Sports warden
A sports caretaker in motorsport secures a race track and thus ensures that the event runs correctly and safely for all race participants, spectators and other people involved in the organization . Also in the national motorsport a marshal will be happy with the internationally accepted term Marshal ( Engl. Hereinafter).
The sports attendant working directly on the track are often colloquially referred to as marshals , although, strictly speaking, this is the location specified by the route acceptance protocol or the racetrack license where the sports attendant are used for route security.
definition
All people involved in route safety at a racing event are sports officers for route safety . Some sports stewards, the race director or the stewards at international FIA or FIM events require a license; a license is only issued after proven qualifications, courses and exams. The Automobile Sports Act defines the following sports officers, other functions can be named:
| Race Director | Race director | Race secretary | Head of route safety |
| Stewards | Technical commissioners | Acceptance commissioners | Timekeeper |
| Target judge | starter | Factual | Route observer |
| Marshals sports warden | Pit supervisors |
Application area
In the Sports Act, work on the racetrack, in the start and finish area and in the pit lane are defined as the three main areas of application. Often other areas are also monitored by the track safety officers if this is necessary to monitor the racing regulations, for example monitoring the paddock, the parc fermé or the tank systems.
In the start and finish area
In the start and finish area, the race management, track security, timekeeping, paperwork and other rooms necessary for the direct running of the event are housed. This is where the senior sports officers work, such as the race director, the race director, the head of route safety, timekeepers or commissioners, and other additional sports officers with special tasks.
A frequent special task is the starter or a flag marshal of the race management. Their tasks are the start, the waving of a run or flag signals from the race management, such as disqualifications.
Race director
The race director as the top sports warden leads and is responsible for the process and safety along the entire route. The race director delegates the tasks of track safety to the head of track safety.
Stewards
The stewards of the meeting are trained by the national motorsport associations, in Germany by the DMSB, and on their behalf monitor the proper implementation of a motor sport event under sport law. They are also responsible for processing protests , punishments and disqualifications and support the race director in matters of sports law.
Technical commissioners
The technical commissioners are responsible for the safety of the participating vehicles and monitor compliance with the technical regulations of the respective series on behalf of the race director. At motorcycle events, they also monitor the helmets and protective clothing of the participants. In the event of technical protests, you check vehicles to be checked on behalf of the race director. Technical commissioners are trained and deployed by the national motorsport federations.
Head of route safety
All sports officers on the route, the fire brigade emergency services and the paramedics report to the head of route safety. He is commissioned by the race director to occupy the race track in accordance with the track acceptance protocol or the track license, and to ensure the training and deployment of qualified sports attendants.
Timekeeper
The timekeeper and his team measure the driving times and completed laps of the participants and give a corresponding time penalty if the rules are violated. He then creates the result based on the rating specified in the invitation to tender and the overall winner after all the special stages completed.
In the pit area / paddock
Pit supervisors
The pit lane is a particular danger zone, especially during long-distance races due to racing operations and the large number of helpers. The pit supervisors warn the helpers in the pit lane, monitor the access and access authorizations and ensure compliance with all safety regulations.
Tank Marshal
If, in a long-distance race, a refueling cycle defined in the invitation to tender, or if special fuels are specified, the tank marshal monitors and confirms that the team is properly refueling. If necessary, the calculation of the fuel is also processed here.
At the racetrack
The sports attendant on the track is responsible for direct security and monitoring on the racetrack. He secures accident sites from the marshals with flag signs , reports accidents or rule violations to the race management and helps in dangerous situations, with fire fighting and with the recovery of vehicles and drivers. He is usually also responsible for monitoring the condition of the track on his section and cleans the track with gritting material and a broom during breaks in the race.
At most permanent racetracks, sports officers have formed track safety associations to ensure that their members receive regular, high-quality training. At permanent race tracks such as the Nürburgring or Hockenheimring, the sports steward communicates with the race management using fixed telephones. Trunked radio and mobile radio are increasingly used today .
At major events, a specialized sports attendant, such as a telephone operator, news officer, fire or flag marshal, is often used for each function; at smaller events, a sports attendant often takes on several functions.
Section Head
Some racetracks are divided into sections. A specially trained marshal then heads these sections as section head. He is the contact person for the marshals in the section and forwards information to the race management or to the marshals. He usually decides on site which help is requested and also gives instructions for flag signs.
pusher
The pusher (from English: slider ) is responsible for recovering broken down vehicles.
Fire Marshal
The fire marshal, formerly more often referred to as the firefighter, is a sports warden for route safety, who is specially trained to fight fires.
Flagmarshal
The flag marshal warns the participants of dangers with flags and intervenes in the course of the race with the blue flag. As this is a direct intervention in the race, experienced sports attendants are usually employed here.
In Formula 1 , the flag marshals are instructed by radio directly from the race management. In individual Formula 1 races, the flag signs are not only signaled by flag marshals, but also directly from the race management by means of LED display boards, so-called light panels.
Factual
The judge monitors the tests that are included in the evaluation. In slalom sport, the error-free driving around pylons , in skill tournaments, the error-free passing of a course is an integral part of the evaluation. For circuit races, the announcement can stipulate that shortening a chicane with penalty points is included in a rating. All of this is monitored by factual officers.
Funk-Marshal - radio operator
A radio marshal reports an incident (accident, unauthorized overtaking maneuver, track contamination, dangers) to the section manager, and if necessary, there is direct contact with the race management. A radio marshal will also pass the instructions on to the other marshal at the post.
Individual evidence
- ↑ DMSB textbook sports attendant training , PDF file, accessed on September 15, 2011.
- ↑ FIA International Sports Act , PDF file, accessed September 15, 2011.
- ↑ Technical regulations of the CIK 2019, Section 1.2, in: Handbuch 2019 Automobilsport Kartsport DMSB
- ↑ DMSB guideline - Appendix H to the international sports law , PDF file, accessed on September 15, 2011.
