What is a National Scrutineer?

A motorsport Scrutineer is someone responsible for verifying teams are following the technical and sporting rules of a racing series.  The duties vary by series, but generally, scrutineers are focused on safety compliance, and any rule violation that might provide an illegal performance advantages.

Scrutineering for a professional event can be very different from a amateur event. 

Professional race series have a technical delegate who communicates their compliance needs to the chief scrutineer. The chief scrutineer's role is to make sure the scrutineering team is able to fulfill those needs.

Each series will have its own Technical and  Sporting Regulations. 

• The Technicals are the rules necessary for vehicle to be considered legal for the series.

• The Sportings inform all  participants how an event will be run.

As a scrutineer you are expected to have read the regulations, and have an understanding of what is allowed during inspections, pit stops, on track sessions, and parc fermé.

The term parc fermé refers to a time period and/or place in which scrutineering checks are carried out and competitors are not allowed to interact with their race cars. In the US, the term impound is often used, but in other countries the term impound may mean that the vehicle has been confiscated. For this reason, we prefer to use the term parc fermé (which means closed park).

National scrutineers are expected to be familiar with the the workings of a pit lane and the starting grid. The majority of scrutineering duties will  take place in the garages, which means you need to find ways to be safely vigilant, without interfering with the race teams work.  There may be times when scrutineers will be assigned to assist our fellow Pit/Grid volunteers on the starting grid. The Pit/Grid team responsibilities have are closely associated to the work of  scrutineers, and we always strive to maintain a strong working relationship with them. 

It is critical to remember you are at the event to perform an important function – not to spectate. Unless other wise authorized by the technical delegate is strictly prohibited to take photographs, ask for autographs, or try to interview for a job, or interact with the teams in a non-professional manner. If the teams offer something that you you are allowed to accept it, as long as it can be considered a sign of friendship or thank you for a job well done, not a bribe to overlook any indiscretions.