Comments on: Barrichello Calls For Changes To Pitlane Signals

By: Clive

Clive — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:35:16 +0000

Hear hear, Ben.

Just one final point: the reason drivers don’t complain about the pit exit lights until they’re caught out by them is because the problem doesn’t affect them until then. We’re just the same - raise the tax on alcohol and it will be the drinkers who complain, while the teetotallers sit in smug satisfaction. So Rubens is not making excuses; it is much more that he has suddenly been forced to realise that there is a problem that needs to be sorted out.

By: Ben Coburn

Ben Coburn — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:50:10 +0000

Even if Barichello is clutching at straws and trying to divert blame, why not have better lights?

Having drivers disqualified for something so stupid and disconnected from the actual race does only makes the sport worse, so everything that can reasonably be done to prevent it should be done.

By: Stephen Hill

Stephen Hill — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:38:10 +0000

If you’ve ever driven on a race circuit before, I think you might agree with Rubens comments.

When your on a race circuit and your concentrating on what your doing and about todo… at speed. Small lights in the distance might not get your attention quick enough.

I would suggest a small bridge of lights going across the pitlane entrance, maybe 5-10ft from the ground. Then there is no chance on the driving missing it.

As for flag around the circuit, I think dashboard light are the way to go.

Stephen

By: Arun

Arun — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:02:59 +0000

Barichello said he hoped the confusion with the pit crew to stop this year (one engineer asking him to come into pits on radio, while he can hear voices shouting not to come in, rememeber!) due to the coming of Mr. Brawn. He was wrong!!

By: Alianora La Canta

Alianora La Canta — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:39:34 +0000

I would suggest that the fact that four out of the last five drivers who have been faced with a red light in the middle of a race have run the light (and been disqualified accordingly) means that there’s a systematic problem. Clive’s suggestion of lowering the lights sounds like a sensible plan, as does Ollie’s of putting a light on the steering wheel to warn drivers. Extra driver training in briefings to tell them to check for the light would be useful, because it may simply be that drivers are getting too carried away thinking about what they’re going to do on returning to the circuit to check the light.

By: F1 Betting

F1 Betting — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:13:40 +0000

I think he’s clutching at straws here and it really smacks of sour grapes from Rubens after making such a poor mistake. It looked fine from the TV and, while I agree with Keith that only the drivers themselves can answer the question, the fact that no-one else seems to be complaining is a giveaway that there’s not really a problem here. It’s more a case of Rubens looking for an excuse I think.

By: Craig

Craig — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:51:22 +0000

Last year in Montreal was the first time I could remember this type of thing happening before, so I suppose you could forgive those drivers for making the mistake but surely the teams should have all taken that on board and put measures in place to stop it happening again.

Sunday was an exact repeat, Rubens having to come in even though the pitlane was closed and then leaving when the light was red.

The pitwall should be talking to the driver while he is stopped, even before he has left the garage, letting him know if the light is red - or if it is currently green, he should be advised if the safety car procession is nearing the pitstraight.

I read somewhere that it was suggested to Rubens that they go back to having a man at the end of the pits with a flag if they weren’t allowed out - surely we are meant to be moving forward not back!

Lights on the steering wheel are the most obvious answer, not only for this, but blue and yellow flags as well (could be tricky to do a black flag) - and I thought these were coming into practice at some point anyway?

Perhaps Rubens should’ve gone to Specsavers!

By: John Beamer

John Beamer — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:57:25 +0000

There were issues last year at Montreal, I think. Clearly Rubens is calling for it as he fell foul of the rules but given that it has now happened twice either (a) he is right or (b) the drivers don’t really know the pitlane/ safety car rules.

By: Clive

Clive — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:49:20 +0000

To be fair to Rubens, he has a point. Judging from the shot shown on TV, the lights are positioned pretty high up and would be easy to see from a distance but more difficult as the driver approaches them. The driver’s job is to keep the car in the narrow pit lane, watch for the approaching line where he can turn off the limiter, and mind the lights, all from a very low position. It’s not surprising that sometimes they take the lights for granted, since they’re out of the direct line of vision.

And the answer is simple - move the lights down to the driver’s eye level.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:21:10 +0000

I can forgive the pit-wall’s attention being on their quite posssibly injured friends.

Of course, Kris, a fair point.

The red light looked pretty darn clear to all ITV viewers as well; maybe Rubens’s eyesight is going in his old age!?