https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1...flags/6697216/
F1 drivers welcome plan to delete lap times set under double yellow flags
By: Adam Cooper
Oct 21, 2021, 3:11 PM
Formula 1 drivers have welcomed the FIA’s plan to delete any lap times achieved by cars that pass through a double waved yellow zone in practice and in qualifying.
As previously reported the idea of deleting times emerged in Turkey after Fernando Alonso controversially escaped sanction following a post-qualifying investigation of a yellow flag offence.
After informal discussions between teams and race director Michael Masi on the morning of the race in Istanbul, the subject was debated further in a sporting advisory group meeting last week, when all teams agreed that it would be a good solution.
Masi has now formally confirmed that the system, similar to that for track limits offences, will be used from this weekend’s US GP.
His race director’s notes for the Austin weekend read: “Any driver passing through a double waved yellow marshalling sector must reduce speed significantly and be prepared to change direction or stop.
“In order for the stewards to be satisfied that any such driver has complied with these requirements it must be clear that he has not attempted to set a meaningful lap time. For practical purposes any driver in a double yellow sector will have that lap time deleted."
A section reading “this means the driver should abandon the lap (this does not necessarily mean he has to pit as the track could well be clear the following lap)” has been removed.
Drivers agree that the new initiative is a positive one.