What a load of bull.. (belgium GP)

[Zak33]

I'm glad Hamilton got that penalty.....if I'd been running that race I'd have nailed him while he was still racing and he'd have spent 25 seoconds in the pits, waiting.

I could see what he was thinking, I've co-driven for people who do the same.... make it look like a mistake. Hamilton's brain works like lightning, he went down the outside on a corner he could NEVER MAKE, he'd done it 40 times already, he KNOWs he cant make that corner from there at that sspeed.... and then had no choice but to cut the corner.... if it WAS a mistake, he should be penalised for dangerous driving... either way, same result. Penalty.

I agree.....he did not gain 25 seconds.... but you'd not gain 25 seconds for cutting ANY corner, but you still deserve a hefty penalty for cheating.

I for one am very pleased he got a penalty.

But he DID drive like a star in those last rainy corners, and his car control was exceptional. Had he done the honourable thing, and not done what he did, he'd be victorious cos he pressured his oppostion into a mistake anyway.

Shame for him...but right decision.

[staffsMike]

I follow you but my point is if he had no attempted the move, and followed him into the last corner he would have been in an ideal position for the overtake he finally made into turn 1.

Now obviously he was feeling impatient and tried a move, when they finished braking, from where I was sitting he was in the lead and so on turn in he has at least some right to the road, even if he was on the outside. No he couldn't have made it stick (well probably not) but he was there. I don't mind that Kimi didn't yeild anyway, but the both did what was right imo.

I just can't help but think, if it was Kimi being forced over like that it still would have been Hamilton getting shafted.

[Zak33]

I just can't help but think, if it was Kimi being forced over like that it still would have been Hamilton getting shafted.

yeah... I think millions of people agree with you. Hamilton was best driver on those last two laps of rain... but it's like the finest olympian sportperson, who will win ayway, with grit and determination, spotting a "perk" that might not be found out, using it, being caught and ruining his chances of a perfect score.

All a real shame

[j1979]

Which first corner are you referring to? It seems to be a mix of the Bus Stop and La Source. How you can cut a hairpin with a concrete wall on the inside, I've no idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaeA-njNLf0

pause the video at 29 seconds. raikkonen is not on the race line. also hamilton was ahead before the corner. I cant see how they have got away with this.

and the next video just pause near the start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

[Butuz]

Discusting. F1 is a farce.

Butuz

[this_is_gav]

I follow you but my point is if he had no attempted the move, and followed him into the last corner he would have been in an ideal position for the overtake he finally made into turn 1.

Oh yeah, if he's just have followed him into the chicane, he'd have been in an ideal position for La Source. Sorry, thought you meant later in that chicane (backed off instead of cutting the corner).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaeA-njNLf0

pause the video at 29 seconds. raikkonen is not on the race line. also hamilton was ahead before the corner. I cant see how they have got away with this.

What's your point? What has Raikkonen done wrong? He's clearly ahead of Hamilton, and hasn't overtaken by driving off the track, therefore it's a legit move.

[TAKTAK]

and the next video just pause near the start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

[staffsMike]

Watching that video again, I have my doubts as to whether he could follow Kimi in at all. Kimi seemed to brake too early.

Also Hamilton never uses Kimi's draft on the home straight..

[MarcLister]

Watched the race. Found it pretty exciting and hoped the rain wouldn't cause any problems. It did.

As Gav explains the 25 second penalty was correct in my opinion. It isn't a case of he gained X, so he loses X. It is a case of he gained an advantage, unfairly, so he gets a penalty.

I switched the TV off pretty much immediately after Hamilton crossed the line to "win" so I don't know if Blundle or Allen mentioned that Hamilton could be in trouble for the antics at the end of the penultimate lap. And since there isn't a Bus Stop chicane any more why do people on TV still call it a chicane? There isn't a chicance where the Bus Stop used to be!

Gutted for Kimi, thought he drove pretty well all race and certainly pulled a nice move on Hamilton to take the lead. And I liked how Allen did the whole Lewis doesn't get overtaken on the outside thing. So Kimi was in trouble before the race regarding his own title chances and now Massa has moved away from him and Hamilton as well, though not as much as before the race result was altered.

