United Autosports workforce boss Richard Dean mentioned the stipulation that the pits are closed when the race director triggers a full course yellow or security automotive resembled “a lottery” that some groups may derive “an enormous profit” from whereas others misplaced out.
Article 14.6.5 of the WEC sporting laws determines that the pit entry is closed within the first three laps of a security automotive process, with vehicles solely allowed to make an emergency pitstop for 5 seconds of gas and/or to switch a broken tyre/tyres. No restrictions are utilized after three laps below the security automotive.
Equally, article 14.5.2 states that pit entry is closed when FCY is introduced, with the identical exceptions utilized.
Two security automotive intervals at Monza performed a key function in shaping the LMP2 and GTE Am races, gained by Jota Sport and Dempsey-Proton Competitors respectively, which prompted calls from drivers to search out “an answer”.
United Autosports’ #23 ORECA-Gibson 07 of Giedo van der Garde, Oliver Jarvis and Josh Pierson led 111 of 193 laps, however dropped again from the successful Jota automotive that pitted simply earlier than the third security automotive of the race to cowl the stranded Proton Hypercar because it as a substitute needed to wait.
Dean informed Autosport: “I hate this present FCY, pits closed as a result of if you happen to’re able on-track and also you assume ‘that’s going to be an FCY’ and you may gamble and get in earlier than it will get referred to as, then they bought an enormous profit.
“It hinders all people else and each time it does that, it’s like a lottery.
“The 23 automotive misplaced the race at that time, we misplaced 50-something seconds due to that. I simply don’t just like the lottery facet of pits closed.”
#23 United Autosports Oreca 07 – Gibson: Joshua Pierson, Giedo Van der Garde, Oliver Jarvis
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Images
LMP2 championship chief Louis Deletraz, who completed third for WRT after passing Jarvis on the ultimate lap, referred to as on organisers to contemplate revising the principles.
The #41 ORECA he shared with Robert Kubica and Rui Andrade needed to make an emergency cease below the third security automotive earlier than returning to the pits shortly afterwards, however the sister #31 automotive had benefitted and was in rivalry for victory till it retired with an engine downside within the last hour.
“At the moment was in all probability by way of luck the worst race I’ve ever had in my profession,” mentioned Deletraz, whose automotive was additionally delayed throughout Andrade’s first cease attributable to visitors within the pitlane.
“I believe the principles ought to be checked out as a result of the final two races in WEC have been determined by luck with who will get their security vehicles proper or not. I don’t assume that’s what the competitors needs.
“The automotive was tremendous fast, we must always have been preventing for the win.”
WRT’s nearest championship rival, the InterEuropol Competitors squad that gained on the Le Mans 24 Hours, ended up fifth with Fabio Scherer equally disgruntled after he too required an emergency service.
“The LMP2 stage is so excessive that each race, the final six-hour races, all bought determined by the security automotive or the complete course yellow, not by the efficiency,” mentioned the Swiss, who admitted his workforce had been “fortunate” to attain its first podium at Spa in April because of this.
#41 Workforce WRT Oreca 07 – Gibson: Rui Andrade, Robert Kubica, Louis Deletraz
Picture by: Paolo Belletti
“I don’t have the answer, however there must be an answer as a result of it could’t be that it at all times will get determined by that. It’s for positive not good.
“I don’t perceive if you put security automotive, why you don’t open the pits, everybody can do a pitstop, retains their place after which again to race.”
Within the GTE Am class, the all-female Iron Dames crew twice misplaced out to the timing of security vehicles. Polesitter Sarah Bovy wanted to make an emergency cease through the second interruption to get well Vector Sport’s ORECA from the obstacles at Lesmo 2, earlier than Rahel Frey misplaced floor by not pitting earlier than the third security automotive.
This meant the Dames have been vaulted by the trio of Porsches that finally completed on the rostrum, because the #85 automotive finally completed fifth.
Requested if the principles left her feeling annoyed, Frey informed Autosport: “At the moment sure, very a lot.
“At the moment I believe the important thing level was to anticipate. All of the vehicles who did it, they gained.
“We’ve to go in to analyse this, we’ve to maintain this in thoughts and we’ve to do a greater job in Fuji and in Bahrain.”