Singapore GP 2011 - Marina Bay Street Circuit

[vall]

not that many 'silly' mistakes actually.

Indeed, he used to drive in to people on purpose...

those were deliberate actions, not mistakes

[timbo]

Blue flags in qualifying for Massa:-

That's marshalls loosing their minds. All drivers on track at that point were in the same conditions. Blue flags have precisely ZERO point.

[beelsebob]

not that many 'silly' mistakes actually.

Indeed, he used to drive in to people on purpose...

those were deliberate actions, not mistakes

Deliberate, and mistake are not mutually exclusive.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Blue flags in qualifying for Massa:-

That's marshalls loosing their minds. All drivers on track at that point were in the same conditions. Blue flags have precisely ZERO point.

They were still waved, drivers don't get to choose whether or not they obey them.

If a black flag is waved the driver can't just say "hey, i think that's stupid so i'm staying out". Rules are rules.

People have been penalised for blocking in Qualifying no? So hence it's illegal.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Diesel

was there not an HRT or Virgin(cant really make it out) in front of both cars at the time?

Was massa/Hamilton on a hot/in/out lap?

[Just_a_fan]

Blue flags in that situation don't mean "get out of the way" but "someone might be about to overtake you". Very different. No compulsion on Massa to let Hamilton through as they were both on outlaps. Had Hamilton been on a timed lap and Massa on an out or in lap then the flags would be directive.

[beelsebob]

Diesel

was there not an HRT or Virgin(cant really make it out) in front of both cars at the time?

Was massa/Hamilton on a hot/in/out lap?

No – this was Q3 – the car you can see up there is Alonso.

Just for reference – a quick check of the sporting regs says that a blue flag has no meaning in qualifying, other than at the pit lane exit, where it means "there's a fast car coming round, careful".

[i70q7m7ghw]

JET: There were no backmarkers.

Just_a_fan: Can you please quote the rule that states this?

My understanding is impeding a car is illegal, end of. You can't just back another car up, even if he is on an out lap, you could blow his chances of doing a second run.

[timbo]

They were still waved, drivers don't get to choose whether or not they obey them.

If a black flag is waved the driver can't just say "hey, i think that's stupid so i'm staying out". Rules are rules.

People have been penalised for blocking in Qualifying no? So hence it's illegal.

How can you prove they are for Massa? Why not Alonso?

[beelsebob]

JET: There were no backmarkers.

Just_a_fan: Can you please quote the rule that states this?

My understanding is impeding a car is illegal, end of. You can't just back another car up, even if he is on an out lap, you could blow his chances of doing a second run.

31.3 During all practices there will be a green and a red light at the end of the pit lane. Cars may only leave the pit lane when the green light is on. Additionally, a blue flag and/or a flashing blue light will be shown in the pit exit to warn drivers leaving the pit lane if cars are approaching on the track.

There's no other rule related to blue flags in a practice session, all others relate very specifically to the race.

[i70q7m7ghw]

So why show the blue flag there? it's nowhere near the pit exit.

I suspect that means that blue flags aren't enforceable in qualifying, but still mean "let faster car through".

I'm not saying Massa should be getting a penalty by the way, just that it seemed to me even the marshalls felt Massa should have just let Lewis through...

[beelsebob]

With blue flags out of mind...

31.7 Any driver taking part in any practice session who, in the opinion of the stewards, stops unnecessarily on the circuit or unnecessarily impedes another driver shall be subject to the penalties referred to in Article 31.6.

Massa was unnecessarily impeding Hamilton, he has absolutely no right to be pissed off that Hamilton wanted a clear lap.

[beelsebob]

Just for completeness, here's all other mentions of blue flags in the regs, as you can see, they all relate specifically to the race:

20.4 As soon as a car is caught by another car which is about to lap it during the race the driver must allow the faster driver past at the first available opportunity. If the driver who has been caught does not allow the faster driver past, waved blue flags will be shown to indicate that he must allow the following driver to overtake.
Any driver who is deemed to be ignoring the waved blue flags will be reported to the stewards of the meeting.

39) THE RACE
39.1 During the race, drivers leaving the pit lane may only do so when the light at the end of the pit lane is green and on their own responsibility. A marshal with a blue flag and/or a flashing blue light, will also warn the driver if cars are approaching on the track.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Universally the meaning of the blue flag is the same, it means let the car behind through. Race control must have been showing