IDEAS THREAD - Post your ideas about improvements to penalties and driver notification systems here!

[SiLo]

After watching the race at the weekend, I was thinking to myself that maybe it would be great to discuss what people thought might be useful improvements that Race Control could look at. Things like driver communication, deployment of VSC/SC, use of flags or LED screens, placement of pit lane lights etc etc.

I'll kick off with my own idea:

FIA Race Control have a radio broadcast function, and when things like the VSC/SC are deployed, pit lane entry/exit closed and any other safety announcements need to be made, they are broadcast via driver radio. This allows all drivers to hear the announcement at the same time the moment they happen. I'm sure in a sport where milliseconds count, this would save the teams some headaches.

At the same time, the usual broadcast to teams can be made in writing.

Usual flags would still apply in case of radio failures.

Thoughts? If you have other ideas I would love to hear them and discuss them.

[RZS10]

How about a good old red light at pit entry? I'm honestly surprised that there isn't one ... and the position for the X board shouldn't be chosen by someone who is obviously borderline braindead ... just put that thing near the pit entry (in addition to one BEFORE parabolica - problem solved.

[ESPImperium]

How about we stop the moaning, and have no warning systems, and have people monitoring page 4. Teams should not be allowed to automate this as well, it should be monitored via humans and not via any AI interaction.

How many people have had boots on the track at Monza, I bet that 98% of those moaning have not. So time to suck it up and just leave Monza alone. I can tell you that its tight around the Paribolica to Retifillo section of the track. I have had the privilege to have been on that track twice in that area. It can often take an hour or more to get off the track in that section, the Marshall stations are often tight. The drivers should be switched on enough to be able to see those boards, you can't have any board on the inside of the track as what if a driver sees that the pits care closed and then decides to not pit in? Drivers coming in would abort and then be tail ended by drivers reaching terminal velocity.

Lets leave it be, it happened, move on to Mugello.

If I had my way, id be banning the Mission Controls and limiting data streams from car to pit during the race in order to get the teams to make more human led decisions at the track. Id love to ban the tyre heat sensors, leave them with tyre pressure sensors as those are needed for safety. the best teams are still going to be the best, the best drivers will still be so, however we may have more random races, if not at the pointy end, more in the mid field.

The only rule that needs changed is that rule that under red flag you can change your tyres and still have used two compounds, id disallow this, they still have to make a pit stop. Id also make it that you can't change bodywork as well, unless its damaged, like a wing or floor. Thats the only rule that needs changed in my opinion.

[RZS10]

the tl:dr is essentially "How about we make things worse because Monza is a tight track btw i've been to Monza"

But yea ... red flag should have parc ferme conditions, no tyre changes etc - just repairs

[PlatinumZealot]

Drivers have a big ole LCD screen and all sorts of flashy lights on the dash. Put a couple lights on top of the dash or steering wheel or whatever to signifiy these most important messages for the driver. Red Flag... yellows. Green.. Pitlane closed.. Purple You have fastest lap etc.

[holeindalip]

Drivers have a big ole LCD screen and all sorts of flashy lights on the dash. Put a couple lights on top of the dash or steering wheel or whatever to signifiy these most important messages for the driver. Red Flag... yellows. Green.. Pitlane closed.. Purple You have fastest lap etc.

I can agree with that, I also say to let them put the mirrors wherever they want and use cameras for rear view I know there are a few road cars that do this.

And to the flashing red X’s in monza from the replays I saw it looked just like the flashing SC’s that are displayed so they definitely need something different in regards to that, not just on the outside of parabolica that’s 60meters away

[Big Tea]

Drivers have a big ole LCD screen and all sorts of flashy lights on the dash. Put a couple lights on top of the dash or steering wheel or whatever to signifiy these most important messages for the driver. Red Flag... yellows. Green.. Pitlane closed.. Purple You have fastest lap etc.

Actually, a nice big motorway style LCD display at the start of the straight with messages like 'PITLANE CLOSED' or LAST LAP, would be easy to impliment

[El Scorchio]

How about we stop the moaning, and have no warning systems, and have people monitoring page 4. Teams should not be allowed to automate this as well, it should be monitored via humans and not via any AI interaction.

How many people have had boots on the track at Monza, I bet that 98% of those moaning have not. So time to suck it up and just leave Monza alone. I can tell you that its tight around the Paribolica to Retifillo section of the track. I have had the privilege to have been on that track twice in that area. It can often take an hour or more to get off the track in that section, the Marshall stations are often tight. The drivers should be switched on enough to be able to see those boards, you can't have any board on the inside of the track as what if a driver sees that the pits care closed and then decides to not pit in? Drivers coming in would abort and then be tail ended by drivers reaching terminal velocity.

Lets leave it be, it happened, move on to Mugello.

