Time penalties in qualifying.

[DakotaXIII]

WHY.

Accidentally cut a corner on a hot lap in qualifying and you get a 5/6s time penalty. Same as you would do in a race.

What lap does this penalty apply to if you don't slow down? The lap you're on seems to count, but the next one goes red.

Why not just have that lap not count instead of a penalty? Cut a corner, lap doesn't count. Simple.

It's easier to just restart than take the penalty, but that kinda breaks the realism.

 

[Adrenaline]

WHY.

Accidentally cut a corner on a hot lap in qualifying and you get a 5/6s time penalty. Same as you would do in a race.

What lap does this penalty apply to if you don't slow down? The lap you're on seems to count, but the next one goes red.

Why not just have that lap not count instead of a penalty? Cut a corner, lap doesn't count. Simple.

It's easier to just restart than take the penalty, but that kinda breaks the realism.

It applies to your current lap.
It disqualifies your next lap, so that people can't exploit cutting the right corner, to double their speed across the start/finish line, for the next lap.
I don't have a good example given the current tracks, but imagine someone cutting the final corner of trial mountain, and even though the penalty applies to the 'current lap', if they didn't DQ the next lap, they would be able to start their next lap at a significantly higher rate of speed across the finish line, than someone who didn't cut the corner.