F1 | Bandiera rossa: interruzione di una gara
Se una gara viene sospesa a causa di un incidente o cattive condizioni della pista, allora le bandiere rosse saranno sventolate intorno al circuito. Quando questo accade, l’uscita dei box viene chiusa e le vetture in pista devono procedere lentamente, senza effettuare sorpassi e fermarsi sulla griglia di partenza, con la prima vettura che andrà schierarsi sulla piazzola della pole position. Chiunque rientri ai box dopo il segnale di bandiera rossa sarà penalizzato con un successivo Drive Through.
La safety car si posizionerà davanti al gruppo. Quando la gara viene sospesa, i membri dei team possono entrare in pista per lavorare sulle vetture, ma il rifornimento non è permesso.
Le auto che si trovavano in corsia box nel momento in cui viene dato il segnale di bandiera rossa, devono rimanere nella pitlane. Queste possono poi unirsi nuovamente alla gara, andando a riprendere la posizione che occupavano al momento della sospensione della corsa.
Prima che la gara riprenda in regime di safety car, viene dato un preavviso di 10 minuti. La ripartenza avviene dietro la vettura di sicurezza che percorrerà un solo giro, prima di rientrare ai box. Come al solito, il sorpasso dietro alla Safety Car è vietato, a meno che un pilota ha perso tempo nel lasciare la griglia di partenza e si era fatto sorpassare da altre vetture. In questo caso, il conducente può ripassare quelle auto, al fine di riconquistare la sua posizione originale.
Se per qualsiasi motivo non è possibile far ripartire la gara, le norme prevedono che vale la classifica del giro precedente a quello dove è stata esposta la bandiera rossa.
L’evento di gara può durare al massimo due ore. Nessun evento può durare più di 4 ore complessive, indipendentemente dalle sospensioni.
Estratto del regolamento FIA relativo alla sospensione di un evento
5) CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS
5.3 The distance of all races, from the start signal referred to in Article 38.9 to the chequered flag, shall be equal to the least number of complete laps which exceed a distance of 305 km (Monaco 260km). However, should two hours elapse before the scheduled race distance is completed, the leader will be shown the chequered flag when he crosses the control line (the Line) at the end of the lap during which the two hour period ended. However, should the race be suspended (see Article 41) the length of the suspension will be added to this period up to a maximum total race time of four hours.41) SUSPENDING A RACE
41.1 Should it become necessary to suspend the race because the circuit is blocked by an accident or because weather or other conditions make it dangerous to continue, the clerk of the course will order red flags to be shown at all marshal posts and the abort lights to be shown at the Line.
41.2 When the signal is given overtaking is forbidden, the pit exit will be closed and all cars must proceed slowly to the starting grid. The first car to arrive on the grid should occupy pole position and others should fill the remaining grid positions in the order they arrive.
If the race is suspended during a safety car intervention, and the safety car is directed into the pit lane, cars should stop in a line behind the safety car in the fast lane of the pits.
41.3 Any cars unable to return to the grid as a result of the track being blocked will be brought back when the track is cleared and will be arranged in the order they occupied before the race was suspended.
Additionally, any cars in the pit lane or pit entry at the time the race was suspended will be pushed onto the grid and arranged in the order they occupied before the race was suspended. If the race has been suspended in the pit lane (see Article 41.2) any such cars will again be
arranged in the order they occupied before the race was suspended.
In all cases the order will be taken at the last point at which it was possible to determine the position of all cars. All such cars will then be permitted to resume the race.
The Safety Car will then be driven to the front of the grid.
41.4 Whilst the race is suspended :
– neither the race nor the timekeeping system will stop, however, in accordance with Article 5.3 the length of the race suspension will be added to the maximum two hour period ;
– cars may be worked on once they have stopped on the gridor entered the pits but any such work must not impede the resumption of the race ;
– refuelling is forbidden. A ten second time penalty (see Article 16.3b) will be imposed on any driver who enters the pit lane and whose car is refuelled after the signal to suspend the race was given. However, any car which was in the pit entry or pit lane when the signal to suspend the race was given will not incur a penalty ;
– only team members and officials will be permitted on the grid.
