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Singapore lights SC rule issue |
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Sep.29 (GMM) The appearance of the safety car during Sunday's Singapore
grand prix has reinvigorated the debate about the controversial rules. Because the pitlane is closed immediately upon deployment of the safety
car, the regulation can hugely benefit or disadvantage drivers
depending on the progress of their race strategy.
For example, in Singapore, Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg had to serve
stop-go penalties for entering the closed pitlane, because they were
out of fuel.
Renault's Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, had to admit his race victory was
borne almost entirely out of the luck of the safety car draw.
"If I try to be polite, this rule is not a good one," team founder Peter Sauber told the Swiss newspaper Blick.
It is rumoured that most teams want to change the rule, but an
immediate shakeup would require an unanimous vote. Apparently, two
small teams have exercised their veto.
The new FOTA alliance of teams, however, is able to change the rule for 2009 with a majority 7 out of the 10 votes.
"A change this season is not possible," BMW-Sauber boss Mario Theissen,
who wants the rule to be changed, is quoted as saying by motorline.cc.
Toyota team principal Tadashi Yamashina added: "We have had a lot of
intense discussion on this matter, so I think it is time the situation
was improved."
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