Comments on: Why do million-dollar F1 drivers keep making mistakes at red lights?

By: Sri

Sri — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:47:20 +0000

What would have been harsh is to make these people sit out a GP or 2. Some drivers were dealt this way for an offense of much lesser degree.I solemnly believe that would have been in order.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:43:17 +0000

Matt, a lot of the guys here do not remember the the pitlane is also under race conditions, and you don’t stroll out of the pits leisurely. Accidents happen for a reason and its those factors responsible for accidents happening that we should try solve not blaming drivers.

What would have happened if Hamilton began to slow down with Rosberg even much closer to him, for sure it will be an even bigger smash.

It is a highly unusual for drivers to stop at the pit exit. So its highly likely drivers have no reference point or indicator as to where the guys in front of them would stop if they have to.

Hamilton didn’t say he did not deserve the panalty, he just said it was harsh. Rosberg just agreed that they deserved a penalty but he never said the one given to them was the right one.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:12:16 +0000

I am no Hamilton supporter. But if two guys pass someone in the pit and LOOK like they are going to accelerate away, the guy whos passed will hardly remember or notice the red light. With a few more seconds, maybe.

It is very understandable. Not excusable.

And if you saw the red light too late, its your fault. Say its yours. Simple. Whats to lose?

Imagine he did the same to Michael Schumacher’s ferrari. You have seen what he does when it happens to him. Sato got it once.

By: Sri

Sri — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:41:02 +0000

@ Oliver

If someone, who is aware, informed by the team that the pit-lane might be red signalled and yet is careless enough to not mind what’s in front of him/her. He/she would still cause a pile up, whether you’ll be queing ‘em up in one row, or, for that matter as many as you’d like.

One may even overlook this, Kimi did, yep, he and Rosberg have class. Kimi did not do anything rash, he rather politely gestured towards the light, which was ignored.

Tunnel vision is what they have, but they are supposed to ace. Each and every one of them. If some chappie errs, it could be written off as one, as mentioned above. What could not be withstood, is the fact that the chappie went on to say that “if” he ruined somebody’s race, he’s sorry. LOL!

Post victory party, 100,000 quids
McLaren F1 as a reward, 6,000,000 quids
Wrecking cars in pit-lane, priceless

Well, it did not come as good as i’d have wanted it to…

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:39:12 +0000

Roy - there's a huge debate on tha already here: The most hated man in F1

By: Roy Newton

Roy Newton — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:31:15 +0000

Keith – I know my contribution to this is/was straying off the topic but why is Hamilton the most hated driver in F1?
Because where British and we hate anyone who is remotely successful and naturally F1 fans abroad don’t want him beating their drivers.
I wonder if our Spanish counterparts have spent so much vitriol criticising Alonso or if the Italians are cursing Valentino Rossi. Why blame Hamilton for all the hype surrounding him, it’s the British mainstream press who are to blame. They are obsessed with personality, but don’t worry as soon as they’ve tired of him and found some dirt to dish they’ll start knocking him off the pedestal they’ve built.
Why does it have to be hate? Why can’t we just admire all the drivers/riders for their willingness or madness to put their lives on the line for their sport?

By: Oliver

Oliver — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:49:16 +0000

Sri. Drivers going through the end of the pitlane never have to apply the brakes there. And if you analyse the level of activity in the pit lane, you will find that, on every race weekend, the tracks may get on average over 80laps before the race, while the pitlane gets only about 10 laps So if u multiply that by all the cars you will see the track probably gets 1600 laps while the pit late gets only about 200.

Another thing to note is that the pit exit isn’t a standard braking point, most drivers are already up to speed when they are exiting the pits, so even if its dirty, their momentum can take them through that point.

If you watched the reply of the incident, you see, both drivers in front somewhat searching for the exit line. And kimi was still moving when he was hit. Rosberg said in his defense that he saw Lewis moving so could Lewis not have seen Kimi And Robert side by side and moving, thinking they were racing each other, then when he saw they were stopping he looked at the lights saw they were red but in that short time had already moved forward getting even more closer to the already slowing down cars ahead, as he probably didn’t know the exact point cars come to rest at while waiting for the lights to clear.

I do not care who wins or loses and it doesn’t bother me to come to the defense of Lewis. What I am really interested in, is if there is a flaw the rules that can allow such to happen. If the pits were such that the cars will take only one line going out then I bet you we wont have something like this happening.

And if Kimi had not moved to be a feet or 2 ahead of Kubica, its Kubica who would have had his car hit.

By: Wesley

Wesley — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:01:50 +0000

Rosberg,like Kimi,has CLASS.

There you go,I got in a Rosberg comment.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:28:42 +0000

Roy, it's because Hamilton is the most hated driver in F1. Notice how few remarks there have been about Rosberg.

By: Lady Snowcat

Lady Snowcat — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:20:56 +0000

Because Roy…we are human…

I assume that Lewis will have to fight for his grid position and keep to the fuel load in Q3 even after demotion… unless he doesn’t bother with Q3…but that would put him…last…