ltc

I disagree.
It was blocking, at least as defined by the current rules. Way too many (sudden) changes in direction on a straight.
IMHO, the FIA got it right, issuing the warning. I'm sure Hamilton would agree as well.

MJSpeed

Agreed but it's not far behind.

One race doesn't make a career.

Nevertheless, as far as Webber, I've said it before, all the drivers in F1 are very good, they just need the equipment to prove it.

However everything is relative and in Webber's case it's no different. In comparison to his team mate and other drivers with comparable equipment, he's not as good as them.

He runs into people (Hamilton at Australia is not the first time), swerves (re: multiple blocking manuvuers), even in his first win he got a penalty for hitting Barrichello at the start. Sure he has speed but they all do.

Every time he's been on pole (twice ) he's lost the lead at the start. What has he done other than win two races (btw his team mate won four, twice as many, in the same car)?

multi21

Totally agree with MJ. What Alonso did was not on the level of Schumacher or Senna, but probably a distant 3rd.

I also agree on his assessment of Webber. The fact that he is (or at least was last year) the head of the driver's assoc. or whatever they are naming it and is the worse offender when it comes to blocking and crashing people out is akin to putting the fox in charge of the hen house.

Flying Finn

I agree, was talking more about the last race which he did good.

He's always a problem as you explain which I don't understand since he ain't a rookie etc. and the stuff (i.e. Australia's WTF moment) that he pulls is rookie stuff and should not happen anymore.

Riff

I watched the race and the multiple moves from Hamilton, in MY estimation, were not blocking because his car was leading the direction changes. He did not move into the path of chasing car. If anything, I thought that Petrov was trying to stay in Hamilton's draft. Here is some vid:

Blocking or just weaving?

JustinL

I don't think there is any debate about what Lewis was doing. He was weaving to shake the draft. Petrov stuck to his gearbox. The question at hand is whether weaving to shake a draft is acceptable. Stewards seem to think it was worth a warning but not a penalty... I can't say I disagree.

What should Petrov have done, I think is a more interesting question. If Lewis weaves inside and Petrov doesn't follow, wouldn't Lewis have to stick to the inside line?

M758

Moving to break a draft and moving to take a line are very similar things. In both cases you are making a move off the normal racing line to hold your position to prevent a pass.

You are always allowed 1 move (assuming it is safe) to defend your leading position. That is commonly used to move down to the inside of a turn or the what will be the inside of upcoming turn to gain the advantage of relative position. The lead car make make this move before the trailing car does or after if there is safe distance between them so as not to cause a crash. This is their 1 move. The car following has the choice to either respond to the move or not. So the trailing car can move to the inside for pass. Then have that moved blocked by the lead car and then go back to the outside. There ar times a trailing car will bait a lead car in to taking the inside by doing a 1/2 move only to move right back when the lead car moves.

So really the trailing car can make as many moves as they want The lead car can make only 1. Now a careful lead driver can in fact make 2 moves if the do them right so they don't look like two moves. So you can close down the inside lane and then slowly slide back to the outside and get away with a double move, but this about it.

Now you are trying to break a draft you may move. However once you do you cannot then jump back on line then jump back off line. It is then pretty clear that you are in fact responding to the trailing car's movements. Even if they are "following" you.

So if at any time you make 2 moves in an effort to keep the trailing car behind you (either by position or braeaking a draft) you might be found guilty of blocking. I say might because somebody has to see it and recognize it. A sly racer knows how to block without getting caught. That is a part of race craft.

gums

I can't stand driving like that, blocking of any kind is bad form, there is no place for that especially in this age of nearly impossible passing to begin with. Back in the day that would never have been attempted, the risk of fatality was bad enough. If one is faster, he deserves room. Deviation from the normal line to block is crappy form. That goes for Club Racing right up to the WDC.

ltc

Ask any kid who races karts (especially a class like Cadets) and they would be the first to tell you that it was a violation.

When explained to kids it usually goes something like "you can zig, but then you can't zag".
Clear rules regarding how many changes in line/lane allowed on each section between turns.

The reasons (breaking a draft, blocking, etc) are irrelevant, hence the rule.

Again, it was obvious (especially given the speed of the changes in line/lane) and the FIA did the correct thing in issuing the warning.

multi21

Petrov might have been better served to stay on the inside line and let Hamilton weave back and forth to make it appear more clearly that he had more than one move. The fact he stayed with him probably gave the stewarts that "gray" area to give just a warning.

Not surprising was that none of the British SPEED anounce crew said a word about it when it happened. My 13 year old who races karts mentioned it right away, however. I know karts and F1 are different, but the 1 move rule is the exact same in each just like ltc mentioned.

One of the race stewarts was Johnny Herbert...... enough said

Riff

Joe and Lewis-

Thanks for the explanations, much more clear for me now. I took block to be just that, impeding the progress of the person behind.

Cheers!

ltc

Not as different as one might expect.
Remember that karting (via the CIK) is one of the (6) motorsports sanctioned by the FIA.
The rules are consistent.

MJSpeed

+1

That was illegal and therefore should've received a penalty not just a warning.

M758

I am no Hamilton fan, but was ok with warning. Weaving to block is clearly a violation. Weaving to break a draft is not as clear. So give him a warning and let them race. I am ok with that. However it is "season" type warning which menas if he weaves to break a draft in another race then give him a stop and go.

ltc

I disagree. The rule is clear, although there is always discretion given to the race stewards.

In this case weaving to break a draft is no different than weaving to block, since it is obvious that the end result is the same (no pass permitted by the leading car).