I wish to remove the blue flag rule :)

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Good idea, not to set it in stone. FIA does similar tests too, some things have to be tested in real conditions.

I though of a term: OMT (One More Thing you have to think about (you don't have to say that last part, just think about it. Or don't think about it, that's the whole point after all... )). What it means that the more OMTs you have while racing, the slower you'll get. Reducing OMTs is beneficial not only to pace but to safety. Lapping is just OMT, and with a blue flag rule, that's another OMT.

 

[David Turnbull]

im still undecided on this, i can see both tims point of view and nico's, id love lapping not to infringe the guy getting lapped, for the last few seasons ive noticed people getting lapped diving off track and spoiling their own race due to being so worried about letting a faster driver through as quick as possible, but then again i dont think a faster driver should be held up, the downforce loss when following someone closely makes it hard to pass at the best of times, theres also that we mostly all use the same setups with the same top end speed, the faster guy could find it difficult to get past even within a few laps which by then couldve ruined his chance, but to pick up on what kennett said about if hes in a fight its tough, thats wrong, the faster guy should still be allowed through with minimal loss to your own race as the guy your fighting with will loose the same amount of time as you when letting the lapper past so in theory it shouldnt affect a fight for position between slower driver. like i said though im undecided to the point of im happy to go with whatever is decided between the rest of you.

 

[Bob Miley]

When being lapped the slower car just needs to stay on the his normal line and lift slightly for a second to let the faster through then proceed as normal. It's just the luck or lack of it of racing if you come to lap someone on a corner as you would then have to wait for the next straight.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

If you watched the race today, fittingly from Hockenheim, Hamilton showed us a good example of a situation when lapped car is actually faster... Reminder from the good old days when blue flags weren't in F1. It was mostly put in action because drivers became pansies..

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

We'll test it out in the practice race at Hungaroring and if it works well we'll continue to use it in season 9, but we'll monitor closely and make changes/go back to old rule if we want to.

However; I have great confidence that it will be a success. I do not think we'll ever see a situation where a driver is stuck behind someone a lap behind for a long time, it just doesn't make sense.

Remember, we are shifting the "conductor role" to the more skilled driver with a perfect view of the situation. But the fact remains that the slower car wants to be lapped, and the faster want to lap him, so this will happen without too mcuh time loss, and in my view, in a safer and more fair way than with the blue flag rule.

 

[Valerio Vinassa]

Remember, we are shifting the "conductor role" to the more skilled driver with a perfect view of the situation. But the fact remains that the slower car wants to be lapped, and the faster want to lap him, so this will happen without too mcuh time loss, and in my view, in a safer and more fair way than with the blue flag rule.

+1

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

I am planning some modifications... or rather clarifications, to the rule (or rather lack of rule) before the Hungaroring race.

In short this has to do with the logic that it does not make sense to have a car one lap ahead stuck behind you for a long amount of time, so it will be seen as un-Gentlemanish behavior to do so.

Also, I'll make sure I have a well working line of communication to all league members, to make sure that everybody are on the same page so to speak.

 

[Valter Ostman]

I like the no blue-flag rule idea

Those of us who tend to be lapped don't usually try to prevent the lapping car to overtake. Of course it serves both parties that the slower driver makes the overtaking process easy by helping a bit.

I don't think it will be any significant change in practice, only clearer rules. As I understand the proposal, it means that we are not slowing down on the straight but takes things a little easier/safer through the bend to make it easier to pass us. I will just let Reik have the inside line when the time comes, simple and straight forward.

The most important thing in my opinion is that the slower car doesn't do anything unexpected. We who are slower just need to brake a little earlier than usual, and the faster guy just need to be prepared for us hitting the brake a bit early. I believe the new rule will work well with some good will from both parties.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

I can picture giving draft first then giving room is going to be my favourite method or vice versa. Now i have the opportunity to organize the pass more to my liking, maybe even so that i get a good draft on the longest straight. But in any case, a lot more freedom without blue flags. There were some instances last season where i could've given ful straight draft for someone but since the rule was different, i had to lift at half length, really early to get the message thru so that the lapper doesn't ram me while i slowdown, i suffer and the lapper doesn't gain anything. Also if i feel like i've hold someone back in corners, i have chance to balance instant karma account immediately...

