Ferrari to bring light system back | FerrariChat
Buy

Ferrari to bring light system back

Discussion in 'F1' started by natural, Jan 5, 2009.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. natural

    natural Karting

    Dec 28, 2007
    231
    Croatia
    #1 natural, Jan 5, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Ferrari's pit lights systemFerrari are on course to bring their pitstop light system back into action this year, the team have confirmed, after making modifications to prevent a repeat of the dramas they suffered in 2008.

    The Maranello outfit opted to use a more traditional lollipop system in the final three races of last season after a mistake in the Singapore Grand Prix resulted in Felipe Massa being released from his pitstop while the fuel hose was still attached.

    It is understood that Ferrari's light system had been switched to manual mode during the safety car period in Singapore - which meant Massa's pitstop release was handled directly by a member of the pit crew rather than when the fuel hose had been released.

    That blunder cost Massa valuable points at a time when he was locked in a tight battle with Lewis Hamilton for the championship. In the end, he lost out on the crown by just one point.

    At the time, Ferrari said they retained faith that the light system was better than using a lollipop – but felt it would be better for the pit crew to revert to a more traditional setup.

    Team principal Stefano Domenicali said after taking the decision to rest the light system: "In this moment we need tranquillity and therefore we prefer to go back to the old system."

    Following the season, Ferrari conducted a full analysis of what went wrong in their pitstops this year and, following procedural and software changes, they are now confident that they have put in place failsafe systems that will prevent a car being released early.

    A Ferrari spokesman told autosport.com: "We can confirm our plan is to use the pit light system again. We will test the modifications soon and then see how we progress from there."

    Ferrari's team manager Luca Baldisserri told Italian newspaper La Stampa that the team were confident they had eradicated any problems with their pitstop lights.

    "We've analysed the mistakes made in 2008 and we've improved the system," he said. "An electronic program will prevent the car from leaving when the fuel hose is still attached."

    source: autosport.com
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  2. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2005
    23,476
    KL, Malaysia
    Full Name:
    MC Cool Breeze
    #2 Remy Zero, Jan 5, 2009
    oh no...
     
  3. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2005
    6,706
    Sun Coast
    Full Name:
    Jim
    #3 jk0001, Jan 5, 2009
  4. ferraridude615

    ferraridude615 F1 Veteran

    May 4, 2006
    5,836
    Texas
    #4 ferraridude615, Jan 5, 2009
    Its a good idea if they have all the bugs worked out in it.
     
  5. natural

    natural Karting

    Dec 28, 2007
    231
    Croatia
    #5 natural, Jan 5, 2009
    That's my opinion too.
     
  6. SlvSurfer

    SlvSurfer Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2005
    979
    Monaco/Canada
    #6 SlvSurfer, Jan 5, 2009
    Shouldn't they have programmed it to do that from the first place??
     
  7. SonomaRik

    SonomaRik F1 Veteran

    Dec 15, 2006
    6,904
    Folsom, CA (formerly Sonoma)
    #7 SonomaRik, Jan 5, 2009
    someone is going to get more seriously hurt than before or using a lollipop. Another fault was releasing him near traffic. Bad mistake
     
  8. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    #8 62 250 GTO, Jan 6, 2009
    1. When electronics fail, add more.

    2. Nothing says "moving forward with development" like bringing back old discarded ideas!
     
  9. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

    Sep 25, 2006
    23,397
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    Ian Anderson
    #9 Fast_ian, Jan 6, 2009
    I hear you, *but*, the electronics did not fail - The "operator" failed after it was switched to "manual" mode. [See OP]

    Or, ideas that were ahead of their time maybe?.....

    My 02c,
    Ian
     
  10. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    #10 62 250 GTO, Jan 6, 2009
    Good ol' Lollipops don't get switched into manual mode! They do from time to time end up removing nose hair though!

    :)
     
  11. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    26,930
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    #11 Steve Magnusson, Jan 7, 2009
    +1

    The mistake was letting a human control everything in the manual mode -- even a hardwired system (no software) that didn't allow the light to go "green" when the fuel hose is still attached would be better than a human system.

    You "lollipop" guys seem to have forgotten how terrible the electronically-controlled gearboxes were in the beginning -- if they got that to work, this light gizmo isn't more difficult than that.
     
  12. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

    Sep 25, 2006
    23,397
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    Ian Anderson
    #12 Fast_ian, Jan 7, 2009
    True, but, how many times have we seen the lollipop dude "twitch" the thing with "bad" consequences? 6-12 times last year at least? The lights, if done correctly have got to be better IMHO....

    I bet someone else will have a similar system this coming season as well.

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  13. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    #13 62 250 GTO, Jan 8, 2009
    Good point, the "Lollipop dude twitch", a dance made famous by F1. I'm sure the position of "Lollipop guy" was created as a back-to-work program for people that fell out of airplanes without parachutes. Soooo many mistakes over the years.
     
  14. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
    12,755
    Dallas, Tx.
    Full Name:
    James K. Woods
    #14 James_Woods, Jan 9, 2009
    I was amused to watch the old Steve McQueen "Lemans" - where the John Wyer character personally went to the outside of the 917 on every pit exit and personally released him after carefully looking down the pit lane.

    Nothing like taking your own personal responsibility, I say.
     

Share This Page