2013 United States Grand Prix (Las Vegas) - April 21st

Nancy Scott5 said:Another thing was that green light flashing on the main straight. The drivers thought it meant the DRS was good to go.

Who's to say? Hard to know, really.

Does anyone happen to have a link to that massive pile-up right at the start of the race, specifically the one where those cars at the back of the pack got caught up in the carnage?

Jason Campbell70 said:The FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. :face_with_sunglasses:

Even Vettel knew. Just one lap prior, he was complaining over the team radio about how Hulkenberg was using DRS at that exact same spot.

Is that supposed to be a hyperlink or just a block of text from the rulebook? If it's meant to be a link, it isn't appearing blue or underlined, and it looks broken on my end. On the other hand, if this is intended to be the entire excerpt, then it provides absolutely no context whatsoever. And for what it's worth, my father has a bigger one than yours.

Susan Alvarez94 said:Is that supposed to be a hyperlink or just a block of text from the rulebook? If it's meant to be a link, it isn't appearing blue or underlined, and it looks broken on my end. On the other hand, if this is intended to be the entire excerpt, then it provides absolutely no context whatsoever. And for what it's worth, my father has a bigger one than yours.

If you aren't familiar with the official FIA sporting and technical regulations, then there really isn't much point in us discussing Formula 1 at all.

To borrow a Latin maxim that serves as a cornerstone for any legal system: Ignorantia juris non excusat. In plain English? Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Jason Campbell70 said:Who's to say? Hard to know, really.

Wave a green flag and suddenly you can't use DRS because there might be a yellow flag somewhere? Give me a break.🙏
Green flag means go. It’s basically an invitation to pull any stupid stunt you want just to overtake someone.
I honestly think he’d lose his spot if he ever actually stepped into an F1 car.

I’d really appreciate it if we could all keep this discussion civil and respectful, thanks!

Well, there. I gave it my best shot.

Here are the regulations:
Drag Reduction System
Published with permission from the FIA.

27.5 Driver-adjustable bodywork permitted under Article 3.18 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations:
a) Throughout all free practice sessions and qualifying, the adjustable bodywork may only be deployed by the driver in specific track sections where it is designated for use during the race. However, should visibility become poor, the Race Director maintains absolute discretion to disable all such systems until weather or track conditions improve.
Should the adjustable bodywork be disabled in this manner at the commencement of any of the three qualifying segments (Q1, Q2, or Q3), it shall remain inactive for the duration of that specific segment.
b) Solely for the purpose of facilitating overtaking during the race, the driver may activate the adjustable bodywork once they have completed two laps following the race start or a safety car deployment.
A driver is permitted to activate the adjustable bodywork during the race only after receiving notification through the onboard control electronics (refer to Article 8.2 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations) indicating it is enabled. Activation is only permitted if the driver is within one second of the preceding car at predetermined points on the circuit. The control electronics will automatically disable the system the moment the driver applies the brakes following activation. In instances of poor visibility, or if yellow flags are displayed within the activation zone, the Race Director may, at his absolute discretion, disable all such systems until conditions improve or the yellow flags are rescinded.
The FIA reserves the right, following consultation with all competing teams, to adjust these proximity time limits to ensure the primary objective of the adjustable bodywork is achieved.
c) In the event of a technical malfunction in the system responsible for notifying the driver that they are within one second of the leading car—and thus authorized to use the adjustable bodywork—the respective team may petition the Race Director for permission to override the system. If such permission is granted, the responsibility falls entirely upon the team to ensure their driver only utilizes the adjustable bodywork while actually within one second of the car ahead.
Once the system malfunction is repaired, the driver is prohibited from using this override; the Race Director will inform the team once the fault has been resolved.

Feel free to extract whatever information you find useful.

That little guy showed plenty of guts today—though clearly none of the sense required—but hey, I'll take it. A solid result for McLaren today!

