it. Under the FIA SC rules, section (f) "All the competing cars will form up in line behind the safety car no more than 5 car lengths apart"

If "No rules have been broken" [Kicking] that would imply MS got in and out of the pits during the time it took the pack to go the length of the pits + 5 car lengths.

Maybe I get it, but still strange.

[Kicking-back]

MS got into the pits, followed by Rubens.

Sato stayed out on the track, but the length of time it took him to thread his way through the accident site meant that Micheal was back out of the pit lane and still ahead.

That is to say, the route of going into the pit lane and stopping for fuel and rejoining was quicker than staying on the track and going through the crash scene.

[QuickSilver]

Thanks Kicking, sorta sinking in now ... I've been watching F1 for the better part of 20 yaers and I can't say I've ever seen anything even remotely close to this one. That being said, it's probably not surprising BAR was caught with their pants down.

[Kicking-back]

This happens because the cars are still spaced out until they've caught the safety car.

That's why some people want the pits closed for the first "yellow lap" - so that all the cars are in a nose-to-tail line before anyone pits.

[Gt_R]

Saltire asked a question, and answered his own question. Although half of the regulations you quoted are totally irrelevant.

Anyway, it's a brilliant piece of work from Ferrari, and as K-B had rightly described. basically the time to drive down pit + time to stay stationary is more than offset by the gap MS had to Sato prior to pitting + the time lost by Sato has he threads through the accident site.

Just look at Trulli at Monaco. When the SC came out in response to Alonso's accident, Trulli pitted and came out JUST behind MS who didn't pit. In US, the situation is similar, only MS came out slightly faster.

[deeks6]

I'm wondering if any of these posters actually watch the race...Schumacher never actually queued up behind the safety car and neither did Barrichello. They were called in as soon as they heard there was an accident...which was the right call.

Proves you can get a conspiracy theory out of anything.

[Kicking-back]

Indeed.

[f1atic]

Michael was told of the crash and to pit over the radio.
The Safety Car was deployed and on the main straight as Michael came around, waiting for the cars to que up. I remember commenting to the group we watched the coverage with, as we looked at Ralf facing the wrong way, "Look, a Ferrari is pitting." You could see the top of his car pass behind the pit wall.

As the cars qued up behind the Safety Car, Michael was coming out of the pit exit and fell in right behind the Safety Car and ahead of all others. It was quite a slick break if you ask me. Of course, had he gotten out ahead of the Safety Car - he would have had to lap and que up, thus putting everyone a lap down in essence.

[Kicking-back]

Not true - f1atic.

If he had come out ahead of the safety car, he would still have been the leader, so everyone else would have been waved around it and it would have picked him up.

He would not have gained a lap.

[Gt_R]

So in any case, MS's lead is never in doubt.

Quote:"Proves you can get a conspiracy theory out of anything."

Yeah..it's true...those people stop at nothing.

[freud]

Originally posted by Saltire

And I am mystified as to why the other teams haven't said anything about it. Perhaps because they all did it?
Maybe I'm completely wrong, and they were all allowed to do it, but I'd like someone to explain how, using the FIA rules, and in words of no more than two syllables.

Good point... No one really knows what exactly happened. Here goes nothing:

1 - Ralf crashes & lies on the pit straight

2 - SC is called out and sits at the END OF THE PIT STRAIGHT, waiting to collect the cars.

3 - MS & pack are almost at the start of the straight

4 - MS goes in the pits.

5 - RUBENS is the leader, and blocks rest of the field passing very slowly across the debris of Ralf's car.

6 - MS completes pits, goes out and is immediately behind the SC, still in first position.

7 - Rubens alongwith others come and bunch up behind MS.



First of all, I am not sure if what I describe above is exactly what happened.

Secondly, if indeed it happened as I described, then the million dollar question is 'WAS RUBENS TOO SLOW THROUGH THE DEBRIS'...

Anyway...

[Mal]

But Rubens pitted too!

[deeks6]

Again, I ask...does anyone actually WATCH the race???

Rubens pitted at the same time Michael did (and pretty well everyone else apart from the BAR's). In fact, he had to wait until MS pitstop was completed before he got served.
Thats why he lost some positions at the time...2nd to 5th or 6th...GET IT?

The safety car responsibly took people slowly past the wreckage and MS had enough of a lead and a bit of time created by the safety car to get out in front. The BARs probably gambled on getting track position but didnt allow for the safety car on the fron straight.

Get a life, anti-Schueys ... there aint no conspiracy here ...

[Mr V]

Originally posted by freud


3 - MS & pack are almost at the start of the straight

4 - MS goes in the pits.

5 - RUBENS is the leader, and blocks rest of the field passing very slowly across the debris of Ralf's car.

6 - MS completes pits, goes out and is immediately behind the SC, still in first position.

7 - Rubens alongwith others come and bunch up behind MS.

As others have pointed out, this wasn't what happened, Rubens came in and sat behind Michael at the stop under the safety car, Michael rejoined in 1st, Rubens 7th iirc (which ironicly was what proberbly screwed Rubens race!