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Software Glitch Robs Formula 1 World Champ of Season's First Win (theregister.co.uk)
Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was left fuming after a software glitch denied him an easy win in the first race of the 2018 season on Sunday. From a report: Hamilton held a comfortable lead in Australia's Melbourne grand prix from the start. After pitting for fresh rubber ahead of the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton looked set for an easy win. Then both of the American Haas team's cars had to be taken off the circuit after their wheel nuts became loose. That triggered a virtual safety car (VSC). The VSC is a fairly new concept: while active, the drivers have to slow down, they cannot overtake, and they must not go below minimum times for each circuit sector. Failure to follow the rules will result in penalties. This is all done to preserve the race state while giving safety marshals time to clear debris or vehicles off the track.
While the VSC was active on Sunday, second-placed Vettel ducked into the pit lane, where the virtual car's speed rules did not apply, picked up fresh tires, and emerged ahead of Hamilton to take first place. Vettel was able to do this because Hamilton's car software miscalculated the minimum sector time according to the VSC rules, causing the Brit to slow down more than was necessary. The code thought Vettel would spend 15 seconds in the pits; the Ferrari driver and his team took just 11 seconds.
While the VSC was active on Sunday, second-placed Vettel ducked into the pit lane, where the virtual car's speed rules did not apply, picked up fresh tires, and emerged ahead of Hamilton to take first place. Vettel was able to do this because Hamilton's car software miscalculated the minimum sector time according to the VSC rules, causing the Brit to slow down more than was necessary. The code thought Vettel would spend 15 seconds in the pits; the Ferrari driver and his team took just 11 seconds.
Seems like an oversight of the VSC requirements. If the goal is to preserve the race state and pit stops are somehow exempted, then that seems like a loophole.
It shouldn't be 'guessing' what the pit time is going to be to slow down for, it should be some mandatory amount.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
... this is why I'm not watching F1 anymore.
"Science will win because it works." - Stephen Hawking
The basic problem with F1 is that it's too expensive to be competitive. Back in the 70s garage teams could win, but now even the guys just there to make up the numbers and provide a full grid are very well funded.
It's at the point now where the only way to win is to spend vast amounts on the latest technology. Only a few teams can afford to do it, and they all demand rule changes to make the technology more applicable to road cars so they can justify the expense. And of course, the rule changes favour the well funded teams while making it harder just for the poorer ones to stay legal.
This is also why it's so boring. Every year, one team gets a big technological advantage and dominates. There is little competition, except between their own two drivers. The other teams can't catch up because mid-season improvements to the car are very limited, to keep costs down and allow poorer teams to be a little a little bit competitive.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
it's not the code it's gaming the rules of the event
Video of the pit stop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
It's also a clarion call to stop referring to auto racing as a sport. Once win-lose status comes down to software, it should not be permissible to refer to a race as a "sporting event."
Sport (noun): an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
Winning requires precision and talent from the entire team. The drivers are phenomenal athletes - racing an F1 car is not just sitting there and turning the wheel, it's physically extremely demanding. The racing is to entertain the entire fanbase.
Sounds like this fits the definition of sport perfectly.