jaje

I realized why I love Spa so much and wish we'd have another track on the schedule that completely throws unpredictability into the mix. Another track like Fuji or Brazil. The on / off rain and the very long uphill / downhill straight make it such an exciting track to watch as it is easier to pass as you can actually facilitate a pass from a draft (slow corners onto long straights prevent the frequent problem with not having enough down force to enter/exit a corner right behind the slower car).

Vettel's penalty when he crashed into Button - was not sure if he deserved that b/c he lost control of the car under braking.

All in all it was pretty exciting race and the qualifying sessions were amazing with the on/off rain.

wanna911

I love spa, I've never been there but I will, but just playing it on simulators I think it's the best track there is. Can't wait to get there.


As for Vettel, if you try to pass and take someone out in the process, that's not even trying to block really, I think it's a penalty. I think Vettel picked a poor spot to try a move like that, there was too much of a turn into the braking zone to try it there, but I think he was getting impatient since after that it was nearly impossible to pass for the next half a lap which was mostly straights and flat out......

It's one thing to be racing and make incidental contact, it's another to completely fail at a pass and take the guy you were trying to pass out. I think it keeps the spirit of the rules alive in the event that someone wanted to fake an accident of the sort to take another car out of the race.

Didn't Kimi get a penalty the other year when he lost it at Monaco and took out one of the Force India cars? I can't remember for sure.

I'm all for racing, but the moves need to be well thought out before hand.

mr_fizz

Unfortunately character counts, too, and Seb has not shown too much this year that would cause one to give him the benefit of the doubt or want to cut him some slack. It is difficult to tell in F1 given the speed and talent of the drivers, but it looked like Seb misjudged the closing speed as they got on the brakes and he ended up having to violently move to the left to avoid getting into the back of Button (instead of moving it left ina more controlled fashion). It's one thing to go in two-wide and nobody gives - that's racing, but it's another to punt somebody from behind (or to get into their side pod bc you've got it all wrong and you are trying to avoid punting them from behind).

mr_fizz

here's a vide ofthe incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5naInRFSP7A

Happens so quickly it is just hard to tell.

early_grayce

Tried to fake right, went left and lost control. Looks really sloppy (for an F1 driver...). Driver error, a bit reckless, hence the penalty.

Land Jet

The track was wet and he lost control. I don't think that one should be a penalty but after his other bonehead moves earlier in the season it probably cost him. I don't think he was on the brakes.

jaje

I looked at Vettel's crash more as an accident and not him pushing the envelope too hard. He darted over to a half wet / half dry part of the track (probably expecting Button to move back over to the racing line - like most other drivers). When he made the sudden move and started to brake that is when it just snapped sideways and unfortunately hit Button (who properly kept his inside line to defend the corner).

BC

I dislike Vettel more with every race. It started when he became the pouty, irritable german that he really is.

Character is determined when things go wrong - not when everything is coming up sunshine and roses. And when things get ****ty - vettel gets pissy.

enduro911

Vettel is at fault if you consider that he should have been aware of how slippery the track was before he put so much of a demand on his tires. If it JUST started raining, he's running a wet setup, or some other factor that significantly increases the unlikeliness of his breaking traction, than I think the penalty should be overlooked. If not, I don't see why when liquid is obviously being dispensed on the track that it should be overlooked by the driver.

JHowell37

As I said in the other thread, the WDC will come down to Hamilton and Webber. And Webber's biggest roadblock will be the arrogance and incompetence of Horner and Marko. Even if he wins, he'll still be #2 at Red Bull, he'll still be cut loose at the end of his contract, and I doubt there will be a decent team to pick him up.

M758

Incident was Vettels fault 100%. Even so I would not issue a penalty in F1 for that. It is racing at the highest levels and you need to take risks. Sometime they don't pay off. It seem like freak thing rather than bad judgement. Once the car snapped loose hitting Button (or not) was the luck of the draw really.

In club racing it is a different story.