Nancy Scott5 said:Wave a green flag and suddenly you can't use DRS because there might be a yellow flag somewhere? Give me a break.🙏
Green flag means go. It’s basically an invitation to pull any stupid stunt you want just to overtake someone.
I honestly think he’d lose his spot if he ever actually stepped into an F1 car.

"Green light".
Not "green flag".
"Green light".
And a "yellow flag".

Read carefully. And try to understand what you're reading.

stormybadger8 said:Who says they weren't allowed?
You.🤷

Was the gap more than a second?
Are you absolutely certain they were overtaking under yellow flags?
Drop a link, a photo, or a video somewhere.🍿

I can pull up a picture of Alonso hitting his DRS while trailing by like 3 seconds in a heartbeat if needed...

Besides, it’s a shame they didn't get hit with penalties, because Vettel would've pulled ahead in the standings if they had.😍🤣

Come on, man—I already showed you in that link I sent that the DRS isn't even closed while he's sitting right behind Rosberg.

Susan Alvarez94 said:First, my congratulations to the winner on a thoroughly deserved victory. Moving forward, however, I would like someone to point me toward the specific section of the rulebook that dictates Alonso should be penalized. Please provide the direct link or paste the relevant text here—"or forever hold your peace." It was an incredible cascade of errors, compounded by DRS issues and tire degradation, that ultimately cost Ferrari a significant number of points. While it initially appeared they wouldn't even be in a position to challenge the leader, one has to wonder: if the race had been held in the dry and Alonso hadn't faced such a series of setbacks, would the current winner have actually managed to hold onto his position, or would his concentration have simply crumbled?🤷Rosberg’s performance was exactly what we anticipated—his race pace just wasn't there. But then again, nothing is ever truly decided until the checkered flag flies, is it? As for the Alonso detractors out there: you have to give credit where it's due. You must admit he drove an exceptional race, especially considering the massive handicap he was working with.

I’m no hater—he drove well, plain and simple. "Well," mind you, not "masterful" 🙄 as some people seem to think here—and that's mostly just because of the prestige involved with cars lacking DRS. For those who aren't up to speed, F1 was doing overtaking long before DRS was even an idea, so I don't really get the fascination with him passing slower cars without that extra boost.
Otherwise, it was a fantastic race—constant overtaking and door-to-door action from start to finish—though the ending felt a bit uncertain. Perez is a real showman, truly top-tier entertainment today.
And finally, bravo Lewis!! Honestly, I’m impressed he managed to save that much rubber—landing him in third.
Now, who else is ready to wait another three weeks? 🙂

Jason Campbell70 said:"Green light".
Not "green flag".
"Green light".
And a "yellow flag".

Read carefully. And try to understand what you're reading.

So you're saying those lights aren't the same thing as flags???

Nancy Scott5 said:So you're saying those lights aren't the same thing as flags???

They are, provided the automatic headlight system actually works.

Look at the details.

redheron12 said:That little guy showed plenty of guts today—though clearly none of the sense required—but hey, I'll take it. A solid result for McLaren today!

Peter was really on his game today; I honestly loved watching him give that American driver a run for his money.
I can only hope this signals a shift in momentum in favor of the Mexican side of things.

Susan Alvarez94 said:Here are the regulations:
Drag Reduction System
Published with permission from the FIA.

