Official F1/Motorsport thread

[NW2013]

It's a stupid decision but like you all say, he was much faster at that stage so why didn't he drop back a bit instead of sticking to Kimi's gearbox? It would have made it clear there was no advantage gained. Instead he drafted Kimi into the next corner because he barely lifted off the throttle.

Just playing devil's advocate here, I don't think it's a correct judgement.

[PeteJ]

Very poor, LH did nothing wrong this time. Complete farce and a shame they have tainted a great race.

[TheForce]

1st, I had an excellent weekend at Spa! We had seats at the busstop chicane so we had plenty of action to watch.

I just arrived home after watching a great race, I watch the internet and see that Lewis got a penalty !! This is just prove again that FIA is taking care of their beloved Ferrari once again !
The fight with Lewis and Kimi was just what F1 needed so badly, finally we had a real fight for the 1st place on the track (instead of the pits), the fight was hard but fair IMO and none should be punished for that, and now the FIArrari makes this decision by giving this penalty to Lewis. This really STINKS !!!!! same as giving Kovalainen the penalty for trying to overtake someone.... what the hell to they want with F1 ?! a parade with drivers that don't try to overtake because of the penalties they might get when a move does not work out like planned !!

F*CK FIA f*ck this !

so rant over......

and I'm still pissed

[JohnMcL7]

It's a stupid decision but like you all say, he was much faster at that stage so why didn't he drop back a bit instead of sticking to Kimi's gearbox? It would have made it clear there was no advantage gained. Instead he drafted Kimi into the next corner because he barely lifted off the throttle.

Just playing devil's advocate here, I don't think it's a correct judgement.

While I disagree with the penalty I do think Hamilton should have stayed behind Raikkonen for the next corner just to make it very clear.

John

[NW2013]

I think the Kovalinen penalty was fair, it was driver error and caused an accident unnecessarily.

Just seen the LH bus stop incident again. What are the Kimi haters moaning about? 'Oh he gave Lewis no room!' So what? It's called racecraft. The more I see it the more I think Lewis did get an unfair advantage and it was a driver misjudgement that caused the penalty. It's not like this is a new rule. See Monaco, Canada, etc.

[VR46]

Hamilton gained a massive slipstreaming advantage which he wouldn't have had if he'd stayed on the track. Like JohnMcl7 said if he'd stayed behind until the next corner he probably would have gotten away with it.

Why 25 seconds though ?

Ferrari have got to back Massa to the hilt now, Kimi has had his chances (over the summer) and blown it.

Roll on Monza in seven days

[Bort]

Why 25 seconds though ?

He was awarded a stop and go which equate to around 25 seconds lost overall.

[VR46]

Amazing/worrying how that never crossed my mind, cheers.

[Bort]

Amazing/worrying how that never crossed my mind, cheers.

Don't worry Dave. It happens to all of us when we get older...

[Shez]

I'm guessing, but they must have looked at the telemetry data before making this decision.

From what I saw Lewis let him by, but made him work very hard for it, so much so it could be argued he screwed Raikonen's run into the first corner.

[Richard.John]

Kimi can push him wide as he was in the lead and can take any line he wants, within reason as long as they don't collide. Lewis couldn't pass and couldn't make the corner so went over the chicance gaining a cars length probably as a result, a length he wouldn't have had normally. That's the reason surely, unless you count FIA meddling and the championship battle. They wouldn't, would they?

[Senna]

1st, I had an excellent weekend at Spa! We had seats at the busstop chicane so we had plenty of action to watch.

I just arrived home after watching a great race, I watch the internet and see that Lewis got a penalty !! This is just prove again that FIA is taking care of their beloved Ferrari once again !
The fight with Lewis and Kimi was just what F1 needed so badly, finally we had a real fight for the 1st place on the track (instead of the pits), the fight was hard but fair IMO and none should be punished for that, and now the FIArrari makes this decision by giving this penalty to Lewis. This really STINKS !!!!! same as giving Kovalainen the penalty for trying to overtake someone.... what the hell to they want with F1 ?! a parade with drivers that don't try to overtake because of the penalties they might get when a move does not work out like planned !!

F*CK FIA f*ck this !

so rant over......

and I'm still pissed

Glad you enjoyed the weekend mate - it was a brilliant race.

I have to disagree with you over the Kovalainen penalty - Webber had the corner and he just braked far too late. He should have just been clever and got the slipstream up the hill through Eau Rouge and took him into Stavelot.

With regards to the Hamilton penalty, after watching it a couple of times, the more I think it is a bit harsh. The move into the last corner was completely fair on both parties, and he did let Raikkonen past (even though only just). Again, he was going to get past at some point anyway, so he maybe should have removed all doubt and done Raikkonen up the hill as above. It's just such a shame this has tainted the aftermath of what was an epic race.

Hamilton and Raikkonen trading tenths throughout the race was just brilliant, it's what we've wanted to see for a few races now. They were both on the limit and that's what we want to see. The best drivers batling it out in the best cars on the best track in the world.

After the race, I am now left thinking is there anyone better than Hamilton in wet, or slightly damp conditions? He seems to have that sixth sense of knowing how much grip there is before he gets to the corner (although at La Source on the 2nd lap this wasn't true), and no-one else seems to be in his league in changeable conditions. Motegi, Silverstone, Spa, he's shown it time and again.

The championship is now really close, and Raikkonen must now (sadly after today's great drive) be counted out of it for this season.

No more Valencia's please, more of Spa's for the rest of the season.

[Mr M0by]

Hamilton gained a massive slipstreaming advantage which he wouldn't have had if he'd stayed on the track. Like JohnMcl7 said if he'd stayed behind until the next corner he probably would have gotten away with it.

Why 25 seconds though ?

The rules state that if a Drive-Through or Stop/Go worthy penalty is committed in the last 5 laps, a 25 second penalty will be applied post race instead.

McLaren have naturally appealed however it's worth noting that you cannot appeal a Drive-Through or Stop/Go penalty and as such there is every chance that there appeal will be quashed and deemed inadmissible.

[abigsmurf]

To me it looked like Hamilton gained an advantage that just slightly slowing down couldn't compensate for for, as slowing down enabled him to get into position to have a better racing line and accelerate more (as the other car had to move in).

The other car was driving to keep Hamilton from over taking which he only had to do because of the way he cut the corner.

[TheForce]

I have to disagree with you over the Kovalainen penalty - Webber had the corner and he just braked far too late. He should have just been clever and got the slipstream up the hill through Eau Rouge and took him into Stavelot.

true, I saw it from my seat and it looked like Kovalainen was next to him, but after seeing it on TV last night I have to agree that Kovalainen alone was to blame for this

Again, he was going to get past at some point anyway, so he maybe should have removed all doubt and done Raikkonen up the hill as above.

afterwards this would be ofcourse the best thing to do, this is always easy, but when in the middle of a battle, adrenalin pumping and with only 2 laps to go I think every race driver would take every chance they can get to get past someone...

my point is more that with F1 it seems there is no more room left for a real battle on the track without the FIA looking into it and punishing people for actually RACING ...

look at MOTOGP, WTCC, GP2 and SBK, when the battles are hard but fair they get away with it and e veryone is loving it, it just seems that in F1 there are to many rules to to much politics going on to make it fun. In the late 80's and early 90's you hardly saw any penalties for the drivers, and back then much more happenend on the track.

oh well, I have to stop complaining about it, it is like it is. Still I had a great weekend there in Spa and it was amazing to watch and hear those F1 cars again...