The Virtual Safety Car (VSC) is an electronic system used in Formula 1 to slow all cars down when there is a hazard on track that is not serious enough to warrant deploying the physical safety car. Instead of following a real safety car, each driver receives a target delta time on their steering wheel that they must not exceed. This means they all slow to a controlled pace without physically bunching up. The VSC was introduced in 2015 and has a significant strategic impact because it affects when teams choose to make pit stops.
Example: They’re going to pit him under the VSC — that’s a brilliant call by the strategist, he won’t lose any time to the cars on track.
The Virtual Safety Car does not put a physical car on track. Drivers manage their speed electronically using a delta time target shown in the cockpit.
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