Flashing red lights

[badoer fan]

Hmmm, someone know why the red lights on the back of the cars were flashing most of the way through the race. I thought that signified the pit lane speed limiter being on, or is that another change in the rules I've missed?

[EERO]

For several seasons, I'm not sure exactly how long, they have been used in wet conditions because of the amount of spray kicked up by wet tires and diffusers.

[Asp]

Did appear that a few drivers lost the 'off' switch though - many were still flashing at the end of the race!

[Hugh Jarce]

I think it was those cars behind MS feathering their brake pedal all the time in case even more bits flew off!

[chezza]

Hmmm...i thought that they were on when they were racing (if the teams/dirvers decided to have them on) and they flashed when the limiter was on?? I could be mistaken though?!

[kristof14]

i'm guessing they were because of the wet track at the start. The drivers probably don't have a control for them, would you want to be trying to find the switch to turn off a light whilst doing 150mph?

[J.McClane]

Yeah, i thought it was to help the driver behind see the car infront when it kicks up water during a wet one.

Hey kristof14, Nice sig, but you should change it to "Lord Of The Blings"

[Jukebox]

Drivers can switch on/off the lights from their cockpits. I agree with EERO on this....i guess it's for precaution purposes that day because of the damp track.

It seems that the FIA have installed 4 lights that looked like a traffic light at the end of the pitlane exits....if the car was on the right speed limits...all 4 green lights would illuminate as they passes.

[J.McClane]

I thought those lights had been around for a while (the pitlane ones)?

I'm sure i saw them last season.

[Jukebox]

Then i might be wrong....

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by kristof14
i'm guessing they were because of the wet track at the start. The drivers probably don't have a control for them, would you want to be trying to find the switch to turn off a light whilst doing 150mph?

i seem to remember ralf tightening up a screw in a Jordan whilst going down a strait a couple of years ago, TGF is also renound for being able to adjust mis brake balance mid-corner

[Stephen Green]

The rule is that if the race director declares the race a 'wet race' ALL cars must have their rear lights on. Failure to do so can result in action being taken by the clerk of the course or stewards of the meeting. Originally in F1 the flashing rear lights did indicate that the pit lane limiter was in operation. Since then the lights have been adopted for wet races because of their high visibility. If you remember some used to be blue and not red, but red is the much easier colour to see through water spray.

[BD]

I saw Montoya make an adjustment on the steering wheel on his hot-lap in qualifying.
If 2-way telemetry was allowed, they all probably would have been turned off by the teams.

[429CJ]

I thought, that this red light flashing was the traction control kicking in.

[Smokey 6 litre]

i dont think so, although tracton control made that disgusting cracking noise, i can't wait until they are banned and the cars sound free again

[Stephen Green]

Originally posted by 429CJ
I thought, that this red light flashing was the traction control kicking in.

See my post above for the answer to your question.

[J.McClane]

Its for when they race in the wet, so the car is more easy to spot with all the water being kicked up by the car infront.

Mr Green up there is correct.

[Asp]

Does raise a question though - they introduced the flashin light to show pitlane speed becuase of people possibly using it at the start IIRC. When TC, Launch Control are legalised; this potential may occur again. If caught, you can say you hit the rain light - can you?

[Red]

I remember that they had to light the bulbs (no flashing) when they fitted wet tyres to the car, no matter if the race is declared wet by the Clerk of the Course. (which is relevant only for Friday/Saturday practice sessions; at any other time - sunday warmup and the race - they could take whatever tyres they wanted)The "flashing" thing was intropduced to signal if the "pit-lane speed limiter" was on, and that came in 2000.

Anyway. I vaguelly remember that last year (or perhaps 2 years before) they changed the rule regarding the rear rain lights, in the sense that the area was increased. Could be that they had to "flash" as well, but I don't remember.:confused:

Coulkd be "brake-lighhts", but I'm not at all convinced..

[RaceCarFanatic]

They wanted to make the rear light a brake light but never introduced it as a rule. The teams tested it last season or the 2001 season. It died out after the testing because some teams wanted it others didn't.

[Asp]

Originally posted by Red
Anyway. I vaguelly remember that last year (or perhaps 2 years before) they changed the rule regarding the rear rain lights, in the sense that the area was increased. Could be that they had to "flash" as well, but I don't remember.:confused:

They were flashing this weekend, weren't they? Certainly some form of pulse, I'm sure. I also seem to remember the reg being introduced - I think it's more visible? Open to confirmation the other way though.

[Stephen Green]

In ALL categories of motor racing the cars have to have rear lights for wet races. The lights you saw last weekend were rain lights, not brake lights, not pit lane speed limiter lights. As I said before, if the Clerk of the Course designates a race a 'wet race' a sign is shown at the start and also the pit exit and ALL drivers MUST show a rear light. It just happens that in F1 those lights flash. Personally I think they are more visible when they flash, especially in monsoon conditions, and I would like to see these type of lights adopted in ALL race series.

[Valve Bounce]

I use them when I am reversing in the supermarket's underground car park. That way, I hope nobody will hit me as they race around looking for a space.

[Woolley]

If a race is declared wet, all cars must display a rear facing red light. They flash when the traction control is operating (the pit lane speed limiter works on the same principal). I think the camera angles at Melbourne showed the cars from the rear more than usual, so we became more aware of the fflashing. I can't remember why the rule came in about flashing lights, though. It started at the British GP a couple of years ago, and I was much entertained on Woodcote Inside (by where the white line indicating the start of the pitlane was) by an Australian Tv crew explaining the new regulations and getting it wrong, time after time. When he eventually got it right, we had to move him just before he'd finished because the pit lane ws opening. I've never heard a presenter use that word before!

[Stephen Green]

I think you will find they flash all the time on the cars now, not just when traction control is operating.