The same man controls the lights as would control the lollipop John. There's no magic or anything automatic about it at all, the lights are entirely manual and work no differently than any lollipop does.

As for releasing cars into pitlane traffic has really nothing to do with this either - since you do that with a lollipop as well. Cars are released the split second the last man is finished and clear of the car - no sooner (most of the time) and no later. Whether or not the lane is clear to enter is entire up to the driver in each and every time and has nothing to do with what system is being used to launch the car after the stop. The team does not in any way hold back for traffic in either case.




Quite possibly, but we won't really know that for a long time yet since we have way too little data this far to support any kind of conlusion either way.

And of course it is relevant that it is human failure - it is entirely the same human failure mode that makes them toggle the lights early vs. lift the lollipop early as well. The crew is to blame for that - nothing else.

What beats ME about all of this is why on earth Ferrari would WANT such a system... although we have seen no errors yet, the lights clearly has a number of potential failure modes, both mechanical and electrical. The lollipop essentially has none.

Your wrong though. The lollipop man is the person who releases the car into traffic, it's solely up to him to be looking.

What I'm saying is, the pit crew are working and press a button when done which the tells the car to go regardless of any traffic. It isn't up to the driver at all. A lollipop man is there normally to determine whether they leave or not.

I understand what you're saying about it being human error. However the system as a whole is a failure as human error seems to be a bigger occurence under this system, as appose to the lollipop system.

John, I might be wrong about the lollipop guy holding back for traffic (as well as the main task of holding back for the pit tasks themsevles), but I've never seen a single team practice that. You see cars let go, having to lift for traffic all the time - not frequent, but not rare either.

As for the light, I think you are a bit confused about how they are controlled. As far as I can tell, they have removed the lollipop, but not the crew position. The guy is still there It is the same crew position managing the lights as would be the lollipop, so no real change there. The lights are not controlled by individual pit crew around the vehicle, or any automation at all.

Admittedly, one could clearly always argue that the lollipop is a clearer sign to the driver as well, compared to the lights (I would certainly agree), then again we have seen no errors caused by that aspect this far either.

what do we think of a Melbourne twilight race next year? I think that the sun so low in the sky may cause more crashes (especially when your at 240-270kph!)

I was under the impression that each individual pit crew member had some sort of button to press for when he'd finished his job, not one person watching and clicking when they'd done. If I'm wrong then I apologise.

Although again, it's hard to put on a red light after it has turned green, easier to slam a lollipop down in a drivers face........

The system is rubbish, dangerous and should be gone!

Hopefully gone for the next GP.

Though i think it's a bit too late to make any changes...

The individual crew have their hands full, literally. And if they did have a button each, you wouldn't still see standard hand signals. Nor would you still see the lollipop crew position at all, but unless I'm seeing double he is definitely still there.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali explained after the race that a Ferrari mechanic had erroneously given title contender Massa the green light while the refuelling hose was still attached to the car.

The overhead light signals are normally connected to the release handle on the fuel nozzle, indicating to the driver that he can leave when the hose is uncoupled.

However, with cars swarming into the pit lane while the safety car was deployed, Ferrari switched their light system to manual operation and the mechanic's error meant the green 'go' signal flashed up prematurely.

"We were not using the electronic system, it was run manually," Domenicali told the Ferrari website. "When there are a lot of cars coming into the pit in a safety car situation, it is better to have.

"You control the green light and unfortunately there was a mistake.

"We will analyse what we did in the other pit-stops," he added.



Domenicali said there was no question of the mechanic responsible for the incident being replaced for the remaining three races which will decide the championship, with Massa now seven points behind McLaren

Hope that helps to clearer a bit up for you too

Ah, they switched to a manual operation.
See, if they keep the lights to manual, and have someone actually pay attention...


...I guess they would be ok.

What a grand prix aye =p
All these errors are what makes the racing so exciting anyways.

Yeah but that was nearly a fatal error.

Safety first am afraid.

They must have done that before, because I've noticed the crewman with that responsibility in ferrari pitstops several times earlier in this season as well. I was not at all aware they indeed did have a more automatic mode tho - my wrong there.

Ironically enough - in this case, an automatic mode based on fuel hose retraction would probably granted a far better result than the manual operation did

Seems to me that you will always need a manual mode for this... imagine a rainy race in the last stint... the car is fueled for the remainder of the race, and then the rain suddenly starts or stops... That's a case where you will have a wheel change only pitstop, and a system based on fual hose contact wouldn't be applicable at all.

Well, it's official, Ferrari have re hired the lollipop man!!


Get this:

I was watching This morning (this morning is a TV show) and they had a question on, get it right and you win a couple of quid.

The question was:
Lewis Hamilton is a champion in which sport?:
Golf
Formula 1
Tennis

I was sooo tempted to phone and tell them none!!!

You should have.
Did anyone actually win? It could have been another ITV scam, but with fake questions instead of fake winners so then they don't have to pick a winner so they can't get blamed for fake winners... Genious !

BMW and Williams have kept the same driving line-ups for next season if nobody already knows

Had a feeling they would have kept the same drivers.
No need to replace anyone since they are doing a brilliant job

If Kubica and Rosberg, two of the most talented younger drivers in F1 are not going anywhere, where do you think that leaves Ferarri? Surely they will bring in fresh blood (or have I missed something?) Do you think maybe they will take a gamble with a driver like Sutil, or will they go all out for Alonso who seems as hungry as ever? Which imo is what they need.

Unless I misunderstood your question here, Ferrari has confirmed both Massa and Raikonnen through 2010

Nope you didn't mis-understand you cleared it up, thanks

All the time I watch the grand prix weekends they always mention Ferrari on the look out, so obviously somewhere along the line I've missed the confirmation of their drivers.

What he said.
Though, i can see one of the up and coming drivers such as Kubica end up with Ferrari in the future.

Well, i emailed them regarding the question, just out of curiosity and i got a reply!!

They said, he can be dubbed a champion because he won the German Grand Prix.


ITV at its best!!!!!