FIA looks at ECU safety car solution

Talks to revise the way that the pitlane is closed during safety car periods have been ongoing since the start of the season, with drivers and teams expressing concerns that the situation unfairly penalises those who are forced to stop for fuel just when the safety car comes out.

Despite a push to make a change, however, it has been difficult to find a solution to the problem that will prevent drivers from being sanctioned through events beyond their control, without also increasing the dangers caused by drivers racing past incidents at full speed.

Further discussions took place in Turkey last weekend, with the impetus for change increased after Nick Heidfeld was penalised after pitting in Barcelona during the safety car period, caused by Heikki Kovalainen's accident.

No agreement for change was reached in these latest talks, although sources have revealed that a proposal to introduce a speed-limit for the lap the safety car is called out has been put forward and is being evaluated by the FIA.

The idea is for the standard ECU to be used to provide a display to the drivers informing them of how quickly they can return to the pits once the safety car has been deployed.

Although the introduction of such a system is not easy, it is understood that the initial suggestion from the FIA's software experts is that it is possible to make it work.

However, the solution would need to be fully tested prior to its use at a grand prix - which is why it is likely any plans to introduce it will have to wait until the French Grand Prix in July at the earliest.

That timetable for introduction means that the current rules will remain in place for the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix - two races where there is a high likelihood of safety cars and therefore more controversy about the current rules.

Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) director Mark Webber has said he thinks everyone in the sport is keen for a change.

"It's under discussion but it's still a few races away at least," he said. "As we've said before, everybody would like it tidied up - drivers, team management and the FIA."