Ask The Apex

[Brogan]

At one of the Japanese GPs I believe.

 

[Speshal]

The qualifying session for the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix, due to have been held on 9 October, was postponed until race day after a typhoon hit Suzuka. This led to the idea of holding qualifying sessions on a Sunday morning (an idea that was abandoned half-way through the following year). The 2005 race was one of the most exciting races of the season after many top drivers started near the back of the grid after the qualifying in variable weather. Kimi Räikkönen won the race after starting from 17th place, overtaking Giancarlo Fisichella at the beginning of the last lap.

 

[mnmracer]

Has a race ever been postponed because the medical helicopter can't fly?

The restart for the 1999 British Grand Prix was postponed longer (it was already red flagged) because the medical helicopter was taking Schumacher to the hospital and they needed to fly a second one in because there needs to be one available any time they're racing.

 

[Slyboogy]

What is a front diffuser and how does it work?

 

[Brogan]

The usual set up is a front splitter and rear diffuser, but this should help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuser_(automotive)

 

[Slyboogy]

So basically a front diffuser is a front splitter going back underneath the car, which is known as a splitter-venturi?

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

Given that team orders are now legal, would a 2008 Singapore-style crash be ok?

 

[FB]

I'm guessing no. Its one thing to ask a driver to move over, another entirely to ask him to put his life at risk, or that of anotehr driver or marshals and spectators.

 

[FB]

And, of course, drivers get penalties for having an avoidable accident.

 

[Brogan]

There is also sportsmanship and disrepute issues, Ferrari famously being censured for their attempt at a synchronised finish.

 

[sushifiesta]

If two (or more) drivers were disqualified from qualifying who would start ahead? Would it be based on times from previous qualifying sessions, car number, championship position, order in which penalties applied, or what?

Similarly, if two (or more) drivers decide to start from the pit lane what decides who gets to be first in line? Is it just whoever gets there first?!

 

[F1Yorkshire]

I think in the case of your 2nd question I think it is 1st come 1st serve, I believe there maybe precedent for that which someone far more knowledgeable will post.

 

[The Artist.....]

sushifiesta

If 2 drivers were disqualified for driving offences they would line up in the order of their offences. However, it becomes slightly trickier when they are disqualified for technical irregularities! Since the standard that's held up is the order of offences, then I would guess that it would be the order that they were found to be illegal (However unsatisfactory that may seem).

When it comes to driving penalties in qualifying, I've always found it unsatisfactory that if you were the first person to break the rules, and 6 other people who qualified ahead of you also broke the rules, then it would be possible to start ahead of you original qualifying position!

(Eg, a driver, let's call them Bob, might qualify 7th, but have ignored a yellow flag, and be demoted 5 places to 12th. The driver who originally qualified 11th also transgressed, moving bob up to 11th. Then the driver in 10th might also have transgressed, promoting Bob to 10th, and so on, until we reach 7th. Then if the next driver to transgress was the driver who qualified 6th originally, then Bob could find himself starting the race higher than he qualified, despite being awarded a qualifying penalty)

 

[sushifiesta]

I thought the answer was probably that one but it isn't particularly satisfying! I guess it's quite rare to have one let alone two or three drivers disqualified in a qualifying session.

 

[Viscount]

If a car runs in all 3 Practice sessions, doesn't participate in Qualifying, but at the Stewards' discretion is allowed to race as they set a time during Practice within the 107% do parc fermé conditions apply?

So, assuming no one else has a grid penalty;
Will the car have to start from P24 on the grid with whatever setup they ran at the end of Practice 3?
Start on the grid in P24 but allowed to make any setup changes they wish?
Or if they make a setup change have to start from the pitlane?

 

[The Artist.....]

Viscount

There is an answer in the FIA sporting regulations:
34.1 Each car will be deemed to be in parc fermé from the time at which it leaves the pit lane for the first time during qualifying practice until the start of the race. Any car which fails to leave the pit lane during qualifying practice will be deemed to be in parc fermé at the end of Q1.

So, theoretically, if the car fails to run, it could start in 24th, but only if Parc Ferme is not broken.

Any set-up changes would therefore relegate the driver to a pitlane start.

 

[Incubus]

Perhaps not the most interesting topic, but I was wondering whether anyone knows when and why did they start imposing a delay on pit-radio transmissions during races. Did it have anything to do with drivers searing live on air? I remember Fisichella in one race during his Renault days getting frustrated at something and uttering a couple of four letter-worded sentences.

 

[gethinceri]

Yes Incubus, something along those lines. More wireless related nonsense here:http://cliptheapex.com/threads/pit-to-car-radio.5663/

 

[Brogan]

I think this post answers that Incubus: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/fia-forces-teams-to-make-all-radio-transmissions-available.1619/

Check the quoted content.

According to Auto, Moto und Sport, motorsport's governing body has taken advantage of a passage in the Sports Act, which states that radio traffic should be made available to all.

However, in a bid to ensure the more colourful drivers keep their swearing to themselves, there will be a short delay between the radio message being said and it being broadcast, allowing FIA race director Charlie Whiting to intervene.

So around July 2010.

 

[Incubus]

Ah yes of course. Just Ask The Apex.