German GP 2010 - Hockenheimring

[godlameroso]

The problem was that a big-shot from Santander was there watching the race, and since Alonso is Santander's pet, they gave him the win, because that's who brings in the money. I don't think Massa brings in nearly as much sponsorship cash as Alonso.

Just based on that who do you think is going to get preferential treatment?

I agree, I think Massa deserved that victory, he was just as fast as Alonso or Vettel. After seeing this, Mark Webber should never speak up about being number two.

P.S. I said Massa was a true number two 4 pages ago.

[rei]

shame on ferrari, their should be banned one race for the very lowly tactic

[Goran2812]

Ferrari should get a ban for that. Something like keeping the drivers point but loosing what they have scored for Constructors Championship, juste like McLaren got in Hungary 2007.

why should they get a ban? becouse people don't like what they did?
massa played along, alonso played along, end of story...
the only thing why this is redicolous is that the drivers have to
talk bulls*** on the press conference and look like fools...

[Steven]

Massa supported Ferrari in the press conference. So he obeyed and the stewards have no case. As long as the drivers agree with team order it is legal.

WB, in your own rulebook or in some virtual series that may be true, but F1 regulations are pretty clear in mentioning that any team order that interferes or changes the eventual result of the race is absolutely forbidden.

It doesn't matter if the drivers are OK with it or not, and it also doesn't matter what drivers say in the press conference. The FIA can just request the telemetry, they will see Massa backed off the throttle until Alonso passed and they can draw their own conclusions. There's no point in discussing this any further until we have a decision on that (I think Ferrari will not like it).

[komninosm]

no problem with team tactics with me, it's just the way they do stuff like that... it needs to look more realistic... if those are the right words...

Yeah, tell him to save fuel and tires and switch to engine mode 3 or something :p
I'm serious no pun intended.

BTW why is Vettel such an @$$ again? Why does he slow down at the end of the formation lap like it's a safety car restart? That's moronic. And why does he keep pushing people off track every single race? He did it to Alonso today at the start, he will cause a serious crash if he isn't reprimanded [-X

[myurr]

Ferrari would benefit from running a 3 litre engine but they don't because it is against the rules. Team orders are banned, Ferrari should be punished, end of.

These rules were brought in precisely because of the backlash in 2002, and yet Ferrari pull the same stunt. Team orders have a place where drivers are out of the championship fight, but Massa is not and with the resurgence in Ferrari's pace could well have been able to fight it out by the end of the year. This was a dirty and desperate move by Ferrari and probably as much about placating Alonso as maximising his chances.

[Just_a_fan]

Massa supported Ferrari in the press conference. So he obeyed and the stewards have no case. As long as the drivers agree with team order it is legal.

"We work for the team" is not supporting Ferrari; it's pointedly saying "the team told me to do it and they pay me so I did what I was told to do".

Blatant.

Boo to Ferrari, boo to Alonso, "great drive" to Massa.

Ferrari claim "it's for the team" but the team got the same points either way their drivers finished at the front. The only beneficiary of the incident was Alonso - not the team.

[ecapox]

Am I the only one who doesn't really mind team tactics at all? I think the "ban" on team orders is stupid. The teams are investing millions of dollars in their development. They deserve to have a say in the result of their cars.

"Alonso is faster than you. Do you understand the message?"

Was he faster? Yes
Is it hard to pass in F1? Yes
Did Alonso try to pass on track? Yes
Did Felipe chop his line? Yes

Looks to me like he was told before the race to let Alonso past if Alonso made a passing move. Hence the "Do you understand" part.

Well, is it smart to tell your teammate to move over so that the faster guy can maximize his points and win a WDC, yes. Is is crappy to manipulate a race like that, Yes.

Im on the fence about this. I just feel bad for Massa and i dont think it was right. The points gained wasnt worth subsequent fallout.

[Remote_Access]

F1's concern is less about Massa and more about the bringing of the sport into disrepute. Something to think about.

[mep]

I see a big fight coming to this threats now.
Or can we just agree about alonso?

[Just_a_fan]

When will Vettel stop doing the "Schuie chop" at the start? Every time he does it he loses out. Actually, I hope that if he keeps doing it he ends up losing his title chances. That might be instructional for him.

[ParanoiD]

Smedley not expecting Alonso penalty
25 July 2010

Rob Smedley, Race Engineer to Felipe Massa, does not expect German Grand Prix winner Fernando Alonso to be handed a penalty following Massa’s yielding to the Spaniard on Sunday.

Although Alonso started second on the grid and behind his team-mate, Massa led the pack after Turn 1 courtesy of a stunning pass around the outside of Alonso and pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel.

However, following a radio message stating, ‘Fernando-is-faster-than-you ; can you confirm that message?’ the Brazilian slowed to allow the former double Champion past on Lap 48.

“I don’t expect any penalties whatsoever because Alonso was just faster and Massa made a small mistake when shifting up three gears at once,” Smedley told Germany’s Sky Sports after the race.

[ringo]

Let's wait and see. The way you perceive drivers may not necessarily be the way they are. I look forward to go over this again after the race.

Ready to go over now?

Alonso's mistakes were not necessarily racing mistakes. He doesn't usually set a foot wrong when defending or attacking. His last mistakes were regulations based such as jump starting or passing off track.
While Vettel's have all been car control mistakes. We have seen these in silverstone, turkey; this year and last, and generally he's not proven to be a guy that can defend under pressure for many laps. He's been too fast lately to be in that situation, but now we get to see it, ie if all goes well for him and alonso in the first lap.
The better or faster man wont necessarily win. The man who blinks first under the pressure will lose.

We have Vettel, Alonso, Massa, Webber, Button, Hamilton, all in competitive cars, that's a lot of tension form such a short lap around, factor in back markers and things get more interesting.

I predict Alonso outbraking Vettel into the hair pin on lap 3, Vettel coming over and touching, loses a little ground then has to defend from Webber who passed Massa on lap 2. Vettel under pressure for his Home GP.

Some of the perceptions are slightly accurate.

Vettel can't take pressure. Bad start, poor race craft. He opened the window for Massa and could not even challenge any of the ferraris. He was actually surprised that his car lost performance in dirty air.

[tadzio89]

the LED lights on the back of a Virgin is hanging! that's quite dangerous...

any photos?

[Just_a_fan]

“I don’t expect any penalties whatsoever because Alonso was just faster and Massa made a small mistake when shifting up three gears at once,” Smedley told Germany’s Sky Sports after the race.

He did shift up three gears but not "at once". He short shifted three gears to let Alonso pass him.

I feel for Smedley having to 'tow the party line' in such a fashion.