New chassis for Gutierrez after Maldonado crash

2014 Chinese Grand Prix

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Sauber will replace Esteban Gutierrez’s chassis for next week’s race in China following his collision with Pastor Maldonado during Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

Gutierrez’s car rolled over in the impact but the team intend to repair the chassis.

Maldonado said he had spoken to the Sauber driver, who was taken to hospital following the collision. “We have been in touch,” said Maldonado.

“I think it was a misunderstanding from both sides. He was out of line in the entry of the corner and I was completely committed to the corner. He said that he didn’t see me, and I didn’t expect him to turn in.”

Gutierrez and Sutil will both benefit from “minor updates” on their C33 chassis at this weekend’s race.

Giedo van der Garde will have another run for the team during the first practice session on Friday, taking over from Adrian Sutil.

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Image © Sauber

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Keith Collantine
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46 comments on “New chassis for Gutierrez after Maldonado crash”

  1. He said that he didn’t see me, and I didn’t expect him to turn in.

    So, Maldonado thought that Gutierrez will go straight?

    1. Trenthamfolk (@)
      11th April 2014, 17:37

      Haha… Maldonado is a muppet…

    2. I don’t believe “thought” is something Maldonado is capable of. So if he says he didn’t think he was gonna turn into the corner, the important bit to take notice of is “he didn’t think”.

    3. not at all. i thought gutierrez could have at least taken a wider turn. instead of aiming for the apex. It’s not like maldonado ran wide into him.

      1. unless maldonado was a lap down on the sauber, then yes that’s different.

        1. @sato113
          Check GUT’s onboard replay. Esteban left a mile of space down the inside yet Pastor still crashed into him.

          Maldonado probably outbraked himself there a little, after all he was coming out of the pits with cold tyres.

          1. he did not leave space at the apex though for another car. also maldonado didnt outbrake himself, you can see he is going to hit his apex just fine.

          2. Given that Guttierez probably did not see Maldonado, and never expected him to be there, why would he leave space for him? @kingshark

          3. @bascb
            @sato113
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTBZTQDORl8
            Watch GUT’s replay 0:22 onward, he leaves plenty of space down the inside and takes a wide line.

          4. Where do you see plenty of space in there @Kingshark, from the onboard you can only gather GUT never saw him coming? From the shots earlier in that video, I see a driver who clearly was not expecting Maldonado to be there. Yes he does take a wide line on the straight, but then turns in and goes for the apex.

            Fact is, Maldonado – coming out of the pits on cold tyres etc, and being behind, should have braked ages before he did because he could see Guttierez clearly and should not have expected the Sauber to leave room for him there, I think we agree on that part.

      2. It was 100% his corner… and he did leave a bit of space, even though Maldonado was a long way back when he started braking, 2 cars length at least. 100% on Maldonado.

    4. Selective blindness is something new in F1, I only thought that worked for hearing.

  2. “We have been in touch,” said Maldonado.

    There’s a joke there, I’m sure of it.

    1. I think “we have been in contact” would have been more appropriate… ;-) what is it with Maldonado crashing into Mexicans (Perez in 2012, Gutierrez in Bahrain 2014)?

      1. Hamilton in valencia, Di Resta in spa :P

        1. in short… he crashes anyone in front ;)

          1. Hamilton in Spa, Glock in Spa

          2. Hamilton in Spa, Glock in Spa

      2. Statistically, he’s bound to crash into Mexicans at some point.

      3. This crash was Maldonado’s definition of a “touch”;-)
        In retrospective I think that Gutierrez left completely adequate space on the inside to fit another car, but I don’t think he even “owed” Maldonado that luxury. A very tough driver would just slam the door and don’t leave any room at all, and because Maldonado was comming from behind and from the pit, it was his obligation to yield.

      4. And Perez in Monaco 2012

  3. “I think it was a misunderstanding from both sides. He was out of line in the entry of the corner and I was completely committed to the corner. He said that he didn’t see me, and I didn’t expect him to turn in.” I can’t stand Maldonado. Just admit you screwed up! That was just horrible driving, and GUT was 0% to blame for it.

    If they want to keep costs down in F1, they need to send the bill for the new chassis to Maldonado or PV..whatever the stupid company is called.

    1. As much as I dislike Maldonado, I always believe lessons need to be learned and in this case, there is that small window where a car on the straights doesn’t see another exiting the pits, by the time they are side by side, they driver already on the straights is focusing on his braking.
      I always said when this accident happened that Gutierrez didn’t know Maldonado was there, else he would never have committed to the corner the way he did.

    2. The worst bit is:

      I think it was a misunderstanding from both sides

      Sorry Pastor, just a misunderstanding on your side. A big one, evidently.

      1. Michael Brown (@)
        11th April 2014, 18:30

        I do believe it was a misunderstanding. Gutierrez made the assumption it was safe to go wheel to wheel with Maldonado.

        1. Nah, that wasn’t wheel to wheel, he was at least two cars length ahead at his braking point, no one would expect such a dive from the inside.

          1. @collective Not entirely true ;)
            The only one who expected such a dive was Prost with Senna at Suzuka ’89

        2. That was more of a T-bone than wheel to wheel.

  4. I agree that Pastor should get a bill for the new chassis… that can’t be cheap! Looking at it from my perspective Gut was clearly ON the racing line and taking his corner… I think with Pastors past idiosity, he should of been penalized more… the way it sits there could be 3 more crashes before he gets a race ban!!!… ridiculous….

    1. @bwells88
      the way it sits there could be 3 more crashes before he gets a race ban!!!… ridiculous….

      So that’ll be in like two races time then? good!

      1. haha that block-quote went well….. -_-

        1. +1, but compared to Magnussens 2 points for the contact with Kimi in Malaysia, I think Maldonados lack of situational awareness steaming out from the pit and almost T-bone-ing GUT should be fined with far more points, or Magnussen should have had no points at all.

  5. We’ve been in touch said Maldonado wearing his flip-flops.

  6. Gutierrez’s new chassis is going to be an Abraham tank . . .

    1. Abrams tank. It is named after General Creighton Abrams. I agree that Gutierrez could have use one. Watch both Renault noses get crushed in the treads.

  7. I did like Maldonado and had hopes that he could be tamed – in which case he is a very quick driver. But they have been dashed far too frequently (or crashed, if you prefer), so I’m afraid I have to relinquish the admiration I was able to cling to for his innate pace.

    I shall just stick to supporting Vettel and Ricciardo (which could lead to some support issues during race!).

  8. Sad and self destructive for Maldonado that he cannot accept and admit his mistakes. Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it. He is his own worst enemy and pity to any driver who happens to be in the right place at the wrong time.

  9. The old chassis is now on Maldonado’s trophy room.

    1. Ha Ha LOL

  10. “We have been in touch….” “Is a missundertanding….” Bla bla bla…. But I din’t see any apology for his stupidity -which is the only constant in Maldonado’s behavior- FIA should dequalified him at the same race or give him a race ban. 10 places on next race is short compared with Riccardo unsafe relase . What is more unsafe that crash a competitor on an 70° angle? It is called “Mala Leche”

  11. For those that say that Maldonado had every right to attempt the manouvre, I ask the following question, how could the incident have been avoided?
    Some have suggested that GUT should have given him more room, but its clear to me and from whats been said post race that GUT had no idea he was there…

    1. @dragoll: Yes, only if Maldonado had been able to take the turn so sharp to follow a line fully on the inside of Gutierrez could it have been done without a crash. But Maldonados speed was far above that. The only misunderstanding was in Maldonados head, but I think it is a culture thing, that he won’t apologize and admit his error. In some cultures they “loose face” if apologizing, in other cultures You “lose more face” if You show that You are unable to apologize. So I think or hope that Maldonado is fully aware that he was at fault, but he isn’t man for providing an unconditional and appropriate apology.

  12. MAL has the looks and the attitude of a cartoon villain and it seems he is trying his best to maintain this role.

  13. After seeing him t-bone Hamilton in Valencia and his reaction after the race i knew he would never change.

  14. Mark in Florida
    13th April 2014, 21:55

    Maldonado did what Maldonado does best, get the hell out of the way or get plowed over. He was going to take that corner one way or another. He knew that his tires were cold and unless he got ahead of Gut he never would. Just plain stupidity on his part you can’t out brake or cut the corner that hard on cold tires. It looked like Maldonado was in desperation mode. The Lotus twin tusk nose should be renamed twin plow.

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