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FIA looks at ECU safety car solution
Topic Started: May 16 2008, 02:57 AM (386 Views)
Steelstallions
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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67425

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A solution to the controversy about Formula One's safety car rules using the standard ECU is being looked at by the FIA, autosport.com has learned, although no change to the regulations is expected to be introduced before July.....................The idea is for the standard ECU to be used to provide a display to the drivers informing them of how quickly they can return to the pits once the safety car has been deployed.

Although the introduction of such a system is not easy, it is understood that the initial suggestion from the FIA's software experts is that it is possible to make it work.

However, the solution would need to be fully tested prior to its use at a grand prix - which is why it is likely any plans to introduce it will have to wait until the French Grand Prix in July at the earliest.


Is there a simpler way than this?
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u4coffee
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Probably
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FlutterBy
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There are things called 'race engineers' and 'radios'...
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Norbert
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Surely if they're going to bugger about with the ecus for the safety car periods, then why not have them setup so that when the safety car is deployed, the engine is reduced massively in power output to avoid them racing back around to catch up the safety car as quickly as possible so that they can pit very shortly after it is deployed?
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AndyW76
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Here is a simple solution, how about a really big sign at just before the pits saying

PITS CLOSED

Even Fisi would see that.
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u4coffee
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AndyW76,May 16 2008
11:53 AM
Here is a simple solution, how about a really big sign at just before the pits saying

PITS CLOSED

Even Fisi would see that.

He'd probably still ignore it though <roflmao>
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FlutterBy
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Install level-crossing type gates at the pitlane entrance...........? <devil>
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AndyW76
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Norbert,May 16 2008
08:08 AM
Surely if they're going to bugger about with the ecus for the safety car periods, then why not have them setup so that when the safety car is deployed, the engine is reduced massively in power output to avoid them racing back around to catch up the safety car as quickly as possible so that they can pit very shortly after it is deployed?

I disagree with the idea of a speed limiter that is outside a driver's control. sometimes you need extra power to drive your way out of trouble.
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FlutterBy
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Likewise. Something similar has been proposed for road cars, as a way of forcing them to comply with speed limits, using a radio link to a 'smart' road sign. Horrible. I've seen (and sometime been involved in) situations were it's much safer to accelerate than to brake.
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Lord Tau
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How about scrapping the rule about not pitting under a safety car altogether. Just like the good ol' days!
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AJM1987
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Lord Tau,May 16 2008
12:51 PM
How about scrapping the rule about not pitting under a safety car altogether. Just like the good ol' days!

Exactly. When the safety car came out it was another aspect of the race that the tactical types and the drivers would have to deal with. Should it go against them during one race it is very likely that they could benefit from it at the next. Of course, this would be too confusing for the casual Lewis fan and so the FIA had to stop that by enforcing this stupid rule.
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Norbert
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AndyW76,May 16 2008
01:22 PM
I disagree with the idea of a speed limiter that is outside a driver's control. sometimes you need extra power to drive your way out of trouble.

What, like when the field is behind the safety car, or near as dammit?
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AndyW76
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AJM1987,May 16 2008
01:47 PM
Lord Tau,May 16 2008
12:51 PM
How about scrapping the rule about not pitting under a safety car altogether. Just like the good ol' days!

Exactly. When the safety car came out it was another aspect of the race that the tactical types and the drivers would have to deal with. Should it go against them during one race it is very likely that they could benefit from it at the next. Of course, this would be too confusing for the casual Lewis fan and so the FIA had to stop that by enforcing this stupid rule.

Er, as I recall, the current safety car rules predate Lewis's entry into F1.

The reason for closing the pitlane, as far as I understand, is to give a chance for the safety car to pick up the leader and form a chain. If everyone started diving into the pits straight away, it is entirely possible that confusion would reign.
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AndyW76
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Norbert,May 16 2008
01:48 PM
AndyW76,May 16 2008
01:22 PM
I disagree with the idea of a speed limiter that is outside a driver's control. sometimes you need extra power to drive your way out of trouble.

What, like when the field is behind the safety car, or near as dammit?

I was more thinking about when the field was being bunched up. remember the drivers will continue at speed until they catch up to the safety car chain and there may be a situation where they may need to accelerate out of a problem, say if someone has an off track excersion and is head for a collision with them. Taking control of the car away fro the driver is a very dangerous game to play, not to mention one that could be fraught with problems. what happens if the system malfunctions and either slows a car unnecesarily or releases a car at the wrong time.
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TheCompleteGuitarist
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AndyW76,May 16 2008
12:22 PM
Norbert,May 16 2008
08:08 AM
Surely if they're going to bugger about with the ecus for the safety car periods, then why not have them setup so that when the safety car is deployed, the engine is reduced massively in power output to avoid them racing back around to catch up the safety car as quickly as possible so that they can pit very shortly after it is deployed?

I disagree with the idea of a speed limiter that is outside a driver's control. sometimes you need extra power to drive your way out of trouble.

Such as when you start to overtake on a single carriageway only to see a ten ton truck coming the other way, so you need the power to overtake quicker rather than slow down and pull back in, which of course would be a very immasculating experience.
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