Suspending and resuming a race
If a race is suspended because of an accident or poor track conditions then red flags will be shown around the circuit. When this happens, the pit exit will be closed and all cars on track must proceed slowly to grid without overtaking and then stop in staggered formation with the first car to arrive taking up pole position. Any driver pitting after the red flag signal will be given a drive-through penalty.
The safety car will then be driven to the front of the queue. While the race is suspended team members may come onto the track to work on the cars, but refuelling is not allowed.
Cars that were already in the pits when the red flag signal was given may be worked on there. These cars can re-join the cars on the grid in the position they were in at the time of the race suspension.
From 2012, a maximum race time of four hours has been introduced to ensure that a lengthy suspension of a race does not result in a race that could run up to eight hours if left unregulated.
At least a ten-minute warning will be given before the race is resumed behind the safety car, which will lead the field for one lap before pulling into the pits. As usual, overtaking behind the safety car is forbidden, unless a driver is delayed when leaving the grid, forcing others to pass. In this case, the delayed driver may repass those cars in order to regain his original position. If he fails to regain that position before the end of the lap, he must pit and rejoin the race once the field have passed the pit exit.
If for whatever reason it is impossible to resume the race, the rules state that “the results will be taken at the end of the penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend the race was given”.
SEARCH INSIDE F1
SPORTING REGULATIONS
- 2013 season changes
- Car livery
- Classification
- Drag Reduction System
- Driver changes and additional drivers
- Driving protocol and penalties
- Officials
- Parc Ferme
- Pit-lane procedures
- Points
- Practice and qualifying
- Race distance
- Race start procedure
- Safety car
- Scrutineering and weighing
- Spare cars, engines and gearboxes
- Suspending and resuming a race
- Testing
- Tyres
