No-one can can plan for a safety car can they ( ) so it's pot luck. leave it as it is.
How about the laps under the safety car don't count towards the race result but come off the laps raced? I know it would be very confusing for spectators, viewers and commentators as you would have to add together race times - remember poor old Muddly in Japan '94 or whenever it was. It would be like a red flag but without all the hassle.
How about having a speed limit through the affected sectors? For example with Hamilton's crash there could be a speed limit of 40 mph from Kemmel kink until Rivage. If cars are side-by-side then they must drop behind. Penalties should be strict for any offenders, the point would get across. This would cover most incidents, but red flags would still be needed in cases where debris is scattered across the circuit.
How about the laps under the safety car don't count towards the race result but come off the laps raced? I know it would be very confusing for spectators, viewers and commentators as you would have to add together race times - remember poor old Muddly in Japan '94 or whenever it was. It would be like a red flag but without all the hassle.
EG: Montreal, Button collides with Hamilton, there is no immediate safety car, but Button has a flat tyre, he is now in last and quite comfortably so, by the fact he has to nurse the car around the track, Hamilton parks up well down the track and in a position which brings out the safety car, saves button who pits, and gets a tyre change in the process, he catches up,...the others pit and Button goes from well in last possibly contemplating retirement....to like 10th under the safety car, which he contributed to? if the safety car comes out, he can pit but can only be released after the safety car passes again...effectively maintaining the +1 lap deficit.