From GMM

The appearance of the Safety Car during Sunday's Singapore grand prix has reinvigorated the debate about the controversial rules.


Because the pit lane 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 pit lane, 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 shake-up would require a 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."


Photo Credit : WRI2