Ferrari return to pit-lane lollipop

Eurosport - Wed, 08 Oct 13:06:00 2008

Ferrari will use the 'lollipop' to tell drivers when to leave the pits in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix after their traffic light system caused chaos in Singapore.

FORMULA 1 2008 Singapore GP Ferrari Massa Panne - 0

Felipe Massa, battling with championship leader Lewis Hamilton for the title, had his race in the city-state ruined when he drove from the pits with the fuel hose still attached after a mechanic made the light go green by mistake.

Ferrari's light system usually works automatically when the fuel hose is removed from the car, but in Singapore it was in manual mode.

"In this moment we need tranquillity and therefore we prefer to go back to the old system," team boss Stefano Domenicali.

Other teams still use the lollipop, which a team member holds in front of a driver before the pitstop is completed.

McLaren's Hamilton leads Brazilian Massa by seven points with three races left. The final grand prix is in Brazil on November 2.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 13 of 73

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  1. Bah!

    From bowesey17, on Tue 7 Oct 2:23PM

  2. About time this system was canned, if it had been McClaren or any other team with this system the FIA would have stepped in and ordered them to ditch it

    From Andy, on Tue 7 Oct 1:41PM

  3. Rosi, you are talking dribble, no human input for the lighting system!!!!!! The lights only work when a "HUMAN" pushes his button to say he has particular task, be it changing a tyre or whatever.

    From richard.connolly@..., on Tue 7 Oct 12:50PM

  4. Bah, was nothing to do with Massa, was the chief mechanic, the reason for going with the hose was nothing to do with the light system either, thats an excuse.
    i can see the next race, the lollypop being lifted with the hose still in anyway.
    the light system is infinitely better if was all automatic, and no human input.

    From Rosi, on Tue 7 Oct 12:32PM

  5. They should have done this 2 races ago before they screwed up Massa's chances.

    From superjohn_rtp, on Tue 7 Oct 12:25PM

  6. The good thing about the lollipop is that the mechanic can smack the driver around the head with it if he sets off early

    From bowesey17, on Tue 7 Oct 12:13PM

  7. When you are in race mode, your brain and body is high on adrenaline!!! So your eyes are more sensitive to flickering light and everything else so is you body and its reactions...so its better to use the lollipop as a physical object in front of you rather have non, because your eyes might deceive you from all this lights around you in the car!!!

    From JOJO, on Tue 7 Oct 12:10PM

  8. When you are in race mode, your brain and body is high on adrenaline!!! So your eyes are more sensitive to flickering light and everything else so is you body and its reactions...so its better to use the lollipop as a physical object in front of you rather have non, because your eyes might deceive you from all this lights around you in the car!!!

    From JOJO, on Tue 7 Oct 12:04PM

  9. I think the lights a lot better. Gave me a hugh laugh to see Massa with the fuel hose waving in the wind. Don't change it now.

    From Tonka, on Tue 7 Oct 11:49AM

  10. They are also fitting an anti collision alert system in Massas car that will sound an alarm when Sutil is within 50 feet of him. Kimis car will be fitted with Onstar

    From usalien1967, on Tue 7 Oct 11:47AM

  11. Why dont they just admit that their wonderful technology is @#$%........?

    Go back to and stay with the tried and tested ways.......

    From jangor8@..., on Tue 7 Oct 11:29AM

  12. Not rocket science is it Ferrari,come on get your bloody act together.took you all long enough to come to this,did you have to hold a meeting first.Are you one of the top teams in F1,if so,start acting like it.

    From michael s, on Tue 7 Oct 11:25AM

  13. I suppose the system was in automatic-manual mode on previous @#$%-ups also!!

    From bob, on Tue 7 Oct 11:12AM
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