SMP Racing Sports Set of Rules

Introduction
1. These rules establish the rules of conduct for the participants of the competition. All participants are required to fully comply with them.
The flag guidelines.
1. Green flag - used to signal that the racetrack is free. It is shown at a post located directly behind an obstacle, the presence of which required the use of one or more yellow flags. When used at the main post, it means the command to start/resume the race.
2. Red flag - used to signal the stop of the session (practice, qualifying, race). All pilots must stop rivalling, slow down and be ready to stop and proceed to the pits. Overtaking is prohibited.
3. A black-and-white checkered flag is displayed at the main post to signal the end of the session (practice, qualifying, race) after the allotted time or passing the race distance. The pilot is considered to have finished the session when crossing the line on which the checkered flag is shown.
4. White flag - informs the pilot that there is a car moving at a significantly lower speed on the section of the track controlled by this post, compared to the rest of the cars participating in the competition.
5. Yellow flag - used to signal danger. Pilots who are shown a yellow flag should stop rivalling, slow down, be ready to change the driving line. The effect of yellow flags can be local - in this case, the end of the yellow flag zone is indicated by a green flag, or extend to the entire route (full course yellow mode) - in this case, yellow flags are shown at all posts, including the main one. The end of the full course yellow mode is signaled by a green flag shown at the main post.
6. Double yellow flag - used to signal danger with full or partial closure of the Race Track. Pilots must stop fighting, slow down, be ready to change the driving line or stop completely.
7. Yellow-red striped flag is used to inform pilots about the deterioration of grip due to oil, water, sand, etc. on the track behind the flag.
8. Blue flag - in qualifying, it is used to signal to a Pilot who is on a out lap that he is being overtaken by a pilot on a flying lap. In a race, it is used to signal to the Pilot that he is being overtaken by a pilot who is ahead of him by a lap or more. Pilots who are shown a blue flag should not interfere with overtaking.
9. A black-and-white flag divided diagonally is used to signal to the Pilot that he has been issued a warning for unsportsmanlike behavior.
10. A black flag with an orange circle informs the relevant pilot that his car has a technical malfunction that poses a threat to himself or others, and means that he must proceed to the pits to eliminate the malfunction.
11. Black flag - informs the pilot that he has been issued a fine with a drive-through or Stop&Go required. The participant has three laps from the moment the black flag is displayed to serve the fine.
Racetrack regulations.
1. Dangerous driving (repetition of serious mistakes or the appearance of lack of control over the car, including periodic trips off the Racetrack) It will be the subject of consideration by the stewards and may entail sanctions, up to the exclusion of the participant from the competition.
2. Participants are required to take all necessary actions to avoid contact with rival cars.
3. Throughout the Race, Participants must make every effort to stay within the Racetrack limits, except in cases of a Pit stop, the need to avoid Contact or if the Organizer has given special instructions regarding the Racetrack limits.
4. A car will be considered to have left the Racetrack if none of its wheels come into contact with the Racetrack, including the white border lines.
5. The pilot that has left the Racetrack has the right to re-enter it, only without obtaining any advantage and having made sure of the safety of his maneuver, and at the same time bears increased responsibility for contacts that occurred when he returned to the Racetrack.
6. It is forbidden to interfere with other Pilots when leaving the Racetrack. Exiting should be made at the sharpest possible angle. After leaving the Racetrack, in case other cars are approaching, the Pilot is obliged to move along the edge through which the exit was made, until the next corner.
7. In case of loss of control over the car, the Pilot who has lost control is obliged to press the brake pedal and hold it until the car stops.
8. In the event of a stop within the Racetrack as a result of an incident, the Pilot has the right to resume driving only after making sure that this does not interfere with rivals. At the same time, the pilot is responsible for the contacts that occurred due to the resumption of driving.
9. It is prohibited to stop on the Racetrack and on the Pitlane, except in cases where it is necessary to avoid Contact.
10. Sudden unreasonable deceleration on the Race Track is prohibited.
11. It is forbidden to drive in the direction opposite to the prescribed one.
12. It is forbidden to drive in reverse, except in cases when there is no other way to safely perform a U-turn.
Behaviour on track and duels.
1. Pilots must not violate the principles of fair competition, show unsportsmanlike behavior or try to influence the race results contrary to sports ethics.
2. Duels outside the Racetrack are prohibited. If overtaking or successful defense is made while being outside the Racetrack, the Pilot who went off the Racetrack must give the position back.
3. The base of the car is the space between the axles of its front and rear wheels. It will be considered that the overtaking car "drove into the base", if the front part (dimension) of the overtaking car was ahead of the rear wheel axis of the overtaken car.
4. If the in-base driving occurred before the overtaken car entered a corner, the pilots must leave each other a space of at least one car width between their car and the white line, symbolizing the Racetrack limit.
