10
MOTORSPORT DAYS ANNUAL
MotorsportDays.com
INTERVIEW
circuit owners were very frustrated with this
ridiculous situation, as it meant that either cir-
cuits had to continually repair grass and mud
areas, or spend tens of thousands of pounds
adding a two-metre or so concrete margin
beyond all kerbs.”
MSV also highlights the fact that many of the
competitors were upset too. “Most don’t
want to crash their cars across bumpy, stony
ground to get a slightly faster time, nor do they
want to get their cars pepperedwithmud and
stone from those in front that do. In days of
old, big kerbs would have put off most people
from going wide, but with evermore focus on
safety, particularly for motorbikes to protect
fallen riders, kerbs have had to become very
mild these days as stipulated by the regulatory
bodies and can readily be driven over, partic-
ularly by saloons and sports cars, without caus-
ing damage or even much upset. The logical
place where people should be permitted to
drive is on the asphalt plus any kerbs, but not
beyond, and this is the new rule.”
When the MSA announced the regulation
change, questions were immediately raised
about how it would be policed. Cue an
investment by MSV in a brand new system,
which uses pressure sensors to detect when
a car goes off beyond exit kerbs and triggers
video footage to be recorded. When a car
does infringe the rule, two pictures are taken
– a close-up to show the wheel’s proximity to
the kerb and a wide image to put the infringe-
ment into context. Having initially been rolled
out at Brands Hatch, the system can now also
be found at Snetterton and Oulton Park.
“This system has been in operation all year
and has proved very successful,” says MSV.
“The system is linked to screens in race con-
trol, which immediately flag up track limits
transgressions, allowing the clerk of the
course to decide on any action to take, and
allowing the driver to be shown why any
penalty has been applied.”
These penalties vary in severity: for a first
infringement the driver gets a black/white
flag warning and for a second infringement
the driver gets a black flag and has to report
to the control tower, but avoids a penalty.
However, if the driver continues to ignore the
rule, they receive a black flag and a 20-
minute track time exclusion for the third and
fourth offences.
As MSV explains, the current version of the
regulation is the result of extensive fine-tun-
ing. “The MSA brought out version one,
which was too harsh, then they brought out
version two, which didn’t do the job. So,
they ended up with this once they got feed-
back from all the relevant departments.”
So, one season on, what do the drivers
think of the regulation? “Most competitors
are very happy with the new regulation and
compliance has been very good – far better
than many predicted. Any breach of the
many regulations can and does lead to
results sometimes being influenced by stew-
ards’ decisions, but track limits disputes have
actually been very rare. Advanced monitor-
ing technology, as used by MSV, helps enor-
mously here – when a driver is presented
with a clear image of his car off the track,
argument tends to cease!”
However, while the rules are strictly
enforced, there are occasions where a wheel
over the white line and curb does not neces-
sarily result in a warning. “If limits are
breached because someone is genuinely
forced off the circuit the penalties don’t apply
– as was the case for the old regulation. The
reason that MSV has invested heavily in track
limit technology is to assist in the fair and con-
sistent enforcement of the regulations.”
It would be easy to assume that the
reliance on new technology to highlight on-
track foul play has impacted the number of
marshals needed, or at least the level of
weight given to human observation. But this
is certainly not the case at the three tracks
where the system has been installed. In fact,
human observation and technology are prov-
ing to be perfectly complementary.
“The marshal’s role is very helpful in relation
to track limits, but it is often quite hard for
them alone, and their opinions can be dis-
puted by competitors,” MSV explains. “The
technology of track limits sensors and CCTV
provide hard evidence. Marshals radio-in to
race control if they believe a driver has gained
an advantage by exceeding track limits. In
race control, there is an observer watching
the new system. The two work in tandem.”
One year on from the introduction of the
new regulation, it certainly appears to have
already had a positive impact. Fairer racing
conditions, improved safety for drivers, and
better protection from damage for the cars
and circuits are all evidence of this. MSV can
take great satisfaction from the fact that its
decision to invest in the new CCTV-based
system has already been justified.
When a driver is
presented with a
clear image of his
car off the track,
argument tends
to cease
“
Legal
Illegal
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