Formula One ( F1 )

Vettel will get some problems with FIA with his vocal comments - as much as i do agree with him about Charlie Whiting, who will not see the 2017 year - welcome back Ross Brawn,

Lewis should have been penalised just like Verstappen - i see no difference - if there was armco barriers he would have been in them - so should not be allowed to get away with it given the same penalty was given to Verstappen.
I also felt Verstappen was pretty hard on Nico in the first corner, clearly alongside, no problem with that, but he gave him no room and pushed him off....

Hamilton is a tricky one, the stewards are normally a bit more lenient with 1st lap incidents, but that was an unforced error and I don't see any reason why it should be treated differently.

Didn't both Hamilton AND Rosberg exceed track limits after the start? Any clear advantage should result in the driver in front reducing the gap to the one behind, so there was no longer any advantage, or giving the driver behind the position. Also, first lap incidents, especially regarding the first two corners, are given a more lenient treatment than from then on in the race. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Rosbergs was a little different in that Max slide into him side on and there was no track for Rosberg to back on to!
edit: and that wasnt down to Rosbergs mistake - whereas Lewis' clearly was his own.

But there is only a penalty if the driver gained a clear advantage. It seems that the stewards, and even Rosberg, don't quite see things the way you do.

Collisions are generally given a bit more lenient treatment because they'll frequently happen in the first few corners. Hamilton's was an unforced error and he will have gained an advantage as Max did (as they both missed the corner after outbraking themselves and caning it across the grass).

It'd be a shame for the championship if it were to go against Hamilton. But I think if it wasn't for the safety car, that penalty would be looking likely.

You can't use "clear advantage" with such emphasis without giving any definition. Is it a tenth? Half a second? He gained quite a chunk of time I don't think anyone can deny that.

Nor is it logical to assume that because they stewards haven't penalised him yet, that they don't feel he did anything wrong.

I'll hold my hands up and admit I'm a Vettel fan, but I can't be the only one here thinking Vettel & Ricciardo being called to the stewards is a bit surprising?

I thought it was fantastic driving from both. Small amount of tyre rub and both stayed on track and facing forward. I can't see how that is an issue but Verstappen on Hamilton at Suzuka was fine.

Clear advantage is judged by the stewards. There is no mathematical formula.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/125207 - last paragraph copied below.

*Whiting added drivers will also be reported to the stewards if they gained a "clear and lasting advantage by leaving the track" during the race.*

Some thoughts from Jackie Stewart.

To be fair after the first couple of corners there was a virtual safety car before the full safety car, at which point Rosberg was right behind Hamilton again so I think he had lift off so as not to gain an advantage. After the safety car he pulled away from rosberg with easy. There was also no body along side Hamilton as he went across the grass which I also think was in his favour.

And you don't believe Hamilton got that by cutting the first corner?

In other news, Vettel stripped of third after his defence on Ricciardo. Seems fair after the new rule clarification. It's a shame that he was put in that place due to Max's driving, bit of a messy situation all round.

Given how critical of Max (and rightly so) Vettel has been that makes him look like a right dick. I wonder what he's got to say to Charlie Whiting now!

motorsport.com has the stewards explanation of Lewis penalty and the rest.

Indeed, the fact that Hamilton backed off, as was proven by telemetry readings that they saw, meant there was no doubt the Briton did not deserve a punishment.

Yeah I had a feeling that was the reason.

seems that the highest ever recorded speed of an F1 car (during a race) was broken yesterday, something like 372km/h.

Isn't that Montoya's record from 2005?

Edit: that was 372.6. Yesterday's was 372.5

I miss the old Nurburgring....

If they brought it back, none of the current cars would even finish.

I'd love to an F1 race around the Surfers Paradise V8 supercar circuit.

Good shout.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/revealed-why-hamilton-escaped-mexican-gp-turn-1-sanction-845383/?tp[0]=2&s=1

And this guy (below) sums up my sentiments exactly.

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Are there any rival teams or drivers for which that isn't true though? Sports fans in 'Disliking rival' shocker.

