Motorsports Thread

[Illaveago]

He initially said 'no braking'. He then said 'no hard braking'. Telemetry shows hard braking - but no matter because the penalty illustrates it's only a minor infraction (that in any other Formula would be Black Flagged). Someone will get badly hurt, or worse.

I understand that DC has been further bearing out my previous comments about his never, ever having criticised Red Bull - even in the face if this shitstorm.

I was just thinking that DC should wear a RB uniform so that people knew that his comments were unbiased .
His comments about MV making a brave move down the inside into the corner was nonsense. Max knows that a collision taking out Lewis and himself would benefit him .

 

[Illaveago]

I think the time penalty should be imposed on the start of the next race as it had no effect yesterday .

 

[BrumJim]

I think the time penalty should be imposed on the start of the next race as it had no effect yesterday .

The only sensible option is to deduct MV one point so that the championship is decided at the last race on the track, not in the steward's room.

Although there will be howls of disingenuous protest from the Red Bull team should that happen.

 

[Illaveago]

The only sensible option is to deduct MV one point so that the championship is decided at the last race on the track, not in the steward's room.

Although there will be howls of disingenuous protest from the Red Bull team should that happen.

It would be fair to declare the win at Spa to be nul and void as it wasn't a race.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

In my opinion Max has realised that if he goes into a corner and Lewis is in front then, if there is a run off area, he can just brake far later than normal and Lewis - who brakes normally - will automatically drop level with him

OK - now Max cannot make the corner and overshoots - but Lewis has to avoid the collision so does the same
Max then accelerates away - Max is still leading

They really need to stop him doing that - one day he will kill of badly injure someone with that sort of trick

My main problem is that he doesn;t seem to feel there is anything wrong
'Just let us race' is his mantra
but he uses the rules how he wants and refuses to give way even if has already been passed
Just damn dangerous IMO

 

[matticus]

The rules around giving a place back need firming up.
You can’t give a place back and then immediately retake it, it’s a nonsense.

- Agreed.
- Well ... you can't blame a driver for exploiting loopholes. Not at this level! Lewis was in the perfect position to defend the corner.

It did seem outside the "spirit" of the rule, but then drivers win a lot of races with such tricks. (I've seen quite a few shenanigans in/around the pit-lane where the driver using "common sense" lost out.)
If you want to consistently apply " the spirit" then it seems harsh to punish Max after he gave the place back towards the end of the race (un-requested). But it was all a big mess, so we could nit-pick forever :P

I'm enjoying this spat. Mainly because I find it difficult to like either of them much!
Given Lewis' level of experience (and age) he ought to act a bit more maturely in the car. Asking his team to check whether a barrier was *really* damaged? Grow up kid, they've got better things to be doing!
(he's still driving more maturely than Max, mind ... )

 

[Bonefish Blues]

It would be fair to declare the win at Spa to be nul and void as it wasn't a race.

They would then be dead level in every respect going into the last race.

 

[Illaveago]

I liked the comment by unbiased DC saying that Max's qualifying lap would have been Megga if he hadn't hit the barrier. If he had slowed for the corner he would have probably made it but then not set a fast time .

 

[icowden]

Given Lewis' level of experience (and age) he ought to act a bit more maturely in the car. Asking his team to check whether a barrier was *really* damaged?

You don't think it was odd to have a safety car for several laps, then to red flag?

Personally I think it's Red Bull getting petty. Horner saying "well you got driver of the day Max, looks like the fans have your back even if the FIA don't".
A bit pathetic I thought, especially as this years rules seemed to be designed entirely to disadvantage Mercedes.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

You don't think it was odd to have a safety car for several laps, then to red flag?

Personally I think it's Red Bull getting petty. Horner saying "well you got driver of the day Max, looks like the fans have your back even if the FIA don't".
A bit pathetic I thought, especially as this years rules seemed to be designed entirely to disadvantage Mercedes.

Infantilism. CH hasn't done his reputation much good this year.

 

[classic33]

You don't think it was odd to have a safety car for several laps, then to red flag?

Personally I think it's Red Bull getting petty. Horner saying "well you got driver of the day Max, looks like the fans have your back even if the FIA don't".
A bit pathetic I thought, especially as this years rules seemed to be designed entirely to disadvantage Mercedes.

It was decided a crane was required, on track, to remove and replace the damaged section of barrier. This after they'd been trying to fix it under the safety car.
The crane would have been side on, to every other vehicle on the track.

 

[matticus]

You don't think it was odd to have a safety car for several laps, then to red flag?

My point was that the team can't do anything about it, and certainly don't know what was wrong with the barrier!

But now you ask: no, it seems a reasonable sequence of events, assuming the barrier needed fixing. I say that as an armchair viewer who hasn't read the rulebook on this, but I don't recall any discussion of procedural issues. Lewis doubted it needed fixing - how could he know otherwise?

 

[figbat]

Interesting that Lewis was “nearly given a black and white flag” for defending the corner on the second switcheroo, where he clearly knew what Max was up to and put him in his place (ie, off the track onto the run-off). Brazil established that this was acceptable racing so good for him.

Max handed over the lead three times. That’s three times that somebody thought his tactics were unfair.

 

[matticus]

Interesting interview with Horner on Friday R5 (IIRC): he was saying both teams/drivers are using everything they can, including saying Mercedes were no longer sending a guy out to hold the fuel hoses out of the way when a neighbour's car was exiting. :O

 

[figbat]

I think Toto is winning the battle of mind-games.