Comments on 'Email and Espionage' on F1 Insight

Comment by Magnus

04/10/2007 16:51:21

Was it Webber driving erratically or was it Hamilton trying to trick Webber into passing him (and thus getting a drive-through)? I think we can agree there was some bad driving and maybe the FIA should at least have a talk with the drivers and explain how to drive responsibly behind the safety car. Also, wasn't the safety car lights on still at that time? In that case there is really no reason for anyone to play any tricks at all. As for the Massa/Kubica thing, perhaps the stewards aren't looking simply because no one has filed a protest? Anyway, looking at the youtube clips of that fight it seems they're running each other off the track every other corner so it would be hard to decide who gained the most from off-track driving.

Comment by Don Speekingleesh

04/10/2007 16:53:42

The fact is that this is normal behavior in the situation. The first man wants to make sure that he gets away first when the pace car leaves the circuit, the second man wants to be in a position to get the jump on him... While that's true when the SC is about to come in, that was not the case here - the SC lights were still on. Hamilton repeatedly broke the rules about 5 car lengths - each time he was behind the SC. The only reason Webber was close to Hamilton at times is because Hamilton was driving erratically and dangerously.

Comment by Clive

04/10/2007 17:05:25

Fair enough, Magnus, it's a good idea that the stewards should have given the drivers a good talking to about their behavior behind the pace car. Certainly better than handing out penalties to drivers who have already suffered the consequences of their mistakes. But I've never noticed any difference in the driving behind the pace car, regardless of whether it was due to pull into the pits or not. They get a little more excited on the last lap, perhaps, but tend to drive all over the place during all pace car laps. And Don, you have to admit that the reason Hamilton couldn't give the pace car much space was that Webber was right up behind him all the time. Hamilton says he was worried about Webber running into him and, looking at the video, I think he had good cause to worry. To say that Webber was close up because Hamilton was driving erratically doesn't seem logical to me. Surely you'd give such a driver more room, not less?

Comment by Haplo

04/10/2007 17:22:34

Well, see, these guys become F1 drivers to avoid, well... safe and responsible driving. This is nonsense, really. Responsible driving? A F1 driver? WTF! Vettel is just blind. Hamilton and Webber were both doing what they always do behind the SC, and that is brake hard and accelerate fast, to keep the engine and brakes up to temp. A load of bollocks. The marshals (or whoever) to have a chat with Hamilton at the chinese GP to settle this.

Comment by Clive

04/10/2007 17:24:42

Obviously, I agree with you, Haplo. But I'd include Webber in that little chat with the marshals... ;)

Comment by Haplo

04/10/2007 17:33:00

No no! I mean that the supposed chat is a load of bollocks and should not take place!!!! What should is send Vettel to the oculist.

Comment by Clive

04/10/2007 17:36:36

Oh, I see! Well, I still agree with you! :D

Comment by patrick

04/10/2007 19:58:13

Talking of blind, if Hamilton was driving dangerously, shouldn't the stewards have brought him in for a drive through penalty at the time? Or can they not see either? Actually, I thought it was Hamilton's behaviour at the end of the *first* safety car that deserved censure, but this does rather smack of interference in the world championship battle. Whether to prevent a Mclaren victory or simply to find a way of keeping it open to the last race I do not know.

Comment by Clive

04/10/2007 20:33:21

And the FIA would never do that, would they, Patrick?

Comment by Haplo

04/10/2007 22:34:23

I'm really tired of all this nonsense of driving dangerously, and driving responsibly. A F1 driver CANNOT, by definition, drive responsibly, and certainly cannot drive safely. You want that? Go with the missus to pick up the lads at soccer practice. And with that goes that crap of nursing the wheels and saving up fuel. This is about going as fast as possible, making the most noise imaginable in the way.

Comment by Haplo

04/10/2007 22:37:38

Oh, and the engine rule too. All F1 engines should last exactly ONE GP, and not a single lap more. Saving costs my a**. Let the teams expend in one race what NASA in one year.

Comment by Clive

04/10/2007 23:24:45

Haplo, you're a man after my own heart. Racing has always been irresponsible, dangerous and about going faster than anyone else. And, if the racers want to bankrupt themselves doing it, that's fine by me.

Comment by Number 38

05/10/2007 06:34:55

Investigating Hamilton? I have to agree with most, Hamilton didn't CAUSE the Webber/Vettel collision, but Hamilton did attend the drivers meeting where all were instructed (or at least reminded) about pace and distance behind the safety car and I believe THAT is what is being investigated, even without a collision his conduct was erratic. At the time of the Red Bull/ STR contact Hamilton's McLaren is nearly OFF the right side of the circuit, it is possible Webber thought he was about to pull off with a failure and Webber is nearly even with Hamilton on the left side, just about to get punted by Vettel. There's certainly a lot of room for speculation from our distance. And penalizing Vettel doesn't accomplish anything. Let's see P1 times in China are now posted.......Vettel 20th minus 10 places, yep! That does it!

Comment by Clive

05/10/2007 13:07:41

I think Hamilton had good reason to be so far to the right, Number 38 - he was avoiding collision with the pace car. But the whole things is unnecessary. Vettel should not have been penalized and the whole incident would have been forgotten by now.

Comment by Uppili

05/10/2007 16:14:47

The piece on emails and computers....diamond!! :)

Comment by Clive

05/10/2007 16:21:11

Thank you, Uppili - I was kinda proud of that one myself. ;)

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