F1 Fanatic

For anyone that cares the regulations are here:

http://www.fia.com/resources/documents/1653003624__Appendix_H_a.pdf

Light signals
Lights may be used to supplement or replace waved red, yellow,
green, blue and white flags. When lights are to be used at an
event they should be described in the Supplementary Regulations and the following requirements should be respected.

As I read it, lights can either supplement OR replace flags. So they are either equal to or less than flags. Without access to the Supplementary Regulations for the event, they could be either.

Considering both cases:
- If the yellow flashing light following the green flag was a supplementary light, the flag has precedence, therefore racing could begin and continue at the waved green flag (light supplement incorrect).
- If the yellow flashing light replaced a flag, then it is an independent flagging position. Racing may occur between the waved green flag, and the yellow flashing light.

That is my 2p. I will pipe down now. Let’s see if this protest happens, and how it plays out. Never a dull moment in F1 :-).

@F1Rollout

The lights can either be controlled locally, or by race control. I suspect in this case it was race control. Race control should also direct a flagging station what to flag via radio. It is possible there was a miscommunication – it happens, even with the highly professional marshals that work these events.

(PS Apparently I they are marshals not marshalls – apologies for my spelling errors)

@keithcollantine I´m glad for your site and for you being a voice of reason in this mess

@Keith Collantine
If I understood it the complete article is like this text:

179bis. Right of review
If, in events forming part of a FIA Championship, a new element
is discovered, whether or not the stewards of the meeting have
already given a ruling, these stewards of the meeting or, failing
this, those designated by the FIA, must meet on a date agreed
amongst themselves, summoning the party or parties concerned
to hear any relevant explanations and to judge in the light of the
facts and elements brought before them.
The right of appeal against this new decision is confined to the
party or parties concerned in accordance with the final paragraph
of Article 180 and the following Articles of this Code.
Should the first decision already have been the subject of
an appeal before the National Court of Appeal or before the
International Court of Appeal, or successively before both of
these courts, the case shall be lawfully submitted to them for
the possible revision of their previous decision. The International
Court of Appeal may take up the review of a case that it has
judged, either on its own initiative or upon an appeal in review
brought by the FIA President or by one of the parties concerned
and/or directly affected by its former decision.
The period during which an appeal in review may be brought
expires on 30 November of the year during which the decision
that is liable to review has been handed down, if that decision is
likely to have an effect on the result of a championship.

That Means thar If FIA do not investigated it by thenselves with the new elements, Any parties concerned, (Ferrari, Alonso, Mercedes, Schumacher, Toro Rosso or Vergne) can appeal to the International Court Appeal.

That is right?

@nanof1 I don’t think so. As I understand it the “any parties concerned” part refers to anyone protesting the outcome of the FIA’s new investigation, if there were one.

For example, say the FIA makes a new decision, e.g. “Vettel overtook a car under a yellow flag”. As a consequence a “party or parties concerned” (e.g. Red Bull) would have a “right of appeal against this new decision”.

On an unrelated note, as a former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt better make sure he handles this one carefully if the FIA goes anywhere near it.

Slightly off the topic of the yellow versus green debate, but is there any telemetry (or other information) on whether Vergne was deliberately slowing to let Vettel past anyway? I know those STRs have been shocking this year, but Vergne was tucked up behind the car in front coming out of the corner, by half way down the straight he looked at least 5 or 6 car lengths behind them when Vettel overtook.

@Fernando The video was taken directly before the overtake – from this Video (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/20535302), it doesn’t have a lap number displayed but I’m sure this is the questionable maneuver.

@Matt McKenna
Sorry Matt I could not see BBC video cause it is not available in my territory, If you check this video on board in real time, you can see that Vettel Overtook Marusia in Lap 3 on green lights (in front of Marshall post) and Vergne in Lap 4 on yellow flashing lights. When I see the A3 video (F1 TV Holders in Spain so I suppoused that it is the same video than BBC, because is the same signal all over the world) I can see the same screen shot that you took on lap 3.