5. If the overtaken car has already started passing through the corner and is on the optimal trajectory for a corner (several corners), and the overtaking car "drove into the base" only after that and turned out not to be parallel to the overtaken one, but at some angle, then the Pilot of the overtaking car bears responsibility for possible collisions.
6. Overtaking is considered completed if there is no overlap between cars, and the driving lines of cars along the optimal trajectory in this situation will not incur contact.
7. When defending a position, one change of the driving line is allowed between corners.
8. Break-testing, hindering or forcing off the Racetrack, as well as multiple blockages are prohibited and will entail sanctions by the decision of the stewards.
9. Systematic blows or touches to the rear part of the car in front will entail sanctions by the decision of the stewards.
10. Maneuvers that may interfere with other pilots, such as the deliberate accumulation of cars on the outside or inside of the turn or any other abnormal change of driving line is strictly prohibited and will entail sanctions by the decision of the stewards.
11. Flashing of headlights to the pilot in front to inform him about the intention to overtake is allowed, but abuse of this opportunity (flashing more than three times in a row) may entail sanctions.
12. The blue flag informs the Pilot of the approach of an overlapping faster opponent (ahead by a lap or more). In this case, the blue-flagged Pilot should refrain from sudden and unpredictable maneuvers and braking. The pilot of a slower car should not obstruct to overtaking.
13. A pilot can overtake a car that is a lap (or more) ahead of him if his pace is currently higher and if this does not interfere with a duel of that car and does not lead to a significant loss of time by that car.
14. If the Pilots are shown a yellow flag, they should stop a duel and focus on ensuring safety. A pilot who has overtaken a car not involved in the incident in the yellow flags area must give the position back.
Qualification.
1. The pilot who is on out lap must do everything possible not to interfere with the Pilots who are on flying laps.
2. If the Pilot has been blue-flagged in qualifying, he must do everything possible to ensure that the faster car overtakes without losing time.
3. As soon as a Participant's car on a straight has been caught up by another car with a speed either temporarily or permanently higher than his own, the Participant must give way to such a car at the earliest convenience.
Pit stop guidelines.
1. A pilot who is going to make a pit stop must in good time take an outer track position closer to the Pitlane entrance so that his driving line does not intersect with the trajectories of other Pilots.
2. Duels are forbidden in the Pitlane, as well as at its entrance and exit. When driving through the Pitlane under a green flag, the car further from the pit line has an advantage. It is forbidden to overtake such a car when driving through the Pitlane.
3. It is allowed to overtake a car with a much lower speed than the maximum speed allowed in the Pitlane. Such maneuver should be made from the side opposite to the pits. The pilot of a slow car in this case should provide an overtake opportunity.
4. Reverse driving is allowed only in own pit.
5. When starting to exit own pit, the Pilot should not interfere with other Pilots. At the same time, it is necessary to get to outer border line as quickly as possible. In the same way, before making his pit stop the pilot must move along the line located furthest from the pit line, leaving it only immediately before entering his pit.
6. When leaving the Pitlane to the Racetrack, the participant must not cross the marking line that limits the exit corridor, if there is one, with any part of his car.
7. When entering the Pitlane from the Racetrack, the participant must not cross the marking line that limits the entrance corridor, if there is one, with any part of his car.
8. If a mandatory pit stop is provided for in the check-in (including a penalty pass), the check-in must be carried out in the green flag mode - the "full course yellow" mode should not be active at the time of arrival at the Pitlane. Check-in to the Pitlane for a mandatory pit stop or penalty can be made no earlier than the first crossing of the start/finish line by the participant and not on the last lap of the race.
9. It is prohibited to drive into the pit lane at a speed exceeding the speed limit for this competition.
10. It is forbidden to stop in the Pitlane outside your pit.
Penalties.
1. Any violations of this Set of Rules, the Code of Conduct, as well as additional regulations of the competition, committed by pilots, may lead to penalties (sanctions).
2. Sanctions Overview:
  - Warning
  - Changing the position on the starting grid
  - Cancellation of qualification result
  - Pitlane start
  - Time penalty
  - Change of position at the finish of the competition (stage).
  - Drive through a Pitlane (Drive-through)
  - Stop at a Pitlane (Stop&Go)
  - Race ban
  - Cancellation of the result of the competition, part of the competition, race. This penalty invalidates the result of the pilot in the competition (part of the competition, race). The result cancellation may lead to recalculation of overall points gained in competition (part of the competition, race).
  - Race ban is a penalty preventing the participant to take part in this competition or in several competitions within the same sporting event. The decision to exclude from the competition is announced by the stewards. A pilot may be excluded from one or more competitions. In all cases, exclusion from the competition does not entail a refund of the application fee.
  - Disqualification is the complete deprivation of the right of a disqualified person or organization to participate in any competition under the auspices of the Organizer. It can be temporary or indefinite.
