Throughout the Game Manual, "blue box" clarifications are included to provide additional "intent of the rule" context for both Teams and Head Referees beyond the "black-and-white" verbiage of the rules themselves.
Rule G8-b was intentionally written such that the only black-and-white requirement is as follows: "It is at the Team’s discretion whether they wish to have one Driver or two."
As noted in the blue box, the intent of this is "to provide flexibility for Teams who are unable to meet in a traditional capacity due to local health guidelines". It would be impossible to expect an Event Partner to have an in-depth knowledge of all health guidelines imposed on all Teams at their event, whether they are governmental, school-specific, club-specific, or at the request of a Student's parents. With this in mind, we would strongly advise Event Partners and coaches to be cautious about making any assumptions regarding a Team's circumstances when G8-b has been utilized in a tournament. We will not be implementing, requiring, or endorsing any specific "validation tests", as it is ultimately at the Team's discretion whether they wish to have one Driver or two.
With that in mind, as noted in the last line of the blue box, "it should also be expected that they will not take advantage of this single-Driver exception for strategic gain." This intention should be regarded similarly to rules like G1, G2, G6, R1-a, R1-b, and R1-c. That is to say - whether it is "caught" during an event or not, a Team who has exploited this rule for strategic gain has knowingly violated violated several points of the Code of Conduct and/or the Student-Centered Policy. These violations are addressed through an official COC resolution process; Event Partners who have questions about this process should contact their REC Foundation Event Engagement Manager for more information.
• Act with integrity, honesty, and reliability
• Behave in a respectful and professional manner with event staff, volunteers, and fellow competitors
• Exhibit maturity and class when dealing with difficult and stressful situations
• Respect individual differences
• Follow all rules as listed in the current game manual(s)
• Student-centered teams with limited adult assistance
• Safety as a top priority
• Good sportsmanship, which includes supporting your alliance partners
