AUSTIN 2016

[Alianora La Canta]

In Max's defence, there was an open exit gate right behind where he parked. The trouble is that doesn't help when the car won't go into neutral due to its specific gremlin. Argh!

[Irisado]

I listened on BBC radio.  While it was better than the race at Suzuka, there still wasn't that much to get excited about.  A strong performance from Hamilton, while Rosberg was slightly fortuitous to finish second after the virtual safety car compromised Ricciardo's race.

I'm getting a bit fed up of the virtual safety car.  It is being used too often for such minor incidents.  I appreciate that the FIA wants to improve safety after Bianchi's fatal accident, but these modern tracks have acres of run off, that it's just not necessary to use a virtual safety car or a safety car when a driver parks his car.  In addition, conditions at Suzuka in 2014 were very poor, with bad light, poor visibility, and a wet track.  Incidents under such circumstances arguably do require a virtual safety car, but it's totally unnecessary in fair weather conditions, such as those during this race.  If the FIA persists with using the virtual safety all the time, F1 may as well adopt full course yellows every time someone retires - a move which I would not like to see.

[Scott]

I'm getting a bit fed up of the virtual safety car.  It is being used too often for such minor incidents.  I appreciate that the FIA wants to improve safety after Bianchi's fatal accident, but these modern tracks have acres of run off, that it's just not necessary to use a virtual safety car or a safety car when a driver parks his car.  In addition, conditions at Suzuka in 2014 were very poor, with bad light, poor visibility, and a wet track.  Incidents under such circumstances arguably do require a virtual safety car, but it's totally unnecessary in fair weather conditions, such as those during this race.  If the FIA persists with using the virtual safety all the time, F1 may as well adopt full course yellows every time someone retires - a move which I would not like to see.

I can't disagree more.  The VSC was brought out while a tractor was between the live track and the barriers.  Have you seen a wing fail?  Or brakes?  Or suspension?  Anything can happen in any circumstances that could cause a car to veer towards the tractor.  The VSC was the LEAST they could do to protect the drivers.

I hate the VSC as well, but I would have called for a SC in that situation.

[John S]

I'm getting a bit fed up of the virtual safety car.  It is being used too often for such minor incidents.  I appreciate that the FIA wants to improve safety after Bianchi's fatal accident, but these modern tracks have acres of run off, that it's just not necessary to use a virtual safety car or a safety car when a driver parks his car. 

I agree. What was wrong with just leaving the Red Bull over the corner were it was parked by Max, plenty of room around in that run off area so the risk was probably more minimal than the danger to the front jack man at each grid box in the pits. It's not like the car is required back in the pits to get back in the race like in endurance is it?

This knee jerk blatantly over cautious situation could well lead to everyone losing patience with the FIA's crazy decisions during races, the result may take us back to a more dangerous place.

Reserving SC and VSC for more obviously dangerous situations will keep the vast majority onside IMHO. - Well there's always a small minority that think F1 and motor racing in general should be like Christians v Lions from Roman times.   

[Scott]

I agree. What was wrong with just leaving the Red Bull over the corner were it was parked by Max, plenty of room around in that run off area so the risk was probably more minimal than the danger to the front jack man at each grid box in the pits. It's not like the car is required back in the pits to get back in the race like in endurance is it?

This knee jerk blatantly over cautious situation could well lead to everyone losing patience with the FIA's crazy decisions during races, the result may take us back to a more dangerous place.

Reserving SC and VSC for more obviously dangerous situations will keep the vast majority onside IMHO. - Well there's always a small minority that think F1 and motor racing in general should be like Christians v Lions from Roman times.   

Oh, I thought the question was should there be a VSC or SC while a tractor is on the track.  Didn't realize you changed the question to whether they should leave MV's car on the track. 

So the mistake wasn't to call out the VSC, but to call out the tractor.

...I get it.

[Alianora La Canta]

The VSC was no surprise, given that "clear the decks as soon as possible" has been policy since 2004 and the powers-that-be's procedures for enacting it are currently under scrutiny. Like John S, I believe it is the general "clear the decks" policy that is wrong. However, given that the car was there at the start of the race, there was a small but definite risk of it getting hit, so retrieving it was not so strange as it is when they are retrieved after, say, the halfway mark. It was a relatively open piece of track in predictable weather, and retrieving it was unlikely to be difficult, I do not believe anything heavier than VSC was necessary either. So the part that did surprise me was when an actual Safety Car was wielded.

[Irisado]

I can't disagree more.  The VSC was brought out while a tractor was between the live track and the barriers.  Have you seen a wing fail?  Or brakes?  Or suspension?  Anything can happen in any circumstances that could cause a car to veer towards the tractor.  The VSC was the LEAST they could do to protect the drivers.

I hate the VSC as well, but I would have called for a SC in that situation.

I've been watching Formula 1 since 1995, so I've seen every single component on a Formula 1 car fail at some point or another.  I've seen many a big accident and all sorts of incidents.  The only fatality in all that time has been Bianchi's tragic accident, and that was caused by a variety of factors which were not at play during the US Grand Prix and have not been in play since.

The race in Japan 2014 was held too late there to try to accommodate European audiences by starting later in the morning European time.  This resulted in poor light and visibility late in the race, which was further hampered by rain a damp track.  The conditions at Austin were completely different.  They could have covered the situation with double waved yellows.

To increase the safety of double waved yellows, drivers could be given a specific time/speed that they have to do during the affected sector, or they must lift by five seconds or however much is deemed necessary during that corner/section, all of which is monitored/controlled in the same way as the current virtual safety car.  In this way, the whole racing lap is not neutralised, and the race keeps moving as it should.  The safety car, of any description, should only be used for major accidents, track blockages, or other very dangerous incidents, such as kerb break up or barrier repairs.  It is over used now, and is taking the momentum and energy out of the races.

[J.Clark]

I rather like the idea you presented.

"To increase the safety of double waved yellows, drivers could be given a specific time/speed that they have to do during the affected sector, or they must lift by five seconds or however much is deemed necessary during that corner/section, all of which is monitored/controlled in the same way as the current virtual safety car.  In this way, the whole racing lap is not neutralised, and the race keeps moving as it should.  The safety car, of any description, should only be used for major accidents, track blockages, or other very dangerous incidents, such as kerb break up or barrier repairs.  It is over used now, and is taking the momentum and energy out of the races."