I was just wondering why a Mercedes is always picked to be a safety car each season (F1)? It would be cool if the WDC team could get that spot for the following year..
Money is the answer, the question has been asked before because the safety car really isn't that safe IMO. While behind the SC the tires begin to cool and the laps after the SC exits are more dangerous because the tires don't have all the heat that they need. I'd like to see a 599 or Enzo as the SC though, that'd be cool.
I guess there's some sponsor money involved. Your idea with the car being supplied by the WDC wouldn't work - which car would, whatever, Force India use? Furthermore, the driver must be a well trained professional who's absolutely used to the car. Bernd Mayländer is himself a DTM driver. I guess it would be more of a punishment for a team to supply a car and a decent driver every year... This is true, but can't be changed by switching to another car (although of course I too would like to see a Ferrari there!). The point of a SC is to slow down the F1 cars, the tires cooling down during that period is inevitable.
They should really only be slowing down in the area of the accident, I think they should be close to race speed after that area though.
I guess this also is too dangerous as you want to keep the cars close together. Or at least more dangerous than the cold tires.
how about a safety truck in stead of a safety car, like in saloon racing...every time I see that I just want to crack open a beer, stand in my alley, and say "yep". actually I like the MB-AMG safety cars those things sound wicked going by on the track
well, a proper supercar will do it. or maybe, a all black GP2 car, or somethin like that. last year's Jap GP started wth the SC was real crap. total waste of time/laps, etc.
Something that can run the rest of the lap at near race pace or at least 3/4 that. No-one likes safety cars but my heart was in my mouth watching track marshals deal with that fire and run the backhoe without a safety car, last race. Its not unknown for two to go off at the same place for the same reason.
Now that suggests a cool option: classic F1 cars as safety cars. You couldn't use too recent a machine -- it'd take an hour to start it. But an F1 or LeMans machine from the run-to-the-car starts era .... would be considerably slower than the machine they're using now. Oh well.
You could hang lights on a T70 and she'd get around the circuit OK. Lola still make and sell the T70 IIIB as the T70 3B Continuim. http://www.lolacars.com/med/usr/1610/T70MK3Bpdf566373.pdf Image Unavailable, Please Login
Why not have Ferrari's presence, be represented by FIAT 500's? Have the winner of the race inherit one as part of his Victory prize? They would be modified, of course for their raceday duties, for the speed and safety, and medical requirements, of a Safety Car. Just had some time on my hands and some "what-ifs," on my mind. Ciao Everybody...Paolo