41.5 Cars may not enter the pit lane when the race is suspended. A penalty under Article 16.3(a) will be imposed on any driver who enters the pit lane or whose car is pushed from the grid to the pit lane after the race has been suspended. Any car which was in the pit entry or pit lane at the time the race was suspended will not incur a penalty. However, if the race has been suspended in the pit lane (see Article 41.2) a penalty will only be imposed on any driver whose car is moved from the fast lane to any other part of the pit lane.
All cars in the pit lane will be permitted to leave the pits once the race has been resumed and, subject to the above, any car intending to resume the race from the pit exit may do so in the order they got there under their own power, unless another car was unduly delayed.
At all times drivers must follow the directions of the marshals.42) RESUMING A RACE
42.1 The delay will be kept as short as possible and as soon as a resumption time is known teams will be informed via the timing monitors, in all cases at least ten minutes warning will be given.
42.2 Signals will be shown ten minutes, five minutes, three minutes, one minute and fifteen seconds before the resumption and each of these will be accompanied by an audible warning.
42.3 When the three minute signal is shown all cars on the grid must have their wheels fitted, after this signal wheels may only be removed in the pit lane, or on the grid during a further race suspension. If the race has been suspended in the pit lane (see Article 41.2) all cars in the fast lane must have their wheels fitted at the three minute signal.
A penalty under Article 16.3.b will be imposed on any driver whose car did not have all its wheels fully fitted at the three minute signal.
At the two minute point any cars between the safety car and the leader, in addition to any cars that had been lapped by the leader at the time the race was suspended, will be waved off to complete a further lap, without overtaking, and join the line of cars behind the safety car.
42.4 When the one minute signal is shown, engines should be started and all team personnel must leave the grid by the time the 15 second signal is given taking all equipment with them. If any driver needs assistance after the 15 second signal he must raise his arm and, when the remainder of the cars able to do so have left the grid, marshals will be instructed to push the car into the pit lane. In this case, marshals with yellow flags will stand beside any car (or cars) concerned to warn drivers behind.
42.5 The race will be resumed behind the safety car when the green lights are illuminated. The safety car will enter the pits after one lap unless :
a) the race is being resumed in wet conditions and the race director deems more than one lap necessary, in which case see Articles 25.4(g) and 40.16 ;
b) all cars are not yet in a line behind the safety car ;
c) team personnel are still clearing the grid ;
d) a further incident occurs necessitating another intervention.
When the green lights are illuminated the safety car will leave the grid and all drivers must follow, no more than ten car lengths apart, and must respect the pit lane speed limit until they pass pole position. Soon after the last car in line behind the safety car passes the end of the pit
lane (including any cars which were waved off under 42.3 above) the pit exit light will be turned green, any car in the pit lane may then enter the track and join the line of cars behind the safety car.
42.6 Overtaking is only permitted if:
a) A car is delayed when leaving the grid and cars behind cannot avoid passing it without unduly delaying the remainder of the field, or
b) There is more than one car starting from the pit lane and one of them is unduly delayed.
In either case drivers may only overtake to re]establish the order before the race was suspended or the order the cars at the pit exit were in when the race was resumed.
Any driver delayed in either way, and who is unable to re]establish the original starting order before he reaches the first safety car line, must enter the pit lane and may only rejoin the race once the whole field has passed the end of the pit lane.
42.7 Either of the penalties under Article 16.3a) or b) will be imposed on any driver who, in the opinion of the stewards, unnecessarily overtook another car during the lap.
During this lap Articles 40.13, 40.14, 40.15, and 40.16 will apply.
42.8 If the race cannot be resumed the results will be taken at the end of the penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend the race was given.