If I had my way, id be banning the Mission Controls and limiting data streams from car to pit during the race in order to get the teams to make more human led decisions at the track. Id love to ban the tyre heat sensors, leave them with tyre pressure sensors as those are needed for safety. the best teams are still going to be the best, the best drivers will still be so, however we may have more random races, if not at the pointy end, more in the mid field.

The only rule that needs changed is that rule that under red flag you can change your tyres and still have used two compounds, id disallow this, they still have to make a pit stop. Id also make it that you can't change bodywork as well, unless its damaged, like a wing or floor. Thats the only rule that needs changed in my opinion.

Agree with the first part. All it means is teams will now routinely check that mythical page 4 with more scrutiny to make sure they don;t fall foul again. And it should be on them.

In terms of red flag situation, I think if you can't change compound of tyres (to save a pit stop) then you shouldn't be able to repair or replace any damage on the cars either. Nor any other components. I don't really think Mercedes should have been able to change parts mid race to help with cooling.

[Wass85]

After watching the race at the weekend, I was thinking to myself that maybe it would be great to discuss what people thought might be useful improvements that Race Control could look at. Things like driver communication, deployment of VSC/SC, use of flags or LED screens, placement of pit lane lights etc etc.

I'll kick off with my own idea:

FIA Race Control have a radio broadcast function, and when things like the VSC/SC are deployed, pit lane entry/exit closed and any other safety announcements need to be made, they are broadcast via driver radio. This allows all drivers to hear the announcement at the same time the moment they happen. I'm sure in a sport where milliseconds count, this would save the teams some headaches.

At the same time, the usual broadcast to teams can be made in writing.

Usual flags would still apply in case of radio failures.

Thoughts? If you have other ideas I would love to hear them and discuss them.

That's what I've always said along with warnings on your steering wheel, easily done but as usual they faff about with things that are not needed.

If applied right we could drop the safety car but we all know it's also there to spice up the show as well.

[Wass85]

Drivers have a big ole LCD screen and all sorts of flashy lights on the dash. Put a couple lights on top of the dash or steering wheel or whatever to signifiy these most important messages for the driver. Red Flag... yellows. Green.. Pitlane closed.. Purple You have fastest lap etc.

Actually, a nice big motorway style LCD display at the start of the straight with messages like 'PITLANE CLOSED' or LAST LAP, would be easy to impliment

What if there was a Webber type accident and a car hit the gantry?

[Big Tea]

Drivers have a big ole LCD screen and all sorts of flashy lights on the dash. Put a couple lights on top of the dash or steering wheel or whatever to signifiy these most important messages for the driver. Red Flag... yellows. Green.. Pitlane closed.. Purple You have fastest lap etc.

Actually, a nice big motorway style LCD display at the start of the straight with messages like 'PITLANE CLOSED' or LAST LAP, would be easy to impliment

What if there was a Webber type accident and a car hit the gantry?

Display a sign saying due to accident this sign is not working

[Wass85]

Actually, a nice big motorway style LCD display at the start of the straight with messages like 'PITLANE CLOSED' or LAST LAP, would be easy to impliment

What if there was a Webber type accident and a car hit the gantry?

Display a sign saying due to accident this sign is not working

Nice one.

I think warnings on a big LCD screen on your steering wheel along with a message on your radio from race control would wake perfectly for just about any scenario in a race.

[NathanOlder]

Drivers have a big ole LCD screen and all sorts of flashy lights on the dash. Put a couple lights on top of the dash or steering wheel or whatever to signifiy these most important messages for the driver. Red Flag... yellows. Green.. Pitlane closed.. Purple You have fastest lap etc.

Actually, a nice big motorway style LCD display at the start of the straight with messages like 'PITLANE CLOSED' or LAST LAP, would be easy to impliment

What if there was a Webber type accident and a car hit the gantry?

There are dozens of gantries at circuits so its not an issue. It would work with a gantry just fine. When you see Lewis' onboard on his in lap when he got the penalty there is a huge advertising gantry with Heineken on it, and it says in big clear words "Box Box". It was a bit far back but it could have said "Pitlane closed" and it would have solved the whole problem

[Wass85]

Actually, a nice big motorway style LCD display at the start of the straight with messages like 'PITLANE CLOSED' or LAST LAP, would be easy to impliment

What if there was a Webber type accident and a car hit the gantry?

There are dozens of gantries at circuits so its not an issue. It would work with a gantry just fine. When you see Lewis' onboard on his in lap when he got the penalty there is a huge advertising gantry with Heineken on it, and it says in big clear words "Box Box". It was a bit far back but it could have said "Pitlane closed" and it would have solved the whole problem

That's fair enough but why not have all the info given to you on your steering wheel screen along with a radio message from race control?

That would also cover countless other scenarios in a race as well as this.

[jjn9128]

How about a document sent to every team before the start of the weekend indicating where the marshal flag and pit lane entry status lights are? (see p9) Is that enough notification? Then do a track walk with said document.