2022 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sakhir, March 18 - 20

[DChemTech]

[/quote]

In response to DChemTech - agree rules are rules, and should be appropriately punished - so why should it be left ‘open’ with no punishment?


I have heard rumours the white line will be the track limit (rightly so) so it will be good to see when race director notes are released in next couple days what is mentioned about them
[/quote]

As for the track limits being the white line - good; if they do that for every race, that's one less controversy to work with


Mod edit: off topic portion removed

[chrisc90]

I believe the place was given back after the overtake off the track. Fair game. But not the advantage of running wide 29 times at the same turn.

[DChemTech]

Article 27.3 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations says: “Drivers must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not deliberately leave the track without a justifiable reason.

“Drivers will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with it and, for the avoidance of doubt, any white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not.”

By allowing cars to go wide unpenalized they effectively introduced rules that conflict the sporting regulations. Yes, those 'alternative track limits' were declared upfront and RB should have used them given the information - but the problem is that such alternative track limits should not be there to begin with. The regulations are clear, the white line is the limit, and there is really no reason to deviate from that.

We've also seen in the past (USA) that drivers were not penalized for consistently breaking track limits during regular racing, but once Max overtook on that location outside of the track, he was penalized immediately. Which literally means that there were places on the track (aside the pits) that you could drive without being penalized, but could not overtake. And that's not fair racing. The same track limits should apply to any situation, whether you drive in the void or are actively battling. Those regulations are there already, but the FIA should actively enforce them. (and yes, sure, there are overruling situations - a push of the track, a braking mistake... but it shouldn't be hard to distinguish incidents from structural behavior).

[AeroDynamic]

The rule about overtaking outside of the track limit is always there. They didn't write in the event notes "we won't police overtaking outside of the track here" They just said they won't police track limits.. So the drivers took advantage. It was always going to be an invited penalty if you overtook another car outside of the track, regardless if they are policing track limit violations or not. One issue is overtaking, and the other is a 'lasting advantage' in the lap time. They are policing the former anywhere but not policing the latter everywhere.

By lobbying the RD about a track limit related issue, they pretty much invited the spotlight on themselves to try and infringe on a different issue in the racing rules in that corner that they had just lobbied the RD to pay attention to. Hence played themselves completely because they removed any slim possibility of the overtake being overlooked

But otherwise I agree, it was the first example in the season where the RD was using the rules ad-hoc to do what he wanted rather than to follow the rules by the book. The only failure by the FIA is watching their RD do this throughout the season until it caught up to them by the end of the Championship.. leaving the image of F1 a mockery of 'sport' and of the championship.

[Just_a_fan]

We've also seen in the past (USA) that drivers were not penalized for consistently breaking track limits during regular racing, but once Max overtook on that location outside of the track, he was penalized immediately. Which literally means that there were places on the track (aside the pits) that you could drive without being penalized, but could not overtake.

Overtaking off track has always been penalised and thankfully even Masi applied that rule consistently.

[DChemTech]

We've also seen in the past (USA) that drivers were not penalized for consistently breaking track limits during regular racing, but once Max overtook on that location outside of the track, he was penalized immediately. Which literally means that there were places on the track (aside the pits) that you could drive without being penalized, but could not overtake.

Overtaking off track has always been penalised and thankfully even Masi applied that rule consistently.

Yes, but he should just as consistently apply the track limit rule in non-overtaking situations. There is an advantage there all the same. If there are parts of the track that you can race but cannot overtake, sorry, that just doesn't make sense. I am not saying he should have allowed Max to overtake at that location. I am saying he should not have allowed the other drivers to run there in the first place (back then, it was Charlie by the way).
Similarly, saying 'we'll police in some parts but not in others because we don't expect gains there' doesn't make sense. The white lines are there for a reason and should be used under all circumstances.

[Just_a_fan]

We've also seen in the past (USA) that drivers were not penalized for consistently breaking track limits during regular racing, but once Max overtook on that location outside of the track, he was penalized immediately. Which literally means that there were places on the track (aside the pits) that you could drive without being penalized, but could not overtake.

Overtaking off track has always been penalised and thankfully even Masi applied that rule consistently.

Yes, but he should just as consistently apply the track limit rule in non-overtaking situations. There is an advantage there all the same. If there are parts of the track that you can race but cannot overtake, sorry, that just doesn't make sense. I am not saying he should have allowed Max to overtake at that location. I am saying he should not have allowed the other drivers to run there in the first place (back then, it was Charlie by the way).
Similarly, saying 'we'll police in some parts but not in others because we don't expect gains there' doesn't make sense. The white lines are there for a reason and should be used under all circumstances.

I agree with you that all white lines should apply at all times. Sadly, the "for the show!" people took over and it all became very much a case of make it up you go along.

[WaikeCU]

Can't wait to see how easy the cars can follow each other on track

[CMSMJ1]

Locking this while I remove the off topic.

This is about the race. Lucky us - a new season dawns. Let's leave the arguments and vitriol behind and not in this thread.

[Mr5in1]

To take this thread back on topic, I will go with my qualy and race predictions:

Qualy
1. Leclerc
2. Russel
3. Verstappen
4. Hamilton
5. Sainz

Race
1. Leclerc
2. Russel
3. Hamilton
4. Verstappen
5. Norris

[chrisc90]

Can they be moved to their own thread?

[shamyakovic]

To take this thread back on topic, I will go with my qualy and race predictions:

Qualy
1. Leclerc
2. Russel
3. Verstappen
4. Hamilton
5. Sainz

Race
1. Leclerc
2. Russel
3. Hamilton
4. Verstappen
5. Norris

Yep, looks like it

[henry]

The white line thing should never have been an issue. If they want the track shape to be different just redraw the white line. Everyone can see where it is no need for anything to be rewritten or explained. It’s almost as if they want controversy.

[henry]

A repeat of a question posed earlier.
Are the C3s qualy only, mandatory for all Q sessions, mandatory for Q3 or just like last year?

[CMSMJ1]

Can they be moved to their own thread?

Please create a thread for it - the amount of off topic, though worthy of discussion, means it needs to be removed.

I started deleting it from the first off topic..so am late to try and lift and shift.

Can we discuss race now? Thanks forum!