Saftey car start at Spa?

[Sodemo]

I hope there is no repeat of last years farce, by starting the race behind the pace car.

"The start" is the best bit of the whole weekend, removing the opportunity for people to make up places.

Of course if its dry they will start it as usual, but if it is wet - what do u think they will do?

[JeremySmith]

Start behind the pace car..

[Raven]

Depends how wet... Spa is not a billiard table surface like some tracks and can collect a lot of standing water. It is wise to start behind a pace car under such conditions. Last year was one of the best races of the year.

[paulzinho]

They better not!!!

Although with DC around it might be sensible (Spa '98)

[Stephen Green]

Raven is right, if it's really raining hard and the track is partially flooded, they will start behind the safety car. In my opinion it's the wise thing to do, no one wants to see a huge pile up and only half the field re starting

[Sodemo]

Oh true, I think no-one wants to see people hurt, its just that the start is the most exciting part of the race.

Put it this way, all other races begin going down towards Eau Rouge - that would be far more dangerous than starting at La Source.

Spa 98' was a freak occurance, but I will admit that if its absolutly chucking it down, then a safety car start would be a wise precaution, what I don't want to see is a safety car start when there is only a bit of spray on the track.

PS did anyone see that CART race from Road America?
that was pure maddness, I predicted correctly what would happen, as there is no way all those cars could have crossed that "lake" without spinning off.
I even said to dad, "someone is gonna come a croppa there"

[Bononi]

I do prefer the safety car if it is raining... it will prevent a lot of crashes, and there are many drivers that are great in the wet...

[paulzinho]

I'll admit the safety car helped in malaysia. Us ferrari fans would have had/did have a heart attack with those offs and pitstops!!

[kuchi]

Well the weather reports say that heavy rain might come, but they are sure that it is going to rain, so, we will see another behind the safety car start.

[jiggly_puff]

As long as it is only brought out if it is essential to a safe getaway thats ok! If its brought out just for a slightly wet trace that is doing us out of a good start!

[Bononi]

It will not rain !!!!

[Jeanburrasca81]

Originally posted by Bononi
It will not rain !!!!

Yes, it will rain!!!

[racer69]

Why did they start it under the pace car last year, when in 1998 they did two starts in much worse conditions

[Stephen Green]

Maybe safety has become more of an issue, especially since the death of two marshals this year. Also, you have to take into account television coverage. If the race gets stopped and there's a long time spent clearing the track, then the TV companies run out of satelite time and miss showing the end of the race.

[Alan Jones]

Look, no one really wants a pace car start but if it's a choice between that or possibly losing part of the field, bring it on. Yes I agree that the start is exciting BUT the next 1 1/2 hours or so are by far better IMO. Just a damm shame that since Bernievision, the camera perspectives offered are so average. I'm thinking we should start a petition.