{"id":330,"date":"2022-02-02T18:45:20","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T18:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportmakers.co.uk\/?page_id=330"},"modified":"2022-02-02T18:45:20","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T18:45:20","slug":"what-is-the-safety-car-in-f1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sportmakers.co.uk\/f1\/what-is-the-safety-car-in-f1\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Safety Car in F1?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Safety
Morio<\/a> \/ Wikipedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In various forms of motorsport, a pace car or safety car is a separate vehicle to those competing, the job of which is to limit the speed of the cars in the race which all stack up behind in times of danger. This happens when there has been an accident on the track, or when bad weather means conditions are seen as being dangerous.<\/p>\n

During a safety car or \u2018caution\u2019 period, a high-performance car (though slower than competing cars), will enter the track from the pit lane ahead of the leading car.\u00a0During this time, competitors are not usually allowed to pass other cars and change the order of the race as it was when the safety car entered. They may also not pass the safety car itself.<\/p>\n

The car then leads the field of competitors at a pre-determined pace, deemed safe for the conditions, which may vary depending on the circumstances.\u00a0When the safety car period ends, the car will leave the track and normal racing can resume. While safety cars entered Formula 1 in 1973 at the Canadian Grand Prix, they were first used as far back as 1911 during the very first Indianapolis 500.<\/p>\n

Safety Car Procedure in F1<\/h2>\n
\"Safety
Morio<\/a> \/ Wikipedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Formula 1, should particularly bad weather including heavy rain or an accident occur, this may prevent normal racing from taking place safely. If that happens, the Race Director can then call on a \u2018safety car period\u2019.\u00a0The safety car period starts by marshals waving yellow flags and \u2018SC\u2019 boards are also shown. In modern times, F1 cars have LED light displays in the cockpit or on the steering wheel which inform the driver which flags are being shown next to the track. The yellow LED means the safety car has been deployed.<\/p>\n

Safety cars in Formula 1 have green and orange lights mounted on the roof. Green lights are displayed when it is safe and permitted to pass the safety car.\u00a0As of 2015, the safety car no longer has to wait until all stragglers have caught up to the main field. As soon as the car is ready to leave the track, the orange light is switched off which indicates that it will head into the pits at the end of the current lap. Safety car laps still count in the race.<\/p>\n

The leading car will be close behind the safety car at this point. Drivers continue in formation until they cross the initial safety car line, where green lights then indicate that racing is back on once more.\u00a0Only professional drivers are used to pilot safety cards. While the basic idea of a safety car is to slow the field down, the high-performance vehicles used must be driven at a speed fast enough to ensure that the F1 cars\u2019 tyres are kept up to their proper operating temperature. Co-drivers are used for communication.<\/p>\n

Safety Car Stats in F1<\/h2>\n
\"Bernd
Bernd Mayl\u00e4nder, safety car driver (Morio<\/a> \/ Wikipedia.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As of the end of the 2021 season, the following stats can be attributed to safety car use in Formula 1 since it was introduced in 1973.<\/p>\n