First time hearing the 'Lulu' nickname, I'm not sure if I'm missing something or it's just humourless. I mean at least Britney is a bit amusing.

Personally I felt that the main reason for Hamilton's lack of penalty was the fact that the safety car came out so soon after that it was not a factor in how the race panned out. Glad to see he had the level-headedness to lift significantly enough for the stewards to be happy with it.

Also, it was on the first lap. First lap is always chaos so rules are a bit more flexible. If it was right at the end to gain a place, sure but that's a different kettle of fish.

Think it was old Crashtor Maldinado's record...

Edit... it was Montoya's record.

ex-F1 driver Jan Lammers on Max Verstappen (aimed at Lauda's frequent comments), I think he has a point - even though yes I am Dutch and I've only been following F1 for a shorter while than you guys on here.

Quoted so [sic] here and there

"Max Verstappen, What about him?

Much has been said and will be said about this amazing young man! I am Dutch and I used to drive in Formula One, Max is Dutch and drives in Formula One so I have every reason to admire him. However I am not a fan because most fans can't handle any form of criticism aimed at their idol. If anything I am a big fan of objectivity! Now with that in mind I need to get something of my chest. Max has been hailed and criticized for his achievements so far, I have been complimenting him all along, why, well because it makes sense. Now I can already see you critics get agitated and you probably feel the urge to start replying before you read further, please yourself. Following the logic of 'trying to understand, before being understood' I thought about the criticism and looked back at what Verstappen did that was so terrible?

Looking back from when he started his first F1 GP in 2015, I conclude that it was nothing, absolutely nothing!! Yes you blabbermouths out there, NOTHING!! Yes he did upset a few people, why, simply because he passed them in a brilliant way or they couldn't pass him because he was clever and skillful in defending! Yes of course he 'nearly' touched people or they 'nearly' touched him, well that's the skill part of it! How many girls have you F1 drivers 'nearly' made pregnant? So those are the facts, deal with it.

He also NEVER (in caps lock so Mr. Lauda can also read it without reading glasses) ran into anybody on the track, never even damaged anybody's car (Romain Grosjean in Monaco 2015 could finish the race in twelfth position on the same lap as the leader). So how many of you Formula one drivers can say that over the last two years? Certainly not your two choir boys Mr. Lauda! Btw they are two awesome drivers and characters, but this is in reply to how Mr. Lauda makes them out to be.. By now we can write a book about all the things that Lauda said in anger and took back so even and icon of the stature of Niki Lauda, my own great example in the seventies loses credibility for talking nonsense just to cover his own interest.

Also I challenge all the other F1 drivers to come up with a record like that! And now what? Well overtaking and defending used to be an art but not anymore, all the smart ass wingers have achieved that everybody can overtake now because you can't move under braking, effectively you're not aloud to defend yourself other than pressing a button on the steering wheel for extra power. (Good job their not in charge of the World Boxing Association) so remember he never drove anybody off the track, so when he will do at some point in the future, bless him and the other driver because it will be his first time!!"

Didn't he drive Rosberg off track on Sunday there? I also recall him running Kimi off track at Spa (as well as clearly blocking him on the Kemmel straight) this year, and also Austin last year.

Didn't he run into Grosjean in Monaco last year?

Hasn't he caused a few front wings to get damaged from his late moves?

Don't get me wrong, Max is fantastic for F1. He's undoubtedly a future world champion he's fantastic to watch. He pulls off moves no one else seemingly even thinks off, and rarely locks a wheel doing so. But he makes mistakes like the rest of them.

But that excerpt there has quite a few non-facts and contradictions to the point that it really wasn't worth reading.

Hopefully the Red Bull drivers and Vettel can put all this behind them and get back to putting on some great racing, especially as the next race is at one of the tracks of the season.

Also, I heard a suggestion of putting a gravel trap on that bit of grass on the outside of turn 1, definitely think that's a great idea. Same goes for the end of the Kemmel straight at Spa for the same reason.