The Circuito Internacional de Vila Real in Portugal will be making motorsport history as the first non-rallycross circuit to have a joker lap. The joker lap will be used at the FIA WTCC’s 2017 Race of Portugal on the weekend of June 25.
The concept of a joker lap is used in rallycross racing in disciplines like the FIA WorldRX. The concept is simple: the drivers are required take a minor detour (usually a longer path) during one lap of the race. Each driver must do so and they may choose on which lap to complete the joker lap. The concept is widely successful in rallycross racing, but would it be entertaining in a series like WTCC or Formula One?
Well, the WTCC is about to find out just how entertaining the concept will be in their series at the end of the month. The joker lap is at the final corner of the circuit and is expected to add an additional two seconds to a driver’s lap time. There will be a few more rules than in rallycross, such as a minimum lap requirement which means that the drivers can’t perform the joker lap within the first three laps of the race.
One of the big concerns with this type of system was safety. WTCC is a high speed competition, whereas a series like the FIA WorldRX is relatively slow in comparison. Having drivers leave the main circuit and then rejoin under racing conditions could be dangerous in this type of circuit racing. However, the circuit worked closely with the FIA regarding safety and the plans were approved by the FIA Safety Department.
So, could the joker lap concept work in a series like Formula One?
It would certainly add an extra layer of strategy, especially at circuits were overtaking isn’t all that common. But is it really something that would make a difference at circuits where the leading cars are easily able to stretch the gap between themselves and the guy behind well beyond what would be required to complete the joker lap without losing a position. We already see that now with pit stops, which require a much larger gap than a joker lap would.
I feel that a joker lap would also be received by the fans much like the DRS: as another form of artificial overtaking. Personally, I don’t have an issue with the DRS system because it does promote overtaking, but there are a large number of fans that hate the system. However, I don’t see the joker lap the same way as the DRS.
Although the DRS can give drivers the added speed required to overtake the car in front, even if they wouldn’t have been able to overtake them otherwise, the joker lap is an entirely different ball of wax. You’re changing the rules to slow drivers down in hopes that they will be stuck in traffic or fall into the clutches of the pursuing car. It’s just not the same.
It could also rob us of a good battle too, kind of like the way the undercut does during the pit stops. In the leading two cars are 20 seconds ahead and the second place car is right on the leader’s gearbox and the second place car takes the joker lap a lap earlier than the leader, they would be out in clear air and can lap faster so that when the leader does the joker lap, they come out behind the new leader. Where’s the fun in that? How does that add to the excitement of the race?
Nevertheless, I would be entirely open to giving the joker lap a go in a non-championship setting. I don’t like seeing things tested during the season, especially something as radical as this which could cost a driver a race victory. F1 management previously talked about setting up certain non-championship weekend’s to try different weekend formats, so it would be ok to try the joker lap there to see how it goes.
However, the future of the joker lap in circuit racing greatly depends on the success or failure of the newly added joker lap in the WTCC. If it’s a flop, it will likely mark the end of joker laps in circuit racing. If it’s a success, it’s possible that we could eventually see the system tested in Formula-E or some of the lower formulae.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer or company. Assumptions made in any analysis contained within this article are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.
