The rules below are intended for the official FtF Leagues, but members should abide by the rules during all events.
Abbreviations Used
FtF: Flag-to-Flag
PM: Private Message
DC: Disconnection from the game (or game crash)
DSQ: Disqualification
1. VERBAL CONDUCT
1.1
Discord voice chat attendance is mandatory for FtF Leagues.
1.2
All competitors must:
a) refrain from abrasive language and insulting, criticizing or attacking other players.
b) remain courteous and gentleman-like in case of incidents
c) treat every competitor with respect regardless of any incident.
d) avoid distracting other competitors while they are driving.
2. DRIVING CONDUCT
2.1
a) Drivers must not leave the track and gain an advantage. The white lines defining the track edges are considered part of the track, but the kerbs, AstroTurf and run-off areas are not.
b) Should a car leave the track the driver may only rejoin when it is safe to do so, with the track clear and without gaining any advantage or hindering any other driver.
You mustn’t gain an advantage by leaving the track. That means you should always have some part of your car on the tarmac; the kerbs and other run-off areas do not count.
Always rejoin carefully if you have left the track – wait for a clear space and don’t block the racing line.
2.2
a) More than one change of direction to defend your position is not permitted.
b) After moving from the racing line to defend position, or when overtaking another driver, you must always leave a car’s width between your car and the edge of the track while another car is at all alongside your own.
c) You must not force any other drivers to leave the track or take evasive action, or cause a collision or damage to other drivers while racing. Dangerous or careless manoeuvres, including abnormal changes of speed or direction are not permitted.
You may only make one change of direction when defending – no weaving to keep another driver behind.
Drive consistently – don’t make sudden changes of direction or suddenly slow down, as this will cause an accident. Making someone take evasive action to avoid you is as bad as making contact.
Always leave a car’s width for other drivers when another car is at all alongside your own, even if it’s just their wheel or wing. This applies at all times, whether you’re defending, overtaking, or being overtaken. If you’re not sure whether another driver is alongside or not, leave space anyway to prevent accidents.
2.3
When a car is being lapped by another driver, they must allow the faster driver past at the first safe opportunity. They should not make sudden changes of direction or slow down dramatically, but drive a consistent line, slowing slightly to allow the faster car to pass safely.
If you’re lapping another driver or being lapped, always keep a consistent line. When being lapped, just slow down slightly in a safe place, don’t stop. Don’t swerve off the track or change line unexpectedly as this just causes accidents due to misunderstandings.
Be patient when lapping a car and make sure you respect the slower car’s position. It is always safest to lap cars after a corner exit and on straight sections, not going into a corner.
2.4
If any driver is unfairly disadvantaged, the culpable driver should always give way and allow the disadvantaged car to retake their position, even if this costs further positions.
This includes the following situations:
a) When any avoidable contact occurs between cars that disadvantages a driver.
b) When a driver is disadvantaged by being forced to take evasive action.
c) When an illegal overtake occurs, through a breach of rules 2.1 or 2.2.
d) When a driver is illegitimately prevented from overtaking
e) When lag makes an incident unclear, but you may reasonably suspect that you have disadvantaged another driver, even if you did not see any contact.
If you disadvantage another car, whether there’s a collision, you just force them to take evasive action, or you overtake or stay in front illegally, you should always give the place back even if it costs you further positions. By doing this you greatly reduce the chance of receiving any penalty after the race. Even if you’re not sure what happened, conceding the place will be less costly than getting a penalty.
When lag is involved, it’s possible that only 1 driver sees a collision. But if you were bound to collide with the other driver regardless, you should give the place back. Sometimes penalties may be given when lag is involved if a driver was clearly guilty of disadvantaging another driver through a mistake.
2.5
We expect every competitor to finish the race despite any misfortunes. This is considered good sportsmanship.
3. INCIDENTS AND PENALTIES
3.1
“Incident” means any action by any driver which constitutes a breach of the verbal or driving conduct (Rules 1 and 2). All reported incidents will be evaluated after the race.
3.2
a) It is at the discretion of the Stewards to decide if a driver or drivers involved in an incident should be penalised.
b) The reaction and subsequent actions of a competitor after causing an incident will be taken into account when deciding on a penalty.
3.3
The Stewards may impose any one of the penalties below on any driver involved in an Incident:
a) A verbal warning for a minor offense.
b) A reprimand.
c) A drop of any number of positions in the race standings at the end of the event concerned.
d) Exclusion (DSQ) from the results of the event concerned.
e) Exclusion from qualifying of any number of subsequent events, such that the driver will start the race from the back of the grid.
f) Suspension from any number of subsequent league events, or from the FtF community.