27.5 Driver-adjustable bodywork permitted under Article 3.18 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations:
a) Throughout all free practice sessions and qualifying, the adjustable bodywork may only be deployed by the driver in specific track sections where it is designated for use during the race. However, should visibility become poor, the Race Director maintains absolute discretion to disable all such systems until weather or track conditions improve.
Should the adjustable bodywork be disabled in this manner at the commencement of any of the three qualifying segments (Q1, Q2, or Q3), it shall remain inactive for the duration of that specific segment.
b) Solely for the purpose of facilitating overtaking during the race, the driver may activate the adjustable bodywork once they have completed two laps following the race start or a safety car deployment.
A driver is permitted to activate the adjustable bodywork during the race only after receiving notification through the onboard control electronics (refer to Article 8.2 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations) indicating it is enabled. Activation is only permitted if the driver is within one second of the preceding car at predetermined points on the circuit. The control electronics will automatically disable the system the moment the driver applies the brakes following activation. In instances of poor visibility, or if yellow flags are displayed within the activation zone, the Race Director may, at his absolute discretion, disable all such systems until conditions improve or the yellow flags are rescinded.
The FIA reserves the right, following consultation with all competing teams, to adjust these proximity time limits to ensure the primary objective of the adjustable bodywork is achieved.
c) In the event of a technical malfunction in the system responsible for notifying the driver that they are within one second of the leading car—and thus authorized to use the adjustable bodywork—the respective team may petition the Race Director for permission to override the system. If such permission is granted, the responsibility falls entirely upon the team to ensure their driver only utilizes the adjustable bodywork while actually within one second of the car ahead.
Once the system malfunction is repaired, the driver is prohibited from using this override; the Race Director will inform the team once the fault has been resolved.

Feel free to extract whatever information you find useful.

I don't have anything to look for here, nor is there anything here that needs to "suit" me.
For the first point, people call you a biased judge; for the second, they label you a fanboy.
I happen to be neither.

Susan Alvarez94 said:First, my congratulations to the winner on a thoroughly deserved victory. Moving forward, however, I would like someone to point me toward the specific section of the rulebook that dictates Alonso should be penalized. Please provide the direct link or paste the relevant text here—"or forever hold your peace." It was an incredible cascade of errors, compounded by DRS issues and tire degradation, that ultimately cost Ferrari a significant number of points. While it initially appeared they wouldn't even be in a position to challenge the leader, one has to wonder: if the race had been held in the dry and Alonso hadn't faced such a series of setbacks, would the current winner have actually managed to hold onto his position, or would his concentration have simply crumbled?🤷Rosberg’s performance was exactly what we anticipated—his race pace just wasn't there. But then again, nothing is ever truly decided until the checkered flag flies, is it? As for the Alonso detractors out there: you have to give credit where it's due. You must admit he drove an exceptional race, especially considering the massive handicap he was working with.

Of course he drove great; the guy is easily one of the top five drivers in F1 right now.
Not surprising, really...

I'm still recording the DRS stuff, don't want to stop mid-stream.🤣
I'll check back later. I might be wrong, but on my feed, it looked like he hit the DRS right when Massa was trying to overtake him...
Then again, it’s not impossible he just locked up while passing Rosberg. 🤔

I'll take a look later, but I'm surprised ESPN hasn't done a full breakdown of that play yet.😕
Button and Perez really screwed them over.🤣

analogpilot16 said:I’m no hater—he drove well, plain and simple. "Well," mind you, not "masterful" 🙄 as some people seem to think here—and that's mostly just because of the prestige involved with cars lacking DRS. For those who aren't up to speed, F1 was doing overtaking long before DRS was even an idea, so I don't really get the fascination with him passing slower cars without that extra boost.
Otherwise, it was a fantastic race—constant overtaking and door-to-door action from start to finish—though the ending felt a bit uncertain. Perez is a real showman, truly top-tier entertainment today.
And finally, bravo Lewis!! Honestly, I’m impressed he managed to save that much rubber—landing him in third.
Now, who else is ready to wait another three weeks? 🙂

Oh, come on, you're kidding me!

😍

Jerry Rogers6, if I’m supposedly too dense to locate the specific rule that happens to suit your argument, why aren't you simply posting it here yourself? Either the regulation doesn't actually exist, or you are simply incapable of the basic task of pasting a link or quoting the text from the article. If you find yourself struggling with the text, I suppose I could even translate it for you.

Jason Campbell70 said:They are, provided the automatic headlight system actually works.

Look at the details.

So how did they even know the system was busted?

And here's another thing for you:
Stewards said there were mitigating circumstances, stating there had been a one-minute delay between the displaying of yellow flags until the notification that DRS had been de-activated.

So your argument boils down to this: he deserves punishment, and I’m just an idiot because I can't pinpoint exactly why. I believe I have every right to be insulted by that logic, don't I?