 

[Victor Ivanov]

What happens if the slower drivers don't want to give position? For example overtaking in Hungary is just impossible especially with this layout so a faster car can be stuck behind somebody for long time causing a terrible position loss.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

What happens if the slower drivers don't want to give position? For example overtaking in Hungary is just impossible especially with this layout so a faster car can be stuck behind somebody for long time causing a terrible position loss.

Have you read my post, 3 posts above yours?

 

[Victor Ivanov]

Have you read my post, 3 posts above yours?

Yep but I wanted to share my opinion

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

What happens if the slower drivers don't want to give position?

(...) it does not make sense to have a car one lap ahead stuck behind you for a long amount of time, so it will be seen as un-Gentlemanish behavior to do so.

I wanted to share my opinion

What is your opinion?

 

[Victor Ivanov]

Blue flag rule is important part of racing. If two guys are fighting for the win the least thing they want is some backmarker to hold them.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

Blue flag rule is important part of racing. If two guys are fighting for the win the least thing they want is some backmarker to hold them.

True, but if 9th and 10th place are fighting for position, the last thing they want is a front runner to kill their battle. At PrestoGP we value all members the same, it is just as important that those in the back of the field have a good time as those in front. We need the whole grid to be motivated for practicing and showing up for all races, not just the 10 fastest once.

Presto GP is and must be different from real f1, because the foundation is totally different, PrestoGP is a hobby where one expect fun in return, F1 is a job and a high end sport.

However, I will be stricter than I used to be when it comes to drivers preperations for a race. I can tell when a p.b. lap time is the result of limited practice. Amost half the grid on yesterdays Watkins race would not have been allowed to start a presto gp race.

EDIT: Don't get me wrong, I welcome opinions that are different from mine, but that does not stop me from arguing my point

 

[Victor Ivanov]

TBH Nico I've never thought of this cause I've never been in a position to be lapped. It's good to argue with people, I personally love that but in this case I have nothing to say. I just accept the rules

 

[Alfonso Clarke]

i think its a bad idea but thats just me

 

[David Turnbull]

just to throw up something here but last night at watkins int he 1st and 2nd race i was caught out when lapping folk, first race i was 3rd and 1.4seconds behind sean when a ferrari tried to let me past at the middle of the last turn, i had to go wide hit the wall and ended up just holding onto 3rd due to the suspension damage.

2nd race, same thing, only this time i was in the lead but about 2 seconds to sean, a car i was lapping tried letting me past at the craziest of turns and i had to run wide again, this let sean past into the lead, luckily i managed to regain the position later in the lap but this just a few examples of how someone runnign close to the front and fighting for the win can have their evening very close to ruined due to people getting nervous about letting through faster guys.

i think nicos idea of this is probably the best idea, just let the slower guys get on with their race, the faster folk will find a way past at the earliest oppertunity as long as the lapped car doesnt fight the pass.

 

[Sean Greenlaw]

I think some people who think removing the blue flags is a bad idea are thinking they are going to be racing hard with someone who is a lap down, i think Nico has made it pretty clear we are removing the blue flags and not the lapping process, simply giving the role to the car doing the lapping. This will take pressure off guy ahead and let faster guy chose time to pass basically
I think it will be clear after 1st race it is much easier process.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

To the new guys who are understandably slightly sceptical:

First of all you need to know that at Presto GP we have the highest level of respect for each other. Everybody fear hurting or destroying an opponents race much more than their own (we'll rather crash into the wall than rear end someone).

This great amount of respect is needed to make this "card-house" work (having 25 amateurs driving 67 minutes in a crowded race on internet without making devestating mistakes is almost impossible).

However, a side effect of this great amount of respect is that the slower cars are too afraid to interfere with the faster cars in a lapping situation and as a consequence often lose 2-3 seconds to be on the safe side. This again have a deterioating effect on their race; he will soon be lapped by number two and lose another couple of seconds, and so it continues until the race is finished. For the faster guys this means more lapping situations and from the league perspective it means a greater distance from first to last place.

Also, it should be a solid testemony that all excisting members (=experience) that have expressed themselves are positive to this change except Tim, but Tim is super fast and I think have never been lapped before

Personally I know this will work as long as everybody thinks "the Presto way", like Valter, who (as me) have lots of experience in lapping and being lapped:

Of course it serves both parties that the slower driver makes the overtaking process easy by helping a bit.

(another reason to help them past is that if you wish to avoid incidents in the long run you do not want to have a much faster car on your tail for a long time)