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Virtual Safety Car
Race Procedures
A Virtual Safety Car (VSC) is a race control procedure used in motorsports, particularly Formula 1, to neutralize a race without deploying an actual safety car.
Introduced after Jules Bianchi's accident in 2014, the VSC requires all drivers to reduce their speed to a specified delta time (about 30-40% slower than racing pace) while maintaining the relative gaps between cars. Unlike a full Safety Car, the field doesn't bunch up, preserving the racing order.
When race control activates a VSC for incidents like debris or minor accidents, drivers must stay above minimum sector times until the procedure ends. Teams often use VSC periods strategically for pit stops, as they lose less time compared to pitting at racing speed.