Look how many times got deleted this weekend though for drivers extending the track limits at Copse, most of those were not intentional. My view is that if you can make a mistake now and then but more than that is seeking an advantage. You have to slow to take that chicane properly. Whether you pass someone or not is not the sole point, if you do it regularly, whether intentional or not, you will gain a significant time advantage over the course of a race which could lead you to be in a position to pass someone that otherwise you would not have been. My view of course, I accept that some forms of racing are more lenient of extending track limits but corner cutting is corner cutting whatever form of racing it is in.
Yea, I was waiting for someone to notice that they keyed in on this point that received so much attention at Silverstone. A few counter-points:
1. As you know, F1 had become a bit regulatory obsessed. Not only is this form (open wheel) of motor racing the most strict on "exceeding the track limits" (because it's not only corners) but F1 is the strictest series in that discipline. Even with that, the F1 game still is nowhere close to real life...as lap times are not just deleted but cars are disqualified from races and drive-through penalties are given (not even like the more recent reality of 5 sec. added for cutting pit lane or race forgiveness for exceeding). Interesting the exceeding one is safety based, but the other ("corner-cutting") has no basis in safety. Or does it....
2. Even in F1, during the race the new rule was basically ignored or driver were given a friendly warning. Qualifying, at least in F1, I get. That's where you are running solo and conditions should be made as rigid as possible, at least in F1, where the times are very close. But during the race, I saw repeated, gratuitous, and substantial exceeding at Copse, Stowe and Woodcote, among others. This, I don't think, was intentional, but simply what happens when you are driving on the limits, with full fuel, with someone chasing you, or you chasing someone, or a pack around you, at 140mph. In real racing, you don't really think about the white lines. You think about pushing it and using the curbs, which, by the way, the FIA turned into concrete and widened the hell out of at Silverstone. Still, even Charlie Whiting recognizes the difference between qualifying and race. I always thought Forza did the best job with track limits in terms of being stingy. You will like it Peter. lol.
3. We are not racing open wheel cars. And we are certainly not racing in F1. So I guess that means we are currently in "some other form of racing" but I can't accept your premise that "corner cutting is corner cutting whatever form of racing it is in" because it's just not the case. If you have ever watched NASCAR or V8 Supercars you will instantly realize that's just not the case. In fact, like I have said before, it's expected in some series' and some tracks. Take a gander at the final turn at Sonoma some day in NASCAR. Sure the Perrelli World Challenge GT3 is less strict than, say, the GP2 Series, but the PWC is more strict than NASCAR. It's all relative and comes down to custom. Even the custom between America/Australia and Europe is quite different, in my opinion. Neither is right, just different.
4. Even at Silverstone, the sole reason that the exceeding Nazis got so much attention was precisely *because* it was contrary to past custom, accepted standards, and other races this year even. Seems like 'ol Charlie wants to concentrate on pit exit one weekend and track limits the next. But, in reality, all those deleted laps were deleted because it was previously the norm, even in F1. Nobody intentionally thought "ok now I'm going to push really hard and try to get my lap time deleted." Point is, it was new and a bit draconian. Even for F1. It will not last. Well, maybe in F1 for a while, but F1 is broken.
All that said, if I was a Steward and I saw me or anyone else drive right against the dirt at the final chicane at Nurburg for 5 laps straight, at full speed, I'd have a problem with it if no other cars were around. I do think intent has everything to do with it, and can be inferred from the circumstances. If I'm pushed to the edge by another car while trying to pass him, and cut the chicane three times straight without passing him, then no way is that a penalty or warning in GT racing. So at times, the game actually is too strict, in my opinion. Done solo...that's a different story. Games can never get this right, because, as we saw at Silverstone, it's entirely a judgment call or "new rule" if you will. For instance, how many have received a drive-through for cutting pit exit in F1 in the game? How about in real life? Then again, you have heard my plea for reduced ruled before. Hopefully, F1 2015 will be more in line with real life. Project Cars is about right now, as long as we have people saving their replays and a capable Steward. Too bad we don't have more of the former, but I understand the game is broken.
So all this to basically say "I agree" with your post, except for the intent and circumstance part.
