Safety car use

[Nick49]

Hello,

I know the use of the safety car in sports car racing can get people a bit energised but an incident occured in the 12 Hours of Sebring which I thought was, perhaps ever so slightly, controversial.

There was an incident when the safety car was deployed and the crew proceeded to wave through seemingly the entire field before it picked up the leading Audi R10. The entire field then seem to race round at almost unabated speed to catch up with the leader. I immediately thought of the the debate about whether the safety car should pick up the leader or, the first car that comes by. I have always thought it should be the leader but now I think it should be the first car that comes by so that any wreckage can be cleared away quickly and safely. I never envy race control in this situation as there is always someone (me!!) ready to criticise.

Any views

Nick

[Asa]

I think safety car is used when the situation is not too serious, so it does not matter too much whether it is the leader or the first car that comes by.

If the situation is really serious there is always the red flag.

[Stephen Green]

The only problem with not picking up the leader first is that the marshals cannot start work clearing the track until all cars are behind the safety car. If it were to pick up the lead car first, valuable time would be saved and the risk of injury minimised.

[CombeMarshal]

At Sebring they picked up the next car past the pits, thus the race was instantly neutralised,they then waited till all the track was clear of Marshal's and debris, then waved every car past but the Audi that was in first(If it's the incident I'm thinking of!)
In my oppinion that is the right way to do it, Neutralise the race, clear the incident, organise the cars, green flag

[Seoigh]

Originally Posted by Nick49

Hello,

I know the use of the safety car in sports car racing can get people a bit energised but an incident occured in the 12 Hours of Sebring which I thought was, perhaps ever so slightly, controversial.

There was an incident when the safety car was deployed and the crew proceeded to wave through seemingly the entire field before it picked up the leading Audi R10. The entire field then seem to race round at almost unabated speed to catch up with the leader. I immediately thought of the the debate about whether the safety car should pick up the leader or, the first car that comes by. I have always thought it should be the leader but now I think it should be the first car that comes by so that any wreckage can be cleared away quickly and safely. I never envy race control in this situation as there is always someone (me!!) ready to criticise.

Any views

Nick

I was in the control room at the time of the incident you mention. In IMSA (and other bodies) an attempt is almost ALWAYS made to dispatch the safety car just in front of the leader, so that no more than a couple of cars need to be waved-by. They are often slower backmarkers in a 12 hour race. Under full-course (double) yellow conditions, there is supposed to be nopassing, and caution is allegedly the name of the game. Still, as you note, competitors will try to make up time on the field during such incidents. During the incident in question, the young steward (whose only job it was to communicate with the Safety Car), was unable to dispatch it in time to catch the leader...there was a problem with radio transmissons throughout the weekend, so he may not have heard the stations calling the leader around. As mentioned elsewhere, the red flag remains an option - catching the leader with the safety car is merely a device to aid in proper scoring of the race anyway - less crucial in this age of electronic timing.

[Nick49]

Seoigh

Thanks for your post from the inside, so to speak. From the TV it seemed like the entire field went by and carried on at racing speed but that was probably just the TV aspect so I appreciate your comments. We are lucky in the UK that MOTORS TV probably carried more of the race than was seen in the USA! I have no experience as a race driver, marshall or race official however much I would like to get involved. I'm only a race fan from the early 1960's and appreciating all the modern day TV coverage.

At the end of the day I thought it was another great Sebring 12 Hours and a superb result for Dad and Son Field and Liz Halliday. Roll on the next race.

Nick

[theracegypsy]

Originally Posted by Nick49

Seoigh

.......................... I have no experience as a race driver, marshall or race official however much I would like to get involved. I'm only a race fan from the early 1960's and appreciating all the modern day TV coverage.

......................Nick

My highlights

So Nick, come and join us. You are only just down the road from Thruxton, and about the same era as me. The BARC, BRSCC and other clubs welcome all newcomers, not just the youngsters.

PM me if you seriously want contacts with the clubs to come marshalling.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by CombeMarshal

At Sebring they picked up the next car past the pits, thus the race was instantly neutralised,they then waited till all the track was clear of Marshal's and debris, then waved every car past but the Audi that was in first(If it's the incident I'm thinking of!)
In my oppinion that is the right way to do it, Neutralise the race, clear the incident, organise the cars, green flag

Which makes sense really. And from a close racing point of view as many car as possible get a lap back. IIRC in this particular incident the Audi pitted mid caution period and thus dropped to the back, meaning most cars where between it and the SC.

[Seoigh]

Originally Posted by Nick49

Seoigh

Thanks for your post from the inside, so to speak. From the TV it seemed like the entire field went by and carried on at racing speed but that was probably just the TV aspect so I appreciate your comments. We are lucky in the UK that MOTORS TV probably carried more of the race than was seen in the USA! I have no experience as a race driver, marshall or race official however much I would like to get involved. I'm only a race fan from the early 1960's and appreciating all the modern day TV coverage.

At the end of the day I thought it was another great Sebring 12 Hours and a superb result for Dad and Son Field and Liz Halliday. Roll on the next race.

Nick

Nick - as recommended, join a local club and enjoy the view from the other side of the fence. Lots of friendly and knowledgable folk to support you - consider Castle Combe - not so far from Hampshire, very nice people, and the Club president Winters with us in Florida. Get some experience this year, save your pennies, then JOIN us at Sebring next March!

[Nick49]

Hello

Thanks for all the encouraging replies about getting involved in motorsport. For the last three years I've been stuck in a recreational harbour which involves working every weekend between start of May and end of September. Just as soon as I can get out (and find a job which will support my two daughters going to Uni) and get my weekends back I'd love to get into some orange coveralls. Know of any jobs going, I have tried.

I will bear all this in mind.

Cheers

Nick

[marcel82]

Originally Posted by Asa

I think safety car is used when the situation is not too serious, so it does not matter too much whether it is the leader or the first car that comes by.

If the situation is really serious there is always the red flag.

whenever the safety car is out, there's going to be people working on the track, and most likely debris laying around. it's not serious enough to bring out the red, but the speeds still matter to the marshalls. it's not very safe if your clearing the track, and cars come racing by you at +/- 200kph

when the problem isn't serious, there's a local yellow