Poll Should a qualifying lap in which all four tyres are off the race track be ignored?

[Tacitus]

The race track is defined as the white line.

Going beyond the white line in the race is a whole different ball game.

 

[Brogan]

Yes.

 

[FB]

Without a doubt - I'd also like to see drivers punished in the race (consistently) if they go off the circuit.

 

[Pyrope]

+1

 

[Brogan]

I believe Hamilton had his time stripped from him at Monaco last year for going outside the circuit limits?

 

[Speshal]

Yup and yet again Brogan made the very same point as I was going to.

 

[Puhoon]

They should make the tracks so that you lose time when you go off the circuit.

 

[Tacitus]

Brogan but it wasn't the first time though was it, he had gone off at that corner before in the session I think (correct me if i am wrong) and got a warning. then when he did it again he got a lap stripped off him. I guess what i am trying to say is why isn't it ruthlessly applied regardless of circumstance in qualifying. Why are warnings given? This to me seems like such a clear cut rule.

 

[Vortex]

Just make the tracks so they can’t put all 4 wheels outside the track without losing time! Either a two foot wide continuous gravel strip or grass round the entire circuit boundary or bolt down curbs where that cant be done, like Monaco and Singapore for example.

Even the drag strip where Vettel over took Button on at Germany could easily have been temporarily covered in gravel for the race eliminating the problem.

No need for steward decisions then.

 

[The Pits]

Yes, otherwise, why bother having a track? I can understand the safety aspect, and if a driver makes a mistake it is different to a driver using an extra large chunk of run off on the exit of a corner for more speed, which should see the time set being scrubbed.

 

[FB]

I'll be honset and say that I don't see the difference The Pits as a driver gains an advantage in both situations. I think, unless another drivers forces them off the track, they should be penalised in both qualie and the race.

 

[Bill Boddy]

I think that they should replace the white line with a kerb like there is outside my house.

And why do they have those silly kerbs on nearly every corner?

 

[The Pits]

FB, in the race, I agree, as an advantage can be deemed as not losing a place etc, or not losing half your wheels on a wall, in terms of qualifying though, I was making the assumption that a mistake which leads to running wide is likely to cost time, and hence not matter anyway. That said, not using the track in a race is a little like scoring from behind the goal...

 

[teabagyokel]

I like the idea they have in Olympic canoe slalom. Go off the track with 4 wheels and you lose a second. Don't go off the road, and you don't. Could work.

 

[The Pits]

Would they add the time to the overall race time?

 

[Jen]

Perhaps the white line should be replaced by a wall?

 

[sobriety]

Just have the white line, then wet astroturf, then tarmac.

Go off the track, hit the astro, slide onto the tarmac (losing loads of time in the process), regain control, rejoin track, simples.

 

[Fenderman]

Should a qualifying lap in which all four tyres are off the race track be ignored?


No, it should not be ignored. It should be judged. Depending on where the car leaves the track time will be lost or gained. Standard practise in the past has been to erase the lap time of the lap on which the offense/mistake occured. Until the FIA tightened up the rule on off track excursions it was applied to specific corners on specific circuits - e.g. chicanes at Magny Cours and Monza, etc. The issue of exiting a corner and running wide was also not an issue in previous decades as it has been the replacement of gravel tracks with tarmac tun-off's that has created the problem.

With regard to Vettel running wide in qualifying, he used all of the circuit and more in order to carry more speed through the corner and have a faster entry onto the next "straight". That is, therefore, gaining a time advantage probably worth around 10th of a second. With this season being so close that might than have been the difference between him and the next guy on the grid. Intentional or otherwise is irrelevant since no driver is going to say "I meant to go that fast in the corner and knew I could run out wide and get away with it," is he?

 

[Jen]

The more space you give, the more they will run wide - nature of the sport. Whether it be quali or race, you either reduce the space or enforce the rules. I would go with space reduction as it is more obvious.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

The only reason we have these vast run off area's on these quick tracks are to give cars enough room to slow down before hitting a barrier.

We could have a calendar of 20 street circuits where going off course means losing a wing or suspension damage but that will not be a popular move!

The only option will be to get the stewards to crack down more on these transgressions as I don't see the courses changing.