Motorsports Thread

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

figbat

Slippery scientist
It absolutely outrageous and adding more to the farce of the Las Vegas grand prix - the one that nobody wants but the promoters. Stands empty in FP2, fans sent away after seeing only 6 minutes of action all session - way to bring the US fans in! Then rushing the track development and sign-off, no test event ahead of time, the track only available for certain times of the day lest the locals and tourists be prevented from getting to the casinos. Then when Ferrari have an unforeseeable problem due to the track's integrity they are penalised. The stewards have hidden behind the letter of the law, when it is obviously the wrong thing to do (and they effectively admitted it). I also suspect that they would not get unanimous accord across the paddock for the penalty to be withdrawn, such are the machinations of the F1 tragedy.
 
OP
OP
Reynard

Reynard

Guru
Reminds me of the innaugural Birmingham Superprix in 1986, although there, the manhole covers were lifted by torrential rain. Several competitors, including Paul Warwick, had their cars damaged. The support races were eventually canned due to the weather, although the F3000 race *did* go ahead.

One of the two US GP held in 1984, this one in Dallas, which replaced Long Beach, the track surface actually disintegrated during the race due to the extreme heat.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
One of the two US GP held in 1984, this one in Dallas, which replaced Long Beach, the track surface actually disintegrated during the race due to the extreme heat.

Also the farce at Indianapolis in 2005 with the tyres not being suitable for banked corners.
I know that was a supplier issue. But. They just can’t get F1 going in USA.
 

Jody

Stubborn git
Apparently 1 team didn't agree that Ferrari should get the penalty dropped.

I know it's just business and them's the rules, but I'm disappointed for them.

There are so many millions at stake that you can see why.
 

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
Did Ferrari have a chance to gift provisional pole to Carlos ? ,to save 1 place after the penalty , Charles had pole Max has 6 tenths down after sector 2 , if real time was as highlight shown surely 11th is better than 12th
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Fair play to Verstappen. He got a 5s penalty for forcing LeClerc beyond track limits. When informed if this, Instead of whining he simply said, "give the stewards my regards", and cleared off into the distance.

Not so good for causing the collision of course, but it wasn't gratuitous. Freeze framing it Verstappens front axle line was indisputably ahead, but the Marshals decision is what it is and Max's response was uncharacteristically classy.
 

figbat

Slippery scientist
I thought the response was disrespectful personally.

The penalty was poor too, had they reversed the places LeCl could perhaps have been down the road when Max's tyres started to fail.

Exactly this. When VER has history of leading races by far more than 5s it was, on the face of it, very little of a penalty. I think if he’d been asked to give the place back he’d still have won but another soft stewards’ decision.

It was, though, a decent enough race I thought, glitz and glamour aside.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
The penalty was poor too, had they reversed the places LeCl could perhaps have been down the road when Max's tyres started to fail.

And it would made not a jot of difference as Verstappens biggest break was being the only one from the front of the pack not to pit under the later safety car. If he'd suffered deg issues and had to pit earlier while LeClerc cleared off then Max would have still been in a position to do the same and stay out on his fresher tyres while everyone else dived in.

Five seconds or hand the place back, the outcome would have been no different either way.

You did watch the whole race and not just that bit?

Edit. Post race Verstappen says the stewards made the right call. He and LeClerc were both braking deep and he slid wider than he intended.
 
Last edited:

Drago

Legendary Member
Exactly this. When VER has history of leading races by far more than 5s it was, on the face of it, very little of a penalty. I think if he’d been asked to give the place back he’d still have won but another soft stewards’ decision.
A soft decision?

Hamilton got a 5 second penalty at the Italian GP in September for causing an actual collision. In light of that it's actually quite harsh that Max collided with no one and gets the same, I fail to see how it could be soft.

The penalties for infringements should be the same for everyone. Considering harsher penalties for a driver simply because they're a better wheelman or have a faster car (a car developed under the same technical regs as everyone else's, remember) is the very epitomy of unsportingness ( new word, (c) Drago Industries 2023)
 
OP
OP
Reynard

Reynard

Guru
Another race that proves Max doesn't really know how to race in close company. All very well and good p*ssing off at the front of the field, but when he's in amongst them, he makes too many errors. He needs a season in the BTCC to get a *proper* education.

Not entirely sure why Russell got the penalty for the incident with Max, as the onus is on the car coming from behind to behave themselves. Looking at the replay there was no way Max was going to get the car stopped in time. George is a gentleman for taking the blame there, but really, I'm not sure its his fault, as he just took the normal line into the corner.

As for the unsafe release...

Trouble is, if the penalties had been applied correctly, that would have cost Max nearly half a minute of track position, and we can't be having that, can we? :whistle:

Glad to see Lando was ok. That was a big one... *ouch*
 

FishFright

More wheels than sense
Another race that proves Max doesn't really know how to race in close company. All very well and good p*ssing off at the front of the field, but when he's in amongst them, he makes too many errors. He needs a season in the BTCC to get a *proper* education.

Not entirely sure why Russell got the penalty for the incident with Max, as the onus is on the car coming from behind to behave themselves. Looking at the replay there was no way Max was going to get the car stopped in time. George is a gentleman for taking the blame there, but really, I'm not sure its his fault, as he just took the normal line into the corner.

As for the unsafe release...

Trouble is, if the penalties had been applied correctly, that would have cost Max nearly half a minute of track position, and we can't be having that, can we? :whistle:

Glad to see Lando was ok. That was a big one... *ouch*

We must have watched different races.
 
Top Bottom