Jan.28 (GMM) F1’s controversial safety car rules have been scrapped ahead of the 2009 season, the FIA’s Charlie Whiting confirmed in a media briefing on Tuesday
We reported last October that it was agreed to revert to the system of 2006, whereby the pitlane will stay open upon deployment of the safety car, rather than unfairly penalise drivers who are forced to pit
“The rule introduced in 2007 was a bad one, and we’ve gone back to the 2006 regulations,” the governing body’s technical and safety delegate said
We had also reported in October that, to accompany the revised system, drivers will need to adhere to a minimum lap time as they drive slowly after deployment of the safety car, as was trialled several times in free practice last year
The new rules are an improvement but not perfect, BMW-Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder said last year
“If at the time of (race) neutralisation you were just past the pits, it will be a problem because you will have do a full lap.”n
