34. Pit Lane, Pit Garages and Pit Lane Allocation¶

34.1. The allocation of pit garages, where available, will be done according to the following order:¶

1) Specific requests from the Promoter or Event Organiser

2) The Team which is currently leading the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Series

3) For Sprint Competitions, the Team which is currently leading the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup

For Endurance Competitions, the Team currently leading the Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup

Once these Teams have chosen their pit garages, the remaining Teams will be placed according to whatever criteria the Promoter deems suitable. The Teams listed above must respond by the given deadline or they will lose their priority. Any choice, once given, is irrevocable.

The Promoter retains the right to override or cancel the above-mentioned pit garage allocation due to commercial, sporting or other reasons.

When the number of pit garages is lower than the number of cars entered, the Competitors will have to share pit garages.

Teams must abide by the pit garage allocation document issued by the Promoter for each Event with each car placed in the corresponding pit garage.

34.2.¶

The installation of Teams and their equipment in the pit lane and working lane will take place subject to the approval of the Race Director and/or the Pit Lane Supervisor, whose decision is final.

34.3.¶

The working area for each Team will be in front of its pit garage(s) and will be the only working area for all of its cars. The limits of the area allotted to each Team will be indicated or marked on the ground by the Pit Lane Official in consultation with the Race Director. No Team may exceed the marked limits with their equipment.

Should the conditions at any circuit not allow for this to be followed, the procedure for allocating the working area for each Team will be given in the Appendix 1 document prior to the Event, or in a Bulletin from the Stewards during the Event.

A Team’s working area may include cars run under different Competitor’s licences, in accordance with Article 11.4.

34.4.¶

For the avoidance of doubt and for description purposes, the pit lane shall be divided into two lanes.

The lane closest to the pit wall is designated the "fast lane", and the lane closest to the pit garages is designated the "working lane" and is the only area where any work may be carried out on a car. The "working lane" is formed on one side by a line painted in front of the pit building and on the other by a line separating it from the "fast lane".

34.5.¶

Competitors must not paint lines on any part of the pit lane. Any markings made with tape must be removed at the end of the Event.

Suppliers are not allowed to install floors, lighting, etc without specific written authorisation from the Promoter.

34.6.¶

Smoking, making fire and welding are all strictly forbidden in the pit garages as well as within a six-metre radius. No welding operations can be carried out within this perimeter, and no devices generating sparks will be allowed in this area.

34.7.¶

LPG gas cylinders and accessories are strictly forbidden in the pit lane, in the pit garages and for a distance of at least five metres behind the pit garages, as well as inside the Competitors' trucks. Any infractions may result in a penalty according to the following scale:

First offence: fine of three hundred euros (€300)
Second offence: fine of four hundred and fifty euros (€450)
Third offence: fine of six hundred euros (€600)

34.8.¶

An inventory may be carried out on the pit garages and surrounding areas. All damage caused will be invoiced to the Competitor.

34.9.¶

Teams must be considerate towards other Series taking part in the same Event. Equipment must not be left outside the garages between Fanatec GT Challenge Europe powered by AWS sessions. Unless otherwise indicated by the Organisers or Stewards, garage doors must be opened before the start of the first track session of each day and left open until the end of that day's track action, in accordance with the official timetable. Any additional regulations at an Event concerning Covid-19 restrictions and in particular access for support race staff will be issued in a Communication from the Race Director or a Bulletin from the Stewards.

34.10.¶

Pit Installations including folding brackets and flexible air, fuel or lighting mountings must not exceed the width of the working area, nor may they be less than two metres above ground level. Support arms must be suspended and fastened by chains or wire cables.

Lighting arrays must be directed towards the interior of the working area. Lighting equipment must not face the oncoming traffic. It must be low-temperature, flame-proof and must not be located less than 50 cm away from the refuelling pipes and tower. Halogen lights are not authorised.

Equipment on the pit signalling area must be sufficiently rigid, be made from translucent material and must not extend beyond the base of the signalling wall. Sunshades, parasols and umbrellas are prohibited. Material fixed onto the signalling wall must not cause any damage. All advertising or promotional material on the signalling wall or the sides or top of the Competitors' boxes is prohibited, with the exception of the equipment from the Organisers.

34.11.¶

A speed limit of 50.00 km/h will be enforced in the pit lane. Any driver exceeding the limit above will be reported to the Stewards.

For pit lane speeding offences up to 62 km/h, a decision will be automatically issued by the Stewards without summoning the Competitor to a hearing. However, if the Competitor believes they have clear evidence to suggest the penalty imposed is inappropriate they may submit any evidence for consideration in accordance with Article 16.7 above.

Penalties will normally be imposed according to the following schedule:

During the Bronze Test and free practice sessions:

Between 50.01 and 50.99 km/h: on-screen and/or radio warning

From 51.00 km/h: a fine of 50 euros per kilometre over the 50.0 km/h limit, with the speed being rounded up to the next full kilometre per hour

During the pre-qualifying and qualifying sessions:

From 50.1 km/h: a fine of 50 euros per kilometre over the 50.0 km/h limit, with the speed being rounded up to the next full kilometre per hour

During the race for a first offence:
Between 50.01 and 51.99 km/h: 5 second penalty to be taken at the next pit stop
Between 52.00 and 55.00 km/h: a 10 second penalty to be taken at the next pit stop
From 55.01 km/h to 60.00 km/h: a 15 second penalty to be taken at the next pit stop
From 60.01 upwards: a drive-through penalty.
Any further offences will be penalised at the discretion of the Stewards.

