Hamilton faces Japan win inquiry

[Mithrandir]

Formula One officials are investigating Lewis Hamilton's victory in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix following complaints about erratic driving.

Red Bull's Mark Webber has accused the Englishman of doing a "bad job" behind the safety car after being knocked out of the race while following Hamilton.

Hamilton's win at Fuji gave him a 12-point lead and put him on the verge of winning the world championship.

If he is found guilty, he could have his points from Japan erased.

Continued HERE (BBC)

[Kumagoro]

I'm sure Hamilton's insurance company wont be paying out. Obviously the one behind Webber wasn't
driving at a safe distance from him. Has he not read his highway code....

[kidzer]

I didn't like his driving I must admit, but I dont think he should be stripped of victory - he should be penalised in a way that will affect him though, be it a grid penalty or otherwise.

I say in a way that affects him, because a fine wont, I'm quite sure of that.

[schmunk]

They may well have Lewis Hamilton on the "5 car lengths" rule. He was acting like a bit of knobber following the safety car, but of course if he's within the rules he can do whatever he wants. However, I suspect he was further than 4 car lengths several times...

[Andy3536]

I'm sure if webber didn't slam on his breaks and went past, as long as he let Hamilton back through nothing would have happened.

Surely when thier following each other that close they should be on opposite sides of the track to stop that from happening, we all know there gonna speed up to warm the tyres and slam on the breaks to warm them.

[staffsMike]

Why can't they just race!!? Webber need's to relax and stop puking in his helmet.

OK hamilton shouldn't have been playing silly beggers as much as he did but he's entitled to warm his brakes..lord knows they needed them that day.

[charleski]

While Hamilton did exercise his brakes at some points, he wasn't doing it just before the crash. The video clearly shows that he oversteered on the first corner of the chicane and had to go wide for the 2nd turn.

As for all the moaners behind him, I must have missed the bit in the rules where it says you have to stick your nose under the gearbox of the car in front.

[mart_haj86]

I have just seen the video on the news and I cant see how they can blame Hamilton. I understand that driving around a race track in a 200mph+ car is going to be completely different to driving out there on your standard public roads. But isnt it common sense in that sort of situation to keep a safe distance from the driver in front? Therefore leaving enough room for reaction times and braking.

[ACiD303]

Under the conditions, any one behind Lewis is having a hard time trying to see. Lewis has the easiest job because he has only the safety car in front of him with flashing ne-naws to concentrate on. (ok, probably no ne-naws sound wise). Everyone behind is wondering "where the hell is the guy in front". They don't want to fall behind, or overtake, so all you have a spray of water to go on.

Brake-testing off the racing line in those conditions is dangerous because the guy behind, Webber, is going to think at some point "Lewis is pulling away" and so speeds up to keep up - and when he realises he's way off the line - for whatever reason - and is in danger of overtaking him he slams on the brakes.

Vettel, being so close to Webber, was obviously watching Lewis as well because he didn't know what he was doing over there - and then wham bammed into Webber.

In light of the video, I agree with Webbers account of Hamilton doing not such a great job as he proclaimed.

He won't get the win stripped from him, even though that will spice things up for the last 2 races, he may just get a 10 place penalty like Vettel.

[pauldarkside]

There may not even be an investigation:

BBC 5live commentator David Croft, who is in Shanghai for this weekend's race, believes reports of an investigation into Hamilton's driving are inaccurate

Source.

[mart_haj86]

That source has now changed to state that he has been completely cleared of any kind of punishment.

[iranu]

Just heard it on the ITV news that he won't be punsished.

[pollaxe]

Sky are carrying it too. Good!!

[pauldarkside]

Originally Posted by iranu

Just heard it on the ITV news that he won't be punsished.

Good ... that sounded like it might have be painful

[shaithis]

Listening to Brundle commentating at the time, I was wondering just how he could have done anything wrong. It was a damn shame for Webber but as we all know "**** happens"

[this_is_gav]

Originally Posted by mart_haj86

But isnt it common sense in that sort of situation to keep a safe distance from the driver in front? Therefore leaving enough room for reaction times and braking.

The further you drop back, the less you see, to a point.

If Lewis had been driving the way he was supposed to (consistent speed, no variation unless necessary), then Webber and the others could have dropped back a bit and there wouldn't be a problem. The issue is that Webber was forced to stay closer to Hamilton because of the way Lewis was driving. Had Webber dropped further back it would be he and Hamilton out of the race, as Webber wouldn't be able to see when Hamilton had mashed the brake pedal and would have run into the back of him.

Some fans might not agree that Hamilton had to share the blame, but most of the drivers were complaining about his actions.

It would have been wrong to have docked points from Fuji, but I thought a 10-place penalty for qualifying would have been deserved. It's good that Vettel's penalty has been wiped too, but he's already suffered by losing a position he may never get into again, and his financially challenged team up to £10m, and Webber lost out on a chance for his best ever finish too. Hamilton lost nothing at all.

Hamilton wasn't alone in causing the accident - Vettel must take some of the blame too - but for him to come out and say he did nothing wrong is plainly wrong. It's pretty much only Mr. England (Stirling Moss) and the British media who are defending him...

I also thought his 'start' when the safety car pulled off the first time was extremely poor and very dangerous. At the Brazilian GP in 2003 Rubens Barrichello got absolutely lambasted for doing exactly what Hamilton did in Fuji. It had no thought for anyone else's safety, and unfortunately that shows his attitude in the 2nd half of this year. The angelic veil he wears is eroding quickly. He's fast coming across as a manipulative PR machine.

A quote from a post on a motorsport forum I frequent:

His statement/interview really shows just how much of a jumped-up arrogant cock he his, just hiding behind his angelic veil, always trying to come across as the innocent little boy, brought up with care, love and attention which he is now trying to spread across the world. B*****ks.

"If this is the way it's going to keep going it's not somewhere I want to be."

Mate, you've been in the sport for not even 1 season yet. You can sod off if you like, but you need the sport more than the sport needs you. 1 season of F1 and you're going to be off to NASCAR? Pull the other one. You knew the score when you started out in this.

His entire statement wreaks of someone desperate to come across as if he's being bullied, using PR as a defensive mechanism. His entire statement will be pulled apart if the marshals pull him in to hear his side of the story.

No, he didn't do that much wrong, but to come out and say he followed the rules to the letter is just utter crap. Either he doesn't know them, or he's completely deluded.

His entire season has just been a massive PR exercise, which is a huge shame, because it's his driving which should have done all the talking that was necessary.