The two halts caused by Cristiano da Matta's car not starting

[R]

I was thinking about the two starts which were aborted. First time, da Matta went to the back of the grid. Fair enough. But after causing the start to be halted for the second time, I think there should be a rule introduced saying that the driver should start from the pits. What if it had happened for a third time? It could soon have become a parody. I think that if a driver has so many problems on the start line that it leads to the start being aborted twice, the rulebook should say that he must start from the pits (if he is able to start at all), in order not to cause any more halted starts.

Alternatively, if a driver who has been relegated to starting from last position due to having problems, finds himself with problems again on the second attempt to start, the organizers could let the race start anyway, and remove said car after the race has started - no one can hit that car from behind anyway at the start, and if they can't remove it before the cars come round, just declare a full course yellow and use the safety car until the stopped car has been removed.

What do you think?

[Mr V]

Originally posted by R
What do you think?

I think that if a car stalls on the grid then it should be made to start from the pits after the first attempt, thus not allowing for the chance of another stalling on the grid.

With regards to removing the car after the race has started, too dangerous imo (esp at Austria), the lap is too short and they would have to pick up the safety car after they had passed the stricken car.

I wonder how much being made to start twice and Michael going so slow behind the safety car (to remove Jos's car) contributed to Juan Pablo's engine blowing up?

[R]

Originally posted by mr v
With regards to removing the car after the race has started, too dangerous imo (esp at Austria), the lap is too short and they would have to pick up the safety car after they had passed the stricken car.

I see your point, but in these days with the red flag presumably never being used anymore no matter what happens at the start, passing something while completing the first lap / starting the second is quite a common occurrence. Passing a stalled car is a lot less dangerous than passing an accident scene with a lot of debris, but the latter is more common. It is actually a very dangerous practice (happens due to TV schedules, or so I've been told ), which can bite the FIA in the tail one of these days, and is a subject very worthy for discussion.

[BootsOntheSide]

The title seems a bit unfair, it wasn't Cristiano's fault per se.

I think you're probably right that they should've put the car in the pit lane after the secodn start, because it was clearly a recurring problem. Letting the race start would've been a risk,a s Austria has the shortest lap, especially as the safety car woukldn't've been able to pick the field up until after they'd passed the car.

[jetsetter]

They've definately got to give a punishment to a car that continually stalls because you can't keep restarting the race.

[R]

OK, I've changed the title. I know it wasn't Cristiano's fault, but I just wanted the title to be short, and to just explain the subject of the thread. However, far be it from me to be unfair.

Boots, I take it you're in favour of red flagging races if there's a startline accident too then, like they used to? Driving through debris is a hell of a lot more dangerous IMO than passing a stalled car, especially if it's off the racing line (which I think it would be?).

[Armco Bender]

The whole thing seems to be a good arguement to get rid of launch control.Bring back the clutch and dropping it into first gear.

[Yoong Montoya]

This is the best excuse I've seen for getting rid of launch control. Mad Max should say "Teams, if you don't want your cars to get stuck on the grid, get rid of TC and LC!"

[Yoong Montoya]

Originally posted by jetsetter
They've definately got to give a punishment to a car that continually stalls because you can't keep restarting the race.

Was it not Spa 2001 where 3 restarts were needed?:confused: God, that was a confusing race wasn't it!

[Armco Bender]

Well how many years have they had LC?,and how many starts and cars have been stuffed up by it?,untold.Time to go back to basics.Clutch starts,just like they used to do in the old days.

[Yoong Montoya]

Originally posted by R
I see your point, but in these days with the red flag presumably never being used anymore no matter what happens at the start, passing something while completing the first lap / starting the second is quite a common occurrence. Passing a stalled car is a lot less dangerous than passing an accident scene with a lot of debris, but the latter is more common. It is actually a very dangerous practice (happens due to TV schedules, or so I've been told ), which can bite the FIA in the tail one of these days, and is a subject very worthy for discussion.

Yeah, Imola 1994 springs to mind... I downloaded the race review of that race a couple of days ago, and the startline shunt was horrific. Lamy's Lotus had one of its sides taken off after hitting Lehto's stalled Benetton and almost got T-boned by the other cars! And I thought this year's Barcelona startline shunt was bad!

[Sodemo]

where did u download it from yoong?

[Yoong Montoya]

Originally posted by The Monster
where did u download it from yoong?

www.videogp.ubbi.com.br It's in the reviews section. www.formula1onboard.tk also has race reviews from 1994 and many other seasons from 1982 to 1996. Check it out!

[bcobbus]

There should be a rule, that once your car goes past the pit entrance of the warm up lap, and or you take your spot on the grid and you cause the start to be aborted, you should have to start from the pits. Simple really, if you can't get it right, or the car is not reliable, starting from the pits would be the safe and fair thing to do for others. Would JPM's motor have lasted if he had not had to do two starts each time straining the motor because of lack f air flow? Who knows...

[emmer]

Originally posted by Yoong Montoya
www.videogp.ubbi.com.br It's in the reviews section. www.formula1onboard.tk also has race reviews from 1994 and many other seasons from 1982 to 1996. Check it out!

hm, good links!
thanks