Kimi's manager was quickly interviewed by ITV-F1 before the race. He mentioned that Kimi was 17 points behind with 2 races left last season and was 13 points behind (before Spa race) with 6 races left. So technically still in with a chance but I think now that Massa has "won" Spa and Kimi came away with no points the team will ask Kimi to support Massa.

[j1979]

Oh yeah, if he's just have followed him into the chicane, he'd have been in an ideal position for La Source. Sorry, thought you meant later in that chicane (backed off instead of cutting the corner).



What's your point? What has Raikkonen done wrong? He's clearly ahead of Hamilton, and hasn't overtaken by driving off the track, therefore it's a legit move.

this is exaggerated somewhat, but i do feel he had no choice, hamilton was ahead before the corner (just) and gave the place up on the straight. + he had nowhere else to go, Raikkonen was not on the race line either.

ps sorry about the crap artwork. it was rushed!!

[staffsMike]

I liked this post on pistonheads by Gregmund

What would have been the penalty if he hadn't abided by the rules and conceded the place - a drive thru = less than 25 seconds?
If so - McLaren got their strategy wrong - Hamilton should have kept his foot in... got the drive through... served it on his final lap and won - aka Shuey at Silverstone in 1998.

Would it have been a drive through or a stop and go, I don't know but it's fun to think about lol

Loving the drawing j1979

Wouldn't the natural racing line start more where Hamilton was anyway, Kimi was defensive at the time.

[Sk!mD4Rk]

:gobsmacked: at this decision. I only caught the last 8 laps of this race, due to me having to deal with my car, which had it's rear window smashed overnight.

One of the best F1 finishes i can remember destoryed by beaurocrocy. F1 is dull at the best of times with driver modifications and so on. Jacques Villeneuve hit the nail on the head a while back when he said "we know the risks, accept the danger, and are paid well. The sport i know, my father knew, is succoming to the pc society"

Lewis let Raikonnen through (he had to) after being forced wide. Kimi totally lost it at the next bend snaking and hit Lewis going round the hairpin! I'm no expert and can't see how Lewis gained any advantage. I witnessed a battle from yore, ala Schumacher/Mansell, to have that taken away, reveals disturbing quality control in F1. Mosely/Ecclestone/Whoever, words fail me, Grrrrr

[Richie P]

I've been pondering this for the last few hours trying to understand the decision.

I can see why Lewis has been penalised, but I think Raikonnen drove him off the road. In that scenario, Lewis did the only thing he could safely have done at the time and bailed left - by that point, Kimi had pushed him so far off that he wouldn't have been able to avoid hitting him by driving the corner which is what it is being suggested that he should have done.

I see how the stewards have made the decision, but it's an incredibly harsh judgement that you can't help feel wouldn't have happened if the roles had been reversed. Ferrari to the FIA are like Alex Ferguson to the FA. They're all cheating, underhand, bastards.

[Sk!mD4Rk]

^^^^ Amen to that mate!! Also, you CAN force drivers wide, but not off the track!. The driver forcing, surely has to yield, and why no penalty for contact? (if the situation warrants it)

[Koolpc]

Typical of how the stewards always come down on the side of Ferrari. Always the bloody same.

They nearly crashed into someone in the pits at the last race and nothing was done for that!!

[TiG]

There are lots of people on here with lots of knowledge of grand prix, rules regulations and scientific explanations for lots of different situations. The problem is that for people who watch F1 as a spectacle of racing, a lot of people will wonder what the hell has happened. How the winner has been stripped of a win, when the person who he was racing with went into the wall.

Is this anything like Kova's move on Webber?, no. Sorry but its rubbish, Lewis was going to win that race even if he was another 10 seconds behind Raikkonen.

It's taken the whole sport from the track where it should be to the damn situation of interpretation of rules and if we see shall if it ends up in courts.

F1 really does know how to spoil its reputation time and time again. Right or wrong the decision is cynical and will affect the general view of the sport yet again. Just look at the number of people saying they won't watch the rest of the season.

It just doesn't make sense to me and doesn't seem fair.

TiG