sweanders

That is probably 100% true, or at least let us hope so.

He made a fool of himself trying to put on an ignorant act at the press conference after the race.

333pg333

As much as they are required to stay evenly situated behind the lead driver, he is still complicit in setting the field and by slowing down to create a clusterfcuk behind you would mean that he is guilty of not 'managing' his part of the bargain.

ltc

It was similar to a 'brake check' maneuver on Button's part.
IIRC, Hamilton was guilty of doing something very similar at a rain race about 2 years ago.
Dangerous in the dry (especially with cold carbon brakes), just stupidly dangerous in the wet.

Seems like driving for McLaren just seems to bring out "the best" in drivers like Hamilton, Alonso, Button. Seems like Ron Dennis is still there sometimes; oh wait he is.

IIRC, at karting events held under CIK start rules, there was a radar gun at the start line and the driver's were told at the driver's meeting of the minimum and maximum speed limits for the leaders (2 row starts).
BTW, the karts have onboard DAQ with GPS, so the driver knows in real time exactly what speed he/she is running at...
After 2 waved off starts, the front row (both drivers) were sent to the back and the next 2 got a chance to do it right.

ltc

BTW, did any of the world press cover the issue regarding Webber sitting in the pits ahead of Vettel during one of the early stops when they stacked the pits?

Did anyone see Alonso and Webber chatting before the race? That maneuver instantly reminded me of Alonso and Hamilton in the pits a few years back...the only thing missing from the Red Bull pits was Alonso's physio with a stopwatch and a hand signal.

I must say, my opinion of Webber has been going downhill this past season. I do hope the rumors are true and he is retiring after this season.

ltc

Has anyone heard if the teams were able to get back home, along with their equipment, after the race?

There was something mentioned during the Speed pre-race in an interview with Tony Fernandes (HRT team principal), saying he was trying to get some of his planes to help get folks back home somehow.

WHB Porsche

Yeah, that was pretty disappointing.

Larry Herman

Hamilton has proven to play fast and loose with the truth. You can't even call it as "the way he saw it". It's apparent that he knows what the truth is, but he prefers to revise it to his liking. This is another thing about him that will continue until he is called on the carpet.

Flying Finn

Correct, they had Alonso's tires ready at the pits so there's no other choice than that was team order to have Alonso pass Massa.
(by sporting regulations, drivers must use tires signed for them, you can not "swap" tires between tires).

Damn Wayne, this is something new and shows you have sense, Raj is much more consistent, he declared Alonso "drive of the race" again...

Damn, that's the line of the week, if not month!

Very true, that was little strange... But RB's pit stops were pretty fucked up the whole race.

Well, the "rumor" is that the replacement has been signed for next 3 years... We all know who that replacement driver is but to me it seems he's having too much fun in WRC circles...
(FYI, he was 5th in the last rally in Turkey)

Well, Lotus team members left on Monday with AirAsia flight (1st to just Malaysia though).
AirAsia is owned by Tony Fernandes (who is Lotus team principal, not HRT) so that helps...
Also Sauber, Ferrari, Toro Rosso, Renault and Mercedes flew with AirAsia flights to Europe.

theporscheguy

Interesting race with many many twists. Hope to see the boys live some time this year if schedule allows. There are a lot of interesting stories to follow all over the board. I guess that's what keeps us coming back for more. Ah, two and a half weeks till the next race.

Circuit Motorsports

Just like Vettel was regarding the pit exit...


Hamilton drove straight, Vettel moved decisively to his right.

RajDatta

LOL, I try not to flip flop.
Raj

Larry Herman

Vettel was in the proper lane to exit the pits. Hamilton was not. If they both were on the pit speed limiter, then what do you think should have happened here?

Circuit Motorsports

You keep forgetting that nothing in the Sporting Regulations delineates where you can drive 'at speed' in the pit lane. Just where you can work on the cars.

And two seconds before htat picture was taken Vettel was 6 feet to the left. As for what should have happened? I know what I would have done in Vettels shoes but theres a reason I'm not in F1 eihter.

Also I wasn't arguing the actions that took place, just Vettel's revisionist theory and how Hamitlon gets strung up for such things but Vettel doesn't.

Larry Herman

Ok, but Vettel so far has shown to be "fairly" honest whereas Hamilton has not (Trulli-gate?). Remember Vettel taking the blame in last year's crash when it was questionable that it was his fault at all? Maybe he is learning from his peers.

M758

Once both cars tried to get in the fast late Vettel was in front. Albeit by only 1/2 car length, but he was still in front. As such the position is his. Hammy needed to tuck in behind as how could you expect that going two wide with wheels interlocked down the pit lane is a good thing. Vettel was the lead car exiting their boxes and so had the lead until they go back on track when the could race again. As for Vettel moving over? He is the lead car a need not yeild to a car exiting their pit box. It would have been stupid and weak for Vettel to give Hammy room.