Should it not be possible to take any of the time penalties during a pit stop they will be added to the elapsed time of the car concerned.

34.12.¶

Unless a car is pushed from the grid at any time during the start procedure, cars may only be driven from the Team's designated pit garage area to the end of the pit lane.

34.13.¶

Any driver intending to start the race from the pit lane must not drive his car from his Team's designated pit garage area until the pit exit is closed and must stop in a line in the fast lane. Such cars are not required to adhere to the mandatory timings and instructions given for cars on the grid unless otherwise specified by the Race Director or Stewards.

34.14.¶

No equipment may be left in the fast lane. A car may enter or remain in the fast lane only with the driver sitting in the car behind the steering wheel in his normal position, and under its own power.

34.15.¶

A maximum of five minutes before the start of any practice session or qualifying session, cars may be allowed to drive from their allocated working area to queue in the fast lane. Cars may only leave their working area to queue after an instruction of 'FAST LANE OPEN' has been given on the timing monitors and/or the Team radio. Should it not be possible to give this instruction, cars must not move until the light at pit lane exit is green.

Cars moving from their working area before they have received either the 'FAST LANE OPEN' instruction or a green light at pit exit may be reported to the Stewards. This also applies after a red-flag interruption to a practice or qualifying session.

34.16.¶

It is the responsibility of each Competitor to release his car after a pit stop only when it is safe to do so. Cars in the fast lane have priority over those rejoining from the working lane; this includes any part of a car in the fast lane overlapping one in the working lane . Once a car has left its garage or pit stop position it should blend into the fast lane as soon as it is safe to do so, and without unnecessarily impeding cars which are already in the fast lane. Cars must move completely from their working area to the fast lane prior to exiting the pit lane across the pit lane exit loop. Cars may only leave the fast lane to move into the working lane a maximum of three pit garages / working areas before their own working area, and must join the fast lane a maximum of three pit garages/working areas after their own working area.

34.17.¶

Cars must not be released from a garage or pit stop position in a way that could endanger or unnecessarily impede pit lane personnel or another driver. Cars may not be released from a garage or pit stop position in an unsafe condition. A car will be deemed to have been released either when it has been driven out of its designated garage or after it has moved from its pit stop position. Equipment or tyres may not be left in the pit lane in a manner that would endanger or unnecessarily impede pit lane personnel or another car. Any infractions will result in a penalty.

34.18.¶

During any practice, qualifying or race, cars may only leave their working area when they are ready to rejoin the track.

They must proceed down the pit lane at a suitable pace, without slowing or stopping except in cases of force majeure, while respecting the pit lane speed limit. Except for safety reasons, recognised as such by the Stewards, cars must not stop in the fast lane, or proceed at low speed.

Cars in either the fast lane or working lane may not overtake other cars in the fast lane except in exceptional circumstances e.g., a slow car with an obvious mechanical problem, a stopped car, an obstacle.

34.19.¶

At all times when the cars are allowed onto the track:

a) Visibility towards the inside of the pit/garage must be ensured, with nothing hindering any control whatsoever from outside (bodywork parts, curtains, tyres piled up, etc.). The pit curtain/garage door (pit lane side) must remain fully open.

b) Officials shall have free access into the pits.

c) Except for the gantries, and refuelling rigs for cases A, B and C, no tools or equipment may be left in the working area once a pit stop is over. During the Event, the cars must be parked with the front facing towards the pit lane at all times when in the pit garages.

d) There is no limitation on the number of mechanics when the car is inside the pit garage

e) At the start of any session, cars must be at an angle of 45 degrees, nose out towards pit exit. Except during qualifying, cars must stop parallel to the pit building for pit stops, should park at 45 degrees and be pushed into their pit garages at other times. During qualifying, they must be parked at an angle of 45 degrees to the pit lane, with the rear of the car to the pit garage and the nose facing towards the pit exit. Any changes to this Article according to the specific layout of each individual circuit will be given in a Bulletin from the Stewards.

Exception – Case D : for free practice, any cars which are not eligible to take part in the first part of the session reserved for Bronze and Silver

f) At all times, cars must be pushed in front of the pit/garage and the engine must be restarted by the driver alone, and the car must leave the working area with no external assistance.

g) During qualifying, any car which stops around the track and is brought back to the paddock by external means will be placed in Parc Fermé and will not be allowed to take part in the rest of the session. This applies even if the car, for any reason, is returned to the Team. Cars which are able to rejoin after external assistance and return to the pit lane via the track may take part in the rest of the session. Authorised external assistance may include transporting a car to a suitable location around the track from which the driver will be allowed to attempt to rejoin the session safely.

h) During any Race, a car which is removed from the track and is brought back to the paddock by external means will be placed in Parc Fermé and will not be allowed to rejoin the Race. This applies even if the car, for any reason, is returned to the Team. Cars which are able to rejoin the track after any authorised external assistance and return to the pit lane via the track may take part in the rest of the race. Authorised external assistance may include transporting a car to a suitable location around the track from which the driver will be allowed to attempt to rejoin the session safely.

i) For the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa race only, if a car stops between the white line at pit entry and the speed limit line at pit entry, and is taken by the marshals into the pit lane, exceptionally, up to four mechanics from the Team will be able to collect the car and return it to their pit garage.