These Driving Standards notes, must be read in conjunction with the Event Supplementary & Further Regulations, Race Meeting Standing Regulations and the general Provisions of Motorsport Australia Manual.

RACING ROOM

– Giving your competitor racing room is one of the foundation rules of racing. This rule is the basis of all Driving Standards. At all times you MUST NOT force your competitor off the track by squeezing or failing to give them adequate room to place and race their car.

BLOCKING

– Blocking causes collisions (NOTE: Macquarie defines an “accident” as an “event without apparent cause” and the consequences of blocking occurs as a result of a deliberate action and therefore CANNOT be an “accident”). No blocking will be tolerated and will be penalised. However, the following exceptions MAY apply at the discretion of the DSO (Driver Standards Officer) or event officials.

PROTECTING YOUR LINE

– To protect your racing line on a straight you are allowed ONE movement to position your car. Having made such a move, you cannot move back onto the racing line at the end of the straight as that is classed as two moves. Continuous movement across the track down the straights is considered multiple movements. However, protecting your line in the manner (a series of single moves for multiple laps) will also constitute as blocking. The above does not apply when passing a slower vehicle, which are expected to stay on the line whilst being passed.

OVERTAKING

– At the USUAL TURN IN POINT of a corner (and no later), you MUST have your car’s front wheel at least up to the front pillar (Steering wheel) of the car you are overtaking, whilst remaining in complete and effective control of your vehicle at all times. From this point you own the corner, but anything less and you MUST bail out of the move without affecting the other car’s progress and allow your competitor to come across in front of you. At the usual point of turn in, you must also have your car under control for your move and the concept of safe overtaking does not include an out of control move up the inside. Vice versa if you are up to the front pillar (Steering Wheel) of the car you are passing, they MUST give you racing room. They can on the outside of you if they choose but they MUST NOT crowed in on you or cut across your nose. If your competitor stays on the outside and alongside you, then you must give them racing room on the exit of the corner and not seek to crowed them off the circuit in an attempt to for them to “Lift Off”. Overtaking at corners is the most likely circumstance where contact may occur. Late braking, “Out of Control” moves up the inside and crowding and / or turning down on another drive on corner exit does not constitute acceptable conduct. Participants MUST allow sufficient room at corners and be prepared to yield to another competitor in the interests of safety, even if at the cost of track position – and this applies as much to overtaking cars as to those being overtaken – remember – under the Motorsport Australia NCR’s, it is entirely the responsibility of the overtaking driver to execute the maneuver safely.

RE-ENTRY TO THE CIRCUIT

– If you go off the circuit or run wide, make sure it is safe to re-join the circuit.

Wait for flag marshal’s direction or a clear gap in the traffic.

We must remember that we are a group of like-minded competitors whose main aim is to compete fairly and in the absence of deliberate car to car contact and/or intimidation for track position gain and all for mutual enjoyment.

Participants involved in more serious incidents, especially those under Motorsport Australia NCR 183 and more particularly NCR 183.ix, will be reported to the Victoria State Council Motor Racing Panel and/or be the subject of a HERA Vic. Inc. request to event stewards for penalties to be increased to include exclusions from the current and in serious cases,future events.

Driving standards apply not only on the racing surface itself, but include the paddock area, marshaling area and also pit lane.

The Motorsport Australia Race Meetings Standing Regulations can be found on Motorsport Australia web site and they from parts of these notes. Entrants and drives should read all sections, but section 7.2 in particular.