Niels Wittich has announced that drivers will be permitted to drive through the pitlane entry and exit lines during weekend's Baku’s race.
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Previously, drivers were in violation of the laws if they touched the lines; today, automobiles must not cross the line, which has been classed as having a ‘full wheel’ beyond it. Up to Monaco, pre-event comments published by F1’s race directors indicated that drivers had to strictly stick to one side of the line. Niels Wittich has changed the message to teams and drivers for this weekend in light of the Monaco explanation and a revision in F1’s International Sporting Code during the winter.
Niels Wittich, the race director of Formula One, has publicly announced that drivers will be permitted to drive through the pitlane entry and exit lines during this weekend’s Baku’s race. The pertinent portion on the pit entry and exit lines before the Baku weekend in his official event notes stated: “In accordance with Chapter 4, Article 4 and 5 of Appendix L to the ISC drivers must observe the procedures at pit entry and pit exit.” This implies that drivers can now cross the lines as long as the complete tyre does not extend beyond them.
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Chapter 4 of Appendix L of the International Sporting Code covers the rules for pit entry and exit lines. This year, the regulations were changed to make a tyre a rule violation rather than any ‘component’ of a car crossing the line. The following is what the rule says
a) The section of track from the first safety car line (SC1) to the pit lane is designated the “pit entry”.
b) During competition, access to the pitlane is allowed only through the pit entry.
c) Any driver intending to leave the track or to enter the pitlane should make sure that it is safe to do so.
d) Except in cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the Stewards), any tyre of a car entering the pitlane must not cross, in any direction, any line painted on the track at the pit entry for the purpose of separating cars entering the pitlane from those on the track.
a) The section of track from the end of pitlane to the second safety car line (SC2) is designated the “pit exit”.
b) There will be a green light and a red light (or similar signs) at the pitlane exit. Cars may only leave the pitlane when the green light is on (or sign is displayed).
c) Except in cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the Stewards), any tyre of a car exiting the pitlane must not cross any line painted on the track at the pit exit for the purpose of separating cars leaving the pitlane from those on the track.