  - penalty points - deductions from safety rating.
3. These penalties can be added up and applied with a delay.
4. Repeated violation or the presence of a warning during the race session by the decision of the stewards may lead to an increase in the applicable sanctions.
5. The regulations of a multi-stage competition may provide for score penalty in the general classification of the competition, as well as the penalty transfer to a subsequent competition.
6. The decision on the application of the above sanctions may be taken by:
  - The Race Organizer, if this is expressly provided for by the rules or regulations of the competition
  - The stewards of the competition
7. The decision of the Race Organizer or the Board of Stewards is subject to immediate execution, even if an appeal is filed.
8. In the case of fines after the finish of the competition (stage), first the penalty time is charged to the participants, in the order of violations resulting in sanctions, then fines are applied in the form of changing positions in the order of violations resulting in sanctions.
9. Any pilot who is excluded, temporarily disqualified or disqualified during the competition, loses the right to receive any awards established in this competition.
10. When considering violations not directly listed in the Set of Rules, the Organizer and officials have the right to apply one of the sports sanctions to the participant who committed such a violation, guided by the analogy of the law, principles of good faith, reasonableness and fairness.
11. Penalty point is issued by Stewards Board in following cases:
  - Violation, leading to severe consequences for other participants, such as serious damage to their cars, multiple collisions.
  - Severe violations, such as dangerous track rejoin or motion resume, leading to collision; ignoring yellow flag, leading to collision.
  - Every third violation during competition not considering violation type.
  - Leaving the competition before serving an issued penalty.
12. Penalties issued by Steward Board both during and after races run by SMP Racing Esports are accumulated in penalty seconds. Time penalties are converted to penalty seconds 1:1. Other penalties are converted to penalty seconds according to the following rules:
  - Drive-through - 25 seconds
  - Stop & Go - 30 seconds + stop time (SG10 - 40 seconds, SG20 - 50, SG30 - 60)
  - 1 penalty point - 20 seconds
  If a pilot accumulates 60 penalty seconds, his general prequalify will be reset. In order to continue participating in SMP Racing Esports competitions, the pilot will have to complete it again. In this case, the number of penalty seconds is reduced to 30.
  For each clean race, 10 penalty seconds are being deducted. The race is considered clean, if neither during nor after it, the Steward Board had not issued any penalty to the pilot for violations in this race, incl. warnings.
Protests and appeals.
1. Preliminary results of the current stage are published within 24 hours after its completion. The final results of the stage, including penalties, are published after consideration of all incidents and no later than 72 hours from the date of publication of the preliminary results.
2. Pilots participating in the competition have the right to file a protest.
3. In the absence of a protest, the official of the competition, acting within his competence, may initiate a review by the stewards of any fact that violates, in the opinion of this official, the established rules.
4. A protest may be filed against:
  - admission of a participant to the competition
  - alleged mistakes or improper actions during the competition
  - classification announced after the end of the competition
5. The deadlines for submitting protests are determined separately for each competition and must be specified in the rules of the relevant competition.
6. The protest is filed for one specific episode, for the actions of one particular participant. If, in the opinion of the protester, several participants violated the rules in the episode, the protests are filed separately for the actions of each of them.
7. Protests against in-game penalties (issued by the Simulator in automatic mode) are not accepted.
8. Protests against the decisions of the Board of Stewards and the Race Organizer are not accepted. In this case, the Participant may appeal.
9. The appeal is filed by the Pilot against the decision of the official. If the decision on the protest is appealed, the Pilot must be participant in the incident, or the side that filed the protest, or the side that was penalized.
10. Deadline for filing appeals: 24 hours after the announcement of the final results.
11. The appeal must contain documented information, including paragraphs of this Set of Rules, the Sports Code and its appendices, the rules of the competition, which, in the applicant's opinion, the official mistakenly did not take into account when making a decision.
12. Any recordings obtained by means of the Simulator (replay, telemetry, protocols, etc.), any video and audio recordings obtained during the competition and containing any moments related to the competition are considered as documentary evidence.
13. The organizer has the right to publish the results of the consideration of protests and appeals and to name the sides involved in the protests and appeals.
Scoring guidelines.
1. Points are awarded to pilots who have covered at least 75% of the distance covered by the winner of the race. The distance covered is determined by completed laps and rounded down to the nearest integer number of laps.
2. In case when crews of several pilots participate in the competition, points are awarded to the crew, not to individual pilots.
3. The result of the team is the sum of the pilots' (crews') points with the best results. The number of pilots (crews) whose points are summed up is indicated in the regulations of a particular competition.
4. If the sum of points in the results of the championship is equal, the advantage of the pilot (crew) or the team in the overall standings is determined:
  1. By the number of wins, if those are equal - by the number of second places, then third, etc.;
  2. In case of further equality - according to the best result in the last race.