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FIA back Vettel's claim

FIA back Vettel's claim

17-06-2018 09:38
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Bobby Vincent

FIA race director Charlie Whiting has backed Sebastian Vettel's claim, saying drivers can save time by using particular lines under a virtual safety car.

Whiting does say that the potential advantage it can give the driver is very small and the FIA will now do what they can to patch this loophole.

The German international made these claims after the Spanish Grand Prix.

Vettel said it was possible for drivers to "beat the system" by going over lines to cut distance.

"It's the same for everyone but the FIA is supplying us with a system that makes us follow a delta time," Ferrari's driver said to Motorsport.com.

"And everybody has to slow down by, I think, 40 per cent.

"But I think everybody's aware that you can have a faster way to go under VSC than just follow the delta - by saving distance.

"So, I think we should have a system that hasn't got this loophole, because it forces us to drive ridiculous lines around the track.

"And everybody is doing it, so I don't think it's a secret.

"Our sport should be in a better shape than supplying software that's just poor and allows us to find some extra performance that way."

Whiting didn't agree with Vettel straight away, but the FIA race director has done some research since.

"Yes, I've worked it out now," Whiting explained.

"The calculation that the system does every 50 metres is based on the distance from the timing line.

"So if you can shorten that, you can gain tiny fractions. 

"The way we've calculated it with our software guys, is you can possibly gain about 150 milliseconds (per lap).

"But in F1, that's worth having. But that's the extent of it, as far as it was explained to me by our software people.

"We can rectify it, and make it a bit more bulletproof."