SAMSA Racing & General Rules
Mar 3, 2014 7:42:49 GMT
Post by SAMSA Administration on Mar 3, 2014 7:42:49 GMT
RACING RULES
1. General
These rules apply to all SAMSA championship events unless otherwise specified, or unless clearly not applicable.
All drivers are required to read, understand, and abide by these rules. Please contact SAMSA Administration if you do not understand a rule.
All SAMSA members are expected to treat other members with respect. Verbal abuse and swearing are not allowed on voice or text chat.
All SAMSA drivers must speak English.
All drivers are required to be on the appropriate voice communications equipment with a working microphone and headset for all SAMSA events.
You are not permitted to talk during qualifying or the race unless necessary (eg. calling blue flags or pass warnings)
2. Event Participation
All event participants must be active members of SAMSA
Races will take place on time without exception. The session lobby shall be created at least 5 minutes before the race is due to start.
For racing disciplines involving teams or constructors, you are not permitted to change teams during the season.
Only an Organiser may begin a session.
Please be courteous and notify us if you are withdrawing from the league. Please don’t just stop showing up.
If you know you will miss a race, you are required to notify SAMSA Administration, or post in the race thread announcing your absence.
If you miss 3 races in a row without notifying the Organiser, you will forfeit your seat to the first driver on the waiting list, and if you wish to race again, you will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.
If you need to retire during a race for any reason, you must inform the Organiser of the reason otherwise it will be logged as a rage-quit.
3. Connection & Disconnects
It is the responsibility of the Organiser to make sure their event is hosted using the most stable connection available. In some cases it may be necessary to have somebody other than the Organiser host the event.
If a race needs to be restarted, a Formation Lap may be required to get drivers back into qualifying order.
Where it’s possible to rejoin the session without a restart, the following rules do not apply.
There is a limit of 1 restart per driver, and a limit of 3 restarts in total per the conditions below:
A qualifying session shall only be restarted for a disconnection if no one has set a lap time.
If you are disconnected during qualifying, but after a lap time has been set, the session will be restarted for you after qualifying has finished, and you will then start from the back of the grid, unless your lap time registers at the end of the session in the results screen.
A race shall be restarted if anyone disconnects before the lead car completes 10% of the race distance (rounded to nearest whole lap). Any formation lap shall count as one of these laps.
If you disconnect during the race, and are eligible for a restart per the conditions above you will start from the back of the grid.
If a restart is required for more than one driver, the last driver to have disconnected will start at the back, and any driver(s) who previously disconnected will move up one position.
4. Mass Disconnects
In qualifying, if 9 or more drivers start the session and 6 or more disconnect, or if 8 or less start the session, and 4 or more disconnect, that will be considered a mass disconnect and the session shall be restarted.
If 9 or more drivers start a race, a mass disconnect is defined as 6 drivers being disconnected within the completion of 3 laps of the leader.
If 8 or less drivers start a race, a mass disconnect is defined as 4 drivers being disconnected within the completion of 3 laps of the leader.
Anyone in Spectate Mode is not considered a “driver“
If less than 50% race distance (rounded up to nearest whole lap) has been completed when the parameters of a mass disconnect are met, the race will immediately be restarted in the original qualifying order.
If greater than or equal to 50% race distance (rounded up to nearest whole lap) has been completed when the parameters of a mass disconnect are met, the race will be suspended and considered finished.
5. Qualifying
You are not permitted to retire from the session in qualifying or intentionally crash your car at the end your session as it’s unnecessarily distracting to other drivers. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a two place grid penalty.
During your out and in lap in qualifying, you must ensure you do not impact another driver who may be on his hot lap.
In Qualifying, each driver is responsible for ensuring there is enough track space to complete their hot lap. It is not the responsibility of any driver ahead who may also be on their hot lap.
6. Pit Etiquette
Cars on the race track have right-of-way over cars entering the race track from the pits.
If you intend to pit, but are alongside another driver at the pit entrance and they are blocking your entrance to the pits, it is your responsibility to yield by slowing down. Do not swerve in front of other drivers to enter the pits.
7. Car Contact
Contacts and collisions must be avoided.
