FIA vs Hamilton
What a ridiculous story is evolving between FIA and Hamilton/McLaren.
At the start of the season my feelings about F1 racing was getting better. I expected even more competition, 2008 was already very competitive. The new looks of the cars were strange but got used to it pretty quick. Some team drivers helmets designs should be more distinguishable. I had to focus on the cam color on top of the car to know who I was looking at!
But what appeared to be a great race with a thrilling end is now getting a stupid story of people misusing their powers.
Facts first:
- A safety car situation had happened.
- Trulli driving on P3, Hamilton on P4.
- Trulli gets off track.
- Hamilton overtakes off track Trulli, this is allowed during safety car situation.
- Trulli gets back on track P4, Hamilton now P3
- Hamilton doesn’t know this and asks for the team what to do!
- The team orders him to let Trulli pass and give it’s P3 back.
- Hamilton slows down. Trulli passes again.
- Hamilton P4, Trulli P3
- Race finishes.
29 March Hearing with stewards.
McLaren/Hamilton claims they should have the 3rd place. Because they didn’t have to give back the 3rd position to Trulli. McLaren/Hamilton think it’s not needed to inform the stewards during the hearing about the radio transmissions. Facts were clear without them. (they were to me!)
Stewards agree with McLaren/Hamilton, and give Trulli a penalty! 25 seconds!
Now this is the first mistake!!! Trulli should not have received a penalty. The situation was confusing (due to unclear rules). Trulli did not overtake Hamilton on purpose but thought he had a problem (slow). So the only good punishment would be put trulli back to 4th pos.
Suddenly the FIA investigates further and hears the radio transmissions. And then they say Hamilton lied? Well please FIA what’s the lie? Not bringing the audio tapes to the 29th march hearing? That’s not a lie!?
This kind of blabla makes it no sense to view the race… Just check one week afterwards to know the standings.
The true problems are;
1) unclear rules!
2) way too high punishment for an error due to confusion during the safety car rules.
If a driver on purpose tries to overtake while it’s not allowed, he should be punished during or immediately after the race. If a steward makes a wrong call! So be it! Look at other sports, Tennis / Soccer whatever. If a judge makes a wrong call it’s done. It’s too bad but the fan’s know at least the outcome of the race.
Same goes for the stupid penalty for vettel! Both drivers were fighting for a position during the Melbourne Grand-prix. They fought, both lost. No need to penalize one of them. This is truly forgery of the world championship. Vettel has to start 10 places behind his qualifying spot. In one word RIDICULOUS.
It was very clear to me that Trulli was being ‘mis-led’ by Hamilton to believe that the McLaren car was in trouble. He is innocent. McLaren screwed up when accusing Trulli doing illegal overtaking under SC after the race just to get their 3rd position back. No doubt, that 3rd place was Hamilton to claimed but McLaren/Hamilton did lie to the stewards by saying that they r no order by them to let the Toyota passed. But the forget about the radio conversation recording?
Lewis said he didn’t lied… he was ‘mis-led’ by Mclaren Sporting director… i wonder which one is worse? a true liar or a person who will lie if ordered by someone else?so where is his integrity? why can’t he said NO when someone ask him to lie in the 1st place? the ’team player’ excuse was a pretty lame excuse to me. he is a world champion after all!
No, no, he lied to the stewards so that Trulli got a severe penalty. This ‘ll cost him more than this penalty, believe me.
“@marco what should you do when a driver in front of you goes of track? pull over? If a driver in front of you goes off you have no other choice!”
But that is NOT the reason for the penalty of Lewis/McLaren!
the reason is that McLaren categorically denied having ordered Lewis to stay behind Trulli, while then filing a complaint about Trulli overtaking in a safety car situation.
There shouldn’t have been any penalty at all, but McLaren is to blame for all this crap. If they didn’t file any complaint, nothing would have happened at all.
@arjan, i did not say to eliminate truly, just put him back to 4th.
@marco what should you do when a driver in front of you goes of track? pull over? If a driver in front of you goes off you have no other choice!
McLaren lied about their order to Lewis that he should not overtake Trulli, and complained that Trulli overtook illegally. I think the punishment of McLaren/Lewis is just. Especially since Lewis in an interview after the race stated that he was ordered not to overtake Trulli.
So yes, they lied, big time. But Trulli shouldn’t have been punished anyway.
Vettel vs Kubica = race incident, punishment is daft, and if one should get punished, I think it should have been Kubica, not Vettel.
Just wait for April 14, the ruling of the so-called illegal diffusers used by BrawnGP for instance. If the FIA rules against the diffusers, then it will be clear FIA is corrupted by Ferrari influences and the sport is just a farce.
Good thing: Indy will be on dutch TV live 🙂
C’mon! What other choice did Trulli have? Hamilton was doing just 15mph in his McLaren – and his team ordered him to do so. What kind of sport would F1 be if its possible to eliminate a contender like that!?