3.4
Every 3rd reprimand received during a season shall automatically incur a 1 position penalty to be applied instantly.
3.5
Should any of the penalties in Rules 3.3 or 3.4 be imposed, the following procedure will be followed:
a) The Stewards will display this information in the stewarding log.
b) Drivers who have been given a penalty will be informed by private message.
c) Drivers who reported the incident will also be informed by private message.
4. PROTESTS AND APPEALS
4.1
a) All competitors have the right to appeal against a decision by the Stewards.
b) All competitors also have the right to appeal penalties given by the game.
c) Any appeal must be made within 7 days of the penalty being given.
4.2
a) A competitor’s appeal shall be made by PM only to the league organiser or head steward.
b) Public posting of an appeal is frowned upon and will result in the appeal not being considered.
c) Any appeal must be supported by reasonable evidence, for example a screenshot, video or replay footage, or verbal agreement from all drivers involved. Without such evidence an appeal will not be considered.
5. STEWARDS
5.1
The league organiser or a site leader will arrange a stewarding team for each league. He will nominate a head steward who is assisted by a small pool of trusted FtF members.
5.2
Stewards have the following responsibilities:
a) to evaluate according to these league rules, unbiased, the incidents presented to them.
b) to decide upon any of the penalties listed in Rule 3.3 when it is concluded that an incident constitutes a breach of Rules 1 and 2 regarding verbal or driving conduct.
c) to notify competitors of all decisions made.
d) to appropriately consider appeals from competitors without bias.
5.3
A Steward must not vote on any incident they were involved in.
5.4
The procedure of voting for Stewards’ decisions is as follows:
a) 3 stewards vote and the decision is with the majority (2 or 3 votes)
b) if procedure (a) failed and the 3 votes are all different, the decision is given by the middle vote.
5.5
Incidents and appeals will be evaluated before the next league event or within 7 days, whichever is longer.
6. RACE PROCEDURE & DISCONNECTIONS
6.1
a) The start of an event will not be delayed by more than ten minutes for the benefit of competitors who arrive late.
b) All competitors will be invited to join during qualifying if they arrive late.
c) Competitors will not be allowed to join once qualifying is over.
d) Any delay to the start of an event will be announced on Discord.
e) Drivers are asked to join Discord at least 10 minutes before the start of an event.
6.2
When multiple races of 20 minutes or longer duration are held in the same evening, there will be 10 or 15 minute break between sessions. This will be announced on Discord.
6.3
Disconnections from the game and game crashes are considered mechanical failures.
a) DC in Qualifying: a competitor is allowed to return to the session if they are able to.
b) DC before the Race: If rejoining in time for the race is not possible or the DC occurs while loading into the race session, the session will be restarted if over 25% of the competitors have a connection failure. It is at the organiser’s discretion to restart the session otherwise. It may be decided to restart the race session with a rolling start to restore the qualifying grid order, or to restart the whole event.
c) DC during the Race: If the competitor completed more than 75% of the race, they will be classified in the results and therefore be eligible to score points.
6.4
a) Drivers who retire during qualifying or the race must do so in a safe manner, away from the track and in a position that does not distract other drivers.
b) During the race, drivers may not retire to the pits and then continue driving.
7. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
7.1
a) The Drivers Championship title will be awarded to the driver who has scored the highest number of points, taking into account only the best 80% to 90% of their race results, depending on the league rules.
b) The Teams Championship title will be awarded to the team which has scored the highest total number of points.
7.2
If two or more competitors finish the season with the same number of points, the higher place in the league will be awarded to:
a) the holder of the greatest number of first places,
b) if the number of first places is the same, the holder of the greatest number of second places, and so on until a result is reached.
c) If this procedure fails to produce a result, the order will be randomly determined.
7.3
In the case that a competitor changes teams, joins or leaves a team within a league season, the following rules apply:
a) The competitor will keep all of their Drivers Championship points.
b) The competitor’s points scored in the Teams Championship will remain with the team they were representing at the time, if that team is still participating. Otherwise their points may be transferred to their new team, at the discretion of the league organiser.
7.4
a) Any competitor who is forced to retire from a race and has completed at least 75% of the race laps will be classified in the results and therefore eligible to score points.
b) Any competitor who retires from a race deliberately and does so when it is not necessary will not be classified.
c) Any competitor who is disqualified is not eligible to score points.