Bump passes are not permitted. Bump passes are defined as the trailing car creating contact with the leading car in order to gain the preferred line and emerge in front.
If contact between two drivers occurs, the trailing driver will be deemed responsible for the contact unless the contact is caused by the leading driver breaking a rule specified in these regulations.
If you can prevent an incident by steering into the dirt, grass or a wall; you are expected to do so.
If contact between drivers occurs that results in the guilty driver making up places on the innocent driver, the guilty driver must immediately relinquish that position; even if it means the guilty driver has to allow drivers who were not involved in the incident to pass while waiting for the driver they created contact with to resume racing.
If you have to relinquish a position, move off the racing line before you slow down. Coming to a full stop is not allowed. Continue at the slower pace until the other driver passes you.
8. Corner Rights
If a car has sufficient overlap at the turn-in point of the corner, then cornering room must be given by both cars to allow the cars to take the corner together.
‘Sufficient overlap’ or ‘overlap’ is defined as having any part your front wheels alongside the rear wheels of the car ahead. A following car has right to road at any time that it has overlap. Leading or defending cars must yield to this right to road.
In order to be entitled to space at corner exit, the following car must maintain overlap throughout the corner. Having overlap at turn-in does not grant you space entitlement at corner exit by default. If sufficient overlap is not kept throughout the corner then the leading car has the right to choose any line he wishes at the corner exit and the trailing car must then yield.
If 2 cars enter a corner with overlap and that overlap is maintained throughout the entire corner, the car on the inside must maintain an inside line throughout the entire corner and the car on the outside must maintain an outside line throughout the entire corner. If any car narrows or tightens his radius which results in him ‘crossing lines’ from outside to inside or vice versa that driver will be at fault for any contact that ensues.
9. Defending Your Position
More than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted. Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner.
Any driver defending their position on a straight, and before any braking area, may use the full width of the track during his first move, provided no significant portion of the car attempting to pass is alongside his.
For the avoidance of doubt, if any part of the front wheel of the car attempting to pass is alongside the rear wheel of the car in front this will be deemed to be a ‘significant portion’.
Blocking is not permitted at any time.
Any deviation by a driver from the racing line, that is a reaction to a move from the trailing driver which impedes the trailing drivers forward progress, is not permitted at any time.
You are entitled to choose your racing line, and positioning your car on the inside line is a fair manner to defend your position. However, you must position your car on this defensive line before the trailing driver attempts to pass you, and not as a reaction to his attempt.
The ahead driver must not make any malicious or inappropriate braking or slowing manoeuvres. Leading drivers must never 'brake test' the car(s) behind them, swerve in a braking zone, or try to break a tow. The leading driver is entitled to be slower or use longer and earlier braking zones than the trailing driver. They are also entitled to use whichever racing line they choose.
Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are not permitted.
10. Being Lapped
As soon as a driver is caught by another driver who is about to lap him, the driver who is about be lapped must allow the lapping driver past at the first available opportunity. He must do this safely, and with minimal disruption. He should be predictable, and he shouldn’t brake hard or quickly change his racing line.
If you have been lapped, you can only attempt to unlap yourself if the lapping car clearly loses pace or makes a mistake which allows you to pass. However, if the lapping car regains pace and catches back up to you, you must again allow it to pass.
11. Recovering from an Incident
A driver recovering from an incident must not impede any other car.
If there is not an opportunity to safely rejoin the track for several seconds, you must wait until it is safe to do so.
If two or more cars involved in a position battle together leave the track for any reason they must rejoin in the order they left the track and without gaining an advantage.
12. Track Limits
Drivers must use the track at all times. For the avoidance of doubt all checkpoints around tracks must be cleared. If a checkpoint is missed and the driver continues on the in game timing will place the driver a lap down
Corner cutting is generally policed by the game, but repeated and excessive corner cutting can be protested and sent to the stewards.
Should a car leave the track the driver may rejoin, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any advantage.
A driver may not deliberately leave the track without justifiable reason.
If a position is gained by running off track, you must relinquish that position.
13. Reserve Driver Assignment
Reserve drivers can only be assigned to a vacant seat by an Organiser
If one seat becomes available, the first available reserve will be assigned to it.
1. General
These rules apply to all SAMSA championship events unless otherwise specified, or unless clearly not applicable.
All drivers are required to read, understand, and abide by these rules. Please contact SAMSA Administration if you do not understand a rule.
All SAMSA members are expected to treat other members with respect. Verbal abuse and swearing are not allowed on voice or text chat.
All SAMSA drivers must speak English.
All drivers are required to be on the appropriate voice communications equipment with a working microphone and headset for all SAMSA events.
You are not permitted to talk during qualifying or the race unless necessary (eg. calling blue flags or pass warnings)
2. Event Participation
All event participants must be active members of SAMSA
Races will take place on time without exception. The session lobby shall be created at least 5 minutes before the race is due to start.
For racing disciplines involving teams or constructors, you are not permitted to change teams during the season.
Only an Organiser may begin a session.
Please be courteous and notify us if you are withdrawing from the league. Please don’t just stop showing up.
If you know you will miss a race, you are required to notify SAMSA Administration, or post in the race thread announcing your absence.
If you miss 3 races in a row without notifying the Organiser, you will forfeit your seat to the first driver on the waiting list, and if you wish to race again, you will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.
If you need to retire during a race for any reason, you must inform the Organiser of the reason otherwise it will be logged as a rage-quit.
3. Connection & Disconnects
It is the responsibility of the Organiser to make sure their event is hosted using the most stable connection available. In some cases it may be necessary to have somebody other than the Organiser host the event.
If a race needs to be restarted, a Formation Lap may be required to get drivers back into qualifying order.
Where it’s possible to rejoin the session without a restart, the following rules do not apply.
There is a limit of 1 restart per driver, and a limit of 3 restarts in total per the conditions below:
A qualifying session shall only be restarted for a disconnection if no one has set a lap time.
If you are disconnected during qualifying, but after a lap time has been set, the session will be restarted for you after qualifying has finished, and you will then start from the back of the grid, unless your lap time registers at the end of the session in the results screen.
A race shall be restarted if anyone disconnects before the lead car completes 10% of the race distance (rounded to nearest whole lap). Any formation lap shall count as one of these laps.
If you disconnect during the race, and are eligible for a restart per the conditions above you will start from the back of the grid.
If a restart is required for more than one driver, the last driver to have disconnected will start at the back, and any driver(s) who previously disconnected will move up one position.
4. Mass Disconnects
In qualifying, if 9 or more drivers start the session and 6 or more disconnect, or if 8 or less start the session, and 4 or more disconnect, that will be considered a mass disconnect and the session shall be restarted.
If 9 or more drivers start a race, a mass disconnect is defined as 6 drivers being disconnected within the completion of 3 laps of the leader.
If 8 or less drivers start a race, a mass disconnect is defined as 4 drivers being disconnected within the completion of 3 laps of the leader.
Anyone in Spectate Mode is not considered a “driver“
If less than 50% race distance (rounded up to nearest whole lap) has been completed when the parameters of a mass disconnect are met, the race will immediately be restarted in the original qualifying order.
If greater than or equal to 50% race distance (rounded up to nearest whole lap) has been completed when the parameters of a mass disconnect are met, the race will be suspended and considered finished.
5. Qualifying
You are not permitted to retire from the session in qualifying or intentionally crash your car at the end your session as it’s unnecessarily distracting to other drivers. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a two place grid penalty.
During your out and in lap in qualifying, you must ensure you do not impact another driver who may be on his hot lap.
In Qualifying, each driver is responsible for ensuring there is enough track space to complete their hot lap. It is not the responsibility of any driver ahead who may also be on their hot lap.
6. Pit Etiquette
Cars on the race track have right-of-way over cars entering the race track from the pits.
If you intend to pit, but are alongside another driver at the pit entrance and they are blocking your entrance to the pits, it is your responsibility to yield by slowing down. Do not swerve in front of other drivers to enter the pits.
7. Car Contact
Contacts and collisions must be avoided.
Bump passes are not permitted. Bump passes are defined as the trailing car creating contact with the leading car in order to gain the preferred line and emerge in front.
If contact between two drivers occurs, the trailing driver will be deemed responsible for the contact unless the contact is caused by the leading driver breaking a rule specified in these regulations.
If you can prevent an incident by steering into the dirt, grass or a wall; you are expected to do so.
If contact between drivers occurs that results in the guilty driver making up places on the innocent driver, the guilty driver must immediately relinquish that position; even if it means the guilty driver has to allow drivers who were not involved in the incident to pass while waiting for the driver they created contact with to resume racing.
If you have to relinquish a position, move off the racing line before you slow down. Coming to a full stop is not allowed. Continue at the slower pace until the other driver passes you.
8. Corner Rights
If a car has sufficient overlap at the turn-in point of the corner, then cornering room must be given by both cars to allow the cars to take the corner together.
‘Sufficient overlap’ or ‘overlap’ is defined as having any part your front wheels alongside the rear wheels of the car ahead. A following car has right to road at any time that it has overlap. Leading or defending cars must yield to this right to road.
In order to be entitled to space at corner exit, the following car must maintain overlap throughout the corner. Having overlap at turn-in does not grant you space entitlement at corner exit by default. If sufficient overlap is not kept throughout the corner then the leading car has the right to choose any line he wishes at the corner exit and the trailing car must then yield.
If 2 cars enter a corner with overlap and that overlap is maintained throughout the entire corner, the car on the inside must maintain an inside line throughout the entire corner and the car on the outside must maintain an outside line throughout the entire corner. If any car narrows or tightens his radius which results in him ‘crossing lines’ from outside to inside or vice versa that driver will be at fault for any contact that ensues.
9. Defending Your Position
More than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted. Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner.
Any driver defending their position on a straight, and before any braking area, may use the full width of the track during his first move, provided no significant portion of the car attempting to pass is alongside his.
For the avoidance of doubt, if any part of the front wheel of the car attempting to pass is alongside the rear wheel of the car in front this will be deemed to be a ‘significant portion’.
Blocking is not permitted at any time.
Any deviation by a driver from the racing line, that is a reaction to a move from the trailing driver which impedes the trailing drivers forward progress, is not permitted at any time.
You are entitled to choose your racing line, and positioning your car on the inside line is a fair manner to defend your position. However, you must position your car on this defensive line before the trailing driver attempts to pass you, and not as a reaction to his attempt.
The ahead driver must not make any malicious or inappropriate braking or slowing manoeuvres. Leading drivers must never 'brake test' the car(s) behind them, swerve in a braking zone, or try to break a tow. The leading driver is entitled to be slower or use longer and earlier braking zones than the trailing driver. They are also entitled to use whichever racing line they choose.
Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are not permitted.
10. Being Lapped
As soon as a driver is caught by another driver who is about to lap him, the driver who is about be lapped must allow the lapping driver past at the first available opportunity. He must do this safely, and with minimal disruption. He should be predictable, and he shouldn’t brake hard or quickly change his racing line.
If you have been lapped, you can only attempt to unlap yourself if the lapping car clearly loses pace or makes a mistake which allows you to pass. However, if the lapping car regains pace and catches back up to you, you must again allow it to pass.
11. Recovering from an Incident
A driver recovering from an incident must not impede any other car.
If there is not an opportunity to safely rejoin the track for several seconds, you must wait until it is safe to do so.
If two or more cars involved in a position battle together leave the track for any reason they must rejoin in the order they left the track and without gaining an advantage.
12. Track Limits
Drivers must use the track at all times. For the avoidance of doubt all checkpoints around tracks must be cleared. If a checkpoint is missed and the driver continues on the in game timing will place the driver a lap down
Corner cutting is generally policed by the game, but repeated and excessive corner cutting can be protested and sent to the stewards.
Should a car leave the track the driver may rejoin, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any advantage.
A driver may not deliberately leave the track without justifiable reason.
If a position is gained by running off track, you must relinquish that position.
13. Reserve Driver Assignment
Reserve drivers can only be assigned to a vacant seat by an Organiser
If one seat becomes available, the first available reserve will be assigned to it.