Brilliant finish to Spa GP, but Hamiton stripped of win!

[Fat Tone]

Not the most exciting of races for the most part, then a bit of rain for the last 3-4 laps and this happens:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by5mhWfPRD8

Raikonnen goes off, Hamilton wins and extends his lead in the championship to 8 points.

Then after the race the stewards (can you spell BIASED? ) awarded H a 25-second penalty for the chicane incident (in which R pushed him wide and then H clearly gave the place back and even went around the back of R to retake it), demoting him to 3rd, letting Masa undeservedly win and reducing his lead to 2 points.

F1 stewardship is becoming a complete farce.

McLaren are lodging an official appeal and I don't blame them.

[VJ]

I kinda like Hamilton... But I can imagine that he did indeed benefit from that situation (he really had a lot of speed when overtaking Raikonnen, which must have come from what happend before). However, I'm pretty sure it wasn't planned out (Raikonnen pushed him wide), it just all came together nicely for H.

So IMO he benefitted from it, but as it clearly wasn't a planned manoeuvre, I don't think the penalty is justified.

But what an exciting end! Why not equip all tracks with springlers, and turn them on at random?


Jörg

[Fat Tone]

ROFL VJ! You've had me chuckling for the last 5 minutes with that suggestion

I don't feel the penalty is at all just, but perhaps if H was a little more mature he would have realised that he had the speed and driving style to wait one more corner before trying again.

The stewards really do need to justify their decisions and be held accountable. There is just too much inconsistency - where is the penalty for R overtaking under a yellow before exiting the track for the last time?

[VJ]

Perhaps they could alter the rules to allow for less subjectivity?

E.g when a driver cuts a chicane, impose that he is not allowed to overtake before the next corner?
(under those rules, H wouldn't have done the manoeuvre; just like he most likely wouldn't have done it were he more mature)



Jörg

[Fat Tone]

McLaren have lodged their appeal. Date not set but will be before Singapore.

[Fat Tone]

Yes the rules could be clearer. I think it will come down to defining advantage and proving it had all been given back.

[VJ]

McLaren have lodged their appeal. Date not set but will be before Singapore.

In all honesty, I don't think they'll win. If this decision is reversed, it undermines the stewards. So I don't think this will happen.



Jörg

[Brian Ellis]

Let me take an analogy. If a sprinter crosses the line of his track, he is disqualified. This happens occasionally in the 200 m, because there is an advantage in using the inside of the curve.

If a driver cuts a corner off the track, should he not be equally disqualified?

[VJ]

There is a point in what you are saying, but unlike in the sprint it can be a necessary manoeuvre to avoid an accident (e.g. due to a steering error from another driver). Why should the driver cutting the corner to avoid the accident be penalized for avoiding an accident?
(I do think that deliberately cutting a corner is also penalized)


Jörg

[Brian Ellis]

But a sprinter does not do it deliberately: more often it's a misjudgement as to where they place their hooves. They are disqualified, no matter the reason. If the drivers were skilful enough, they should never place themselves or others where there is risk of an accident and, if the risk occurs, then they should take evasive action. If it means that so doing "forces" them to take a short cut, tough cheese, they did an illegal manoeuvre. Going back to the sprinter analogy, if the sprinter in the lane outside from you falls and blocks your lane, you can jump over him, losing time, or avoid him by going into the next inside lane and being disqualified.

Another view: say Hamilton is whitewashed. What's to stop him, or anyone else, from doing the same in another race, knowing he will not lose points for taking a short cut. If there is no discipline, it will become a free-for-all like stock cars and suchlike.

[Fat Tone]

Sign here if you wish to petition the FIA to see sense in this matter.

[Brian Ellis]

Sign here to petition the FIA to see sense in this matter.

no!

[Fat Tone]

I wouldn't dream of telling you what to do, but your sprinting analogy is flawed. Sprinters just try to go faster than the next guy, no interference, short sharp race. Car racing on the other hand is a relatively long and drawn out affair where the driver is expected to be pushing at the limits constantly. We expect/want/enjoy the tussles.

I am sure no F1 driver would deliberately leave the track as the potential implications are huge. The gamble is too great and you certainly won't get away with it.

This was a racing incident, dealt with in a sportsman like manner at the time. End of.

[Brian Ellis]

The sportsman-like manner is to respect the decisions of the umpire, right or wrong. Appealing against a decision is not sport: even in footie, the ref will show a red card if an appellant is too vociferous.

[Fat Tone]

Respecting your professional competitors and the rules of the game is one thing. Respecting a ridiculous decision from an amateur is quite another.