The NTT IndyCar Series has updated a couple sections of its rulebook for the 2022 season to clarify how it wants drivers to behave under local yellow conditions.
Drivers are no longer required to slow down by a defined 15% when passing through a local yellow zone, but instead are advised to ‘reduce speed substantially’ and be prepared to stop or take evasive action.
Also included in the updates are clearer definitions surrounding waved versus static yellow flags. Instead of broad levels of severity dictating which type of local yellow was displayed, a waved yellow now specifically indicates that a hazard is wholly or partially blocking the track, while a static flag means the hazard is near the edge of the track.
These new definitions only apply to local yellow flag areas on road and street courses, and no changes have been made to full course caution procedures.
There was a small addition to the rules regarding the series’ Push-to-Pass system as well, with IndyCar officials now having the ability to disable the overtaking system on cars that are more than a lap behind the leaders.
This addition is seemingly to prevent drivers that are no longer in contention for a top position from using the added boost pressure to fight with leaders who are in control of the race.
The rule does specify that a lapped car is defined as ‘a car that is at least one lap behind all cars that are on the race leader’s lap,’ so it would follow that the series will still allow drivers to use the boost in order to attempt to stay on the lead lap.
The exact implementation of this new rule will be determined by race control, and the frequency of its use will dictate exactly how much of an impact it will have.
In addition to these changes, updates were made to the rulebook that will allow drivers to choose their own pit stall locations for each weekend.
The first implementation of the new set of rules will come this weekend for the season-opening race from the streets of St. Petersburg.
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