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This section is subtitled because there is only a
fleeting reference to the Safety Car in the
Blue Book. (Parade, Pace and Safety Cars (Q4.9.1)
A Safety Car may be used to control or neutralise a race in the event of an
incident, providing its use is detailed in the Specific or Championship
Regulations.)
However the MSA produced a standard set of regulations for 2009 to replace those issued in 2004 which they say should be adhered to by all organisers.
I have reproduced the main points of the regulations below with bold type for the parts I consider important.
If you wish to see the full set of 2009 MSA regs Click Here
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On
the order from the Clerk of the Course, the Safety Car will join the circuit
with its revolving lights on, regardless of where the race leader is.
When the order is given to deploy the Safety Car a waved yellow flag and "SC" board will be displayed at the start finish line, The waved yellow flags will flow around the circuit in both directions, as an adjacent post displays both their waved yellow flag and “SC” board. This system may be supplemented by a message being simultaneously broadcast to all marshals’ posts if such a communication system is available.
While the safety car is in operation, competing cars may enter the pit lane, but may only rejoin the track when signalled to do so and not when the safety car and the line of cars following it are about to pass or are passing the pit exit. A car re-joining the track must proceed at an appropriate speed until it reaches the end of the line of cars behind the Safety Car.
The Safety Car will remain in operation until at least the majority of competing cars on the circuit are lined up behind it.
When the Clerk of the Course calls in the Safety Car it will extinguish the yellow flashing lights prior to exiting the circuit. (It is recommended that a minimum of 25% 9f a lap for circuits over 2 miles, and 50% of a lap for circuits under 2 miles should be completed with the lights extinguished).
Following the safety car extinguishing its lights, and prior to passing the green flag, the race leader will maintain the pace set by the Safety Car. The race leader will dictate the pace and, if necessary, fall more than five car lengths behind it. In order to avoid the likelihood of accidents before the safety car returns to the pits, from the point at which the lights on the car are extinguished drivers must proceed at a pace, which involves no erratic acceleration or braking nor any other manoeuvre, which is likely to endanger other drivers or impede the restart.
As the Safety Car is approaching the pit entry, the green flag will be displayed at the start finish line and the “SC” board withdrawn. Following this display of the start signal yellow flags and “SC” boards at the marshals posts will be withdrawn and be replaced with a waved green flag for one lap. The waved green flag will flow around the circuit in both directions, as an adjacent post displays their waved green flag. This system may be supplemented by a message being simultaneously broadcast to all marshals’ posts if such a communication system is available. Overtaking remains strictly forbidden until the start signal is passed.
Each lap covered while the Safety Car is in service will be counted as a race lap unless otherwise stipulated in championship regulations.
On the face of it this is a fairly simple procedure. SC board and waved yellow flag at the Startline. which is then repeated in both directions by all flag points.
SC board and yellow withdrawn on the Startline followed by waved a green which is repeated around the circuit in both directions for one lap.
Generally speaking this is made easier because at the circuits that would run a race where a safety car would be used, it is fairly easy to "get wind" generally via scanners, of an impending deployment.
The things to be aware of are to put the board and flag out But most importantly to make certain the green actually makes it all the way round.
(V unprofessional when it doesn't)
If you wish to see the full set of 2009 MSA regs Click Here