New guide posted here to keep this original thread as the definitive reference, based on @marty 's work but updated September 2020 by the new admin team. ~ SteveDrivingSlowly
Etiquette Guide
General guidance:
⦁ If you make contact with another driver, or gain a position by cutting the track, redress the position when safe to do so
⦁ "redress" means give the position back
⦁ “when safe” means do not obstruct any other drivers while redressing
⦁ If you leave the confines of the track (4 wheels outside the white line the marks the edge of the track), it is your responsibility to re-join the track safely. You must
⦁ Never impede another driver whilst re-joining
⦁ Try to not re-join the track at 90 degrees to the direction of travel – you will have a very poor view of what is coming
⦁ You should attempt to re-orient yourself to the direction of travel and check both the relative and your mirrors to re-join safely
⦁ You should always leave racing room
⦁ Swerving across the track is prohibited
⦁ When you defend a corner, you must not move across the racing line to defend a different line
⦁ Again: never stop your car on the race track; whenever you need to recover to the pits ensure you are off track
⦁ Starts are an obvious place to make up places! However, they are also the prime time for drivers to accidentally ruin their own and multiple other drivers races. Driver errors on lap 1, and overly aggressive passing moves that cause damage to other cars or force them to take evasive action will be viewed dimly by the admin team
Never:
⦁ Stop your car on the race track;
⦁ Cross the pit lane entry or exit merge lines when entering or exiting the track
⦁ Hold anyone up in qualifying if you are not on a flying lap
⦁ Run people off the track on straights or corners – always leave racing room
⦁ Take out brake or pit markers on purpose
Breaches of the above may lead to the driver in question being sanctioned by the admin team
Blue Flag Etiquette:
⦁ Being shown a blue flag means there is a faster car approaching that you must let past when safe
⦁ In qualifying sessions:
⦁ Move your car off the racing line out of the way of anyone on a hot lap behind you
⦁ It is best to let other drivers pass on straights, as forcing a driver to make an overtake into or out of a corner will cost that driver time
⦁ Always keep an eye on your relative times and check your mirrors when not on a hot lap
⦁ in race sessions:
⦁ blue flags indicate you are about to be passed by a car a lap ahead of you. Do not defend your position
⦁ When letting someone past in race or qualifying:
⦁ Do not brake or lift off the accelerator exiting a corner if another car is directly behind you
⦁ Make it clear which side of the track you are going to stay on, and allow the faster car to have the other side
⦁ Do not panic, keep calm, hold your line and do not swerve or brake unexpectedly
⦁ Avoid all random unexpected moves or control inputs
⦁ Do not drive off the track to allow cars past
⦁ Be safe, smooth, predictable
⦁ If a car has moved to one side of you and has an overlap before a braking zone, allow that car to have the corner and pass you safely
⦁ It is recommended that the driver of the car being lapped rolls out of the throttle towards the end of a straight when being lapped. This allows a safer pass and minimises time loss for both the faster and slower driver
⦁ If you are in a battle and you are shown blue flags, you must still find a way to not hold up the faster cars
⦁ Passing a driver under blue flags
⦁ You must execute the pass in a safe manner, with no contact and without forcing the other car off track. As the faster car, the onus is on you to do this safely, and if a collision is caused there will be a presumption that it is the faster driver’s fault unless there is clear evidence to the contrary. This is especially the case for a GT3 passing a GT4.
⦁ If you are not close enough into a braking point, take the normal line and await the next straight to pass
⦁ Cars being lapped are not expected to move aside and abandon their race to allow leading cars to pass them
⦁ If you come up to lap a battle pack of cars, you need to be aware that getting past will not be easy and everyone has the right to race
⦁ Unlapping
⦁ Unlapping is permitted; however any pass must be clean and fair
⦁ If you are unable to get clear of the blue flags after a lap, you will need to let the car a lap ahead back past
⦁ Lapped cars are not to get involved in on-track battles with cars that are a lap or laps ahead
⦁ The golden rule that underpins the ROOZ Blue Flag Etiquette:
⦁ All drivers must do their best to avoid negatively impacting the race of drivers with whom they are not directly racing
- Stop your car on the race track
- Cross the pit exit line when entering the track
- Hold anyone up in qualifying if your not on a hot lap
- Run people off the track in straights or corners
- Take out brake markers or pit markers on purpose
- anyone doing so may get a penalty or race suspension
General things to do
- If you make an error and make contact with someone, redress the position when safe
- "redress" means give the position back
- If you go off track, only re-enter when it is clear you wont effect anyone else still on the track
- Try not to re-enter at 90 degrees to the track - you will not have a good view of what is coming!
- Turn your car so you are facing the direction of the track and check your relative to see what is coming, and your mirrors as you re-enter safely
- Give racing room, if there is an overlap then leaving racing room is expected
- If you defend one side then make sure you don't go back to the other side if it will block the other cars run or push them off the track
- If you need to stop to escape to pits, do this well off the track preferably as far away as possible and escape quickly to avoid yellow flags being triggered while your car is parked
- Avoid contact as much as possible, any damage will greatly affect your race and those you have contact with
Exiting the Pits
- During qualy, enter the track only when clear and avoid blocking anyone's run into T1
- As you exit the pit during a race, you must stay inside the merge line.
- After the merge line ends, it is full racing rules as usual and you are free to battle into the next turn (unless its under blue flags)
When you are shown a blue flag
- Blue flags mean that you should let the oncoming car past when safe
- In qualifying sessions:
- Get completely out of the way of anyone on a hot lap behind you as soon as it is safe
- It is best to let people pass on straights as anyone passing you into a corner will lose time and perhaps bin the lap
- Check your relative and mirrors when you are not on a hot lap and try and plan ahead to let people past without slowing them
- In a race blue flags indicate someone is about to lap you - do not defend your position
- When letting someone past:
- On corner exit - don't brake or slow exiting if another car is directly behind you
- Make it clear which side of the track you are going to stay on and let them have the other side
- Don't panic, keep calm and hold your line
- Avoid random unexpected moves
- Don't drive off the track to let cars past
- Be safe, smooth and predictable - if you do this, you won't lose control or cause an accident
- If a car has moved to a side and got overlap before braking then leave them enough room to pass safely
- Cars lapping others:
- You still need to do so without forcing the slower cars off track or making contact
- If you aren't close enough into the brake point the car ahead can take a normal racing line
- Cars being lapped don't have to move aside and abandon their race to let cars lap them
- Lapping cars need to be aware that if there is a battle under blue flags, getting past wont be easy and everyone has the rights to race no matter what position it is for
- All cars should do their best to avoid negatively impacting the race of others they aren't directly racing with
- When un-lapping yourself:
- Make sure its a clean and fair pass
- If you then can't get clear of the blue flags you will need to let the car past again