FIA clarifies defensive-driving regulations for 2012

The FIA, motorsport's ruling body, has issued a clarification about the defensive moves allowed in Formula 1 from the 2012 season.

The governing body had stated at the end of last year that, from the upcoming season, drivers would not be allowed to move back onto the racing line after having moved off it to defend their position.

On Wednesday, the FIA issued the new sporting rules, which state that drivers will in fact be allowed to move back onto the racing line, but leaving enough room between their car and the edge of the track when approaching corners.

The ruling body insisted just one move will be allowed to defend a position from a rival.

"More than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted. Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner," the new regulation states.

The FIA has also clarified the rule stating that all lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join at the back of the field during safety car periods.

"If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" is shown on the timing monitors, any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car," the rules state.

"This will only apply to cars that were lapped at the time they crossed the Line at the end of the lap during which they crossed the first Safety Car line for the second time after the safety car was deployed.

"Having overtaken the cars on the lead lap and the safety car these cars should then proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking, and take up position at the back of the line of cars behind the safety car. Whilst they are overtaking, and in order to ensure this may be carried out safely, the cars on the lead lap must always stay on the racing line unless deviating from it is unavoidable.

"If the clerk of the course considers track conditions are unsuitable for overtaking the message "OVERTAKING WILL NOT BE PERMITTED" will be shown on the timing monitors."

Source: autosport

Well they're allowing lapped cars to pass the safety car and join the back of the snake - which is good imo as it allows the leaders not to get held up by them when the safety car is brought into the pits.

As for the two move rule, we all know the rule, everyone knows the rule. Yet drivers like schumacher who clearly made multiple moves when defending a position was allowed, not one but two warnings. Yet other drivers are punished for breaking the 2 rule move.

There was no need to clarify the rule we all knew it, but whats the point unless they're going to apply the rule fairly.

I'll add, this was not a personal attack on schumacher, id have said the same regardless of driver - but schumacher clearly made more than one move on more than one occassion.

Good point CM.

Its one thing to have rules in place. Its another to make sure they're applied correctly. Then again, it was an informal understanding / unwritten rule last season. Now its been committed to paper, perhaps the stewards will be less lenient next season.

Your last sentence confuses the situation more Dyrewolfe as it was indeed a gentlemans agreement. So why the punishments in the first place when someone has made 2 moves.

Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner


This is the main part of the ruling, due to can move back but have to leave space

Ah ok, read that part but didnt process it. So they have added to this "rule" but whats the point unless they make the 2 moves an actual rule instead of an agreement.

There is no point team boss will just go we left him enough space to take the corner. A bigger issue is if someone goes defensive their going to struggle making the corner every now and again.

Yeah. The issue will move from how many moves the driver in front made, to whether they left enough space for the overtaking driver.

Typical F1 isn't it? They solve (sort of) one problem, only to create another. I expect we'll see at least a couple of high-profile cases, along with the usual inconsistency from the stewards.