Bulgaria

This part of the rulebook contains information about the type of penalties given for rule infractions. Most types of infractions will only be reviewed after receiving a report from a driver, team manager or team owner. Exceptions to that are infractions to rules like those for tire compounds, pitlane speed limit, pitlane entry/exit lines and so on, which the league management will review and penalize without receiving a report.

The reports will be reviewed by a Race Control (RC) commission. Anyone approved by the league management can take part in the RC. The current members of the RC are:

  • Dimitar Dulichki
  • Hristo Itchov

The participants of the league can submit reports for any incident or rule infraction within 72 hours after the end of the race, which then will be reviewed by a member of the RC. If someone disagrees with the decision made by the RC member, they can send an appeal within 48 hours of the RC decision, after which the situation will be reviewed by all members of the RC.

Type of penalties

The main type of penalties are: penalty points, loss of starting grid positions in a current or future race, disqualification from qualifying or race, 1 race ban, multiple races ban, missing the rest of the season, and as a last resort for very serious infractions – total ban from participation in the league.

The penalties will be applied for infractions of the rules described in the Racing Section.

Penalty points system

From season 3 onwards, we introduce a penalty points system, similar to the one used in the real Formula 1. Any driver who breaks the rules will receive penalty points, the amount of which depends on the severity of the infraction. If a driver collects 12 or more points, he/she will be penalized with 1 race ban for the following start of the season, after which his penalty points will be set to 0.

Any penalty points given out will remain valid for 12 months, after which they are removed.

Type of infractions that are penalized with the points system

Here are some of the main infractions for which a driver may receive penalty points:

  1. One (1) penalty point is given for:
    – Each text line in the in-game chat, in sessions for which chat is forbidden.
    – Any bumping or pushing of another driver, that gains an advantage. An advantage is considered when the driver gains a position and/or time against the other driver(s), within the next straight and/or corner.
    – Each spotted speeding in the pitlane during official training sessions.
    – Each crossing of the continuous line of the pit entry/exit.
    – Each cutting of the track limits, which has given the driver a proven lap time advantage. A proven advantage is considered to be a difference in lap time of half (0.500) or more seconds compared to the driver’s other laps. For 5 or more such cuts, the driver will be disqualified from the race results.
  2. Two (2) penalty points are given for:
    – Blocking another driver, which leads to a dangerous situation, loss of time or loss of position for the other driver, or drivers nearby.
    – Hitting one or more drivers, that causes them to spin out, lose a wing, bend their suspension or damage their brakes, but doesn’t lead to their retirement.
    – Dangerous rejoin after leaving the track limits, causing one or more drivers to avoid a collision by changing their speed and/or direction.
    – Starting the Race with tyre compound different from the one used in Qualifying.
    – Driving on the track with seriously damaged car for more than 3 laps. A seriously damaged car is considered to be such, which doesn’t allow the driver to produce lap times within 120% of his/her normal lap times. This usually means a car with broken wings, missing wheels and/or tyre punctures.
  3. Three (3) penalty points are given for:
    – Collision with one or more drivers, that leads to the immediate or consequential retirement of those drivers.

Type of infractions, penalized without the use of the points system

  1. Disqualification is given for:
    – Using tyre compounds in the race that differ from the appointed compounds for that event.
    – Using just one of the two tyre compounds in a dry weather race.
    – Going backwards on track, against the normal direction.
  2. Starting from a lower position in the current race is given for:
    – Using tyre compounds in the Qualifying that differ from the appointed compounds for that event. The driver who is caught doing that is penalized with starting from the back of the grid.
  3. Starting last in the next race, missing races or receiving a race ban are penalties given for situations, for which there are no precise rules in the rulebook, or for systematic infraction of one or more rules. The exact penalty given is decided by the RC.

Any participant in the league has the right to send reports to the RC, not only for infractions described in the rulebook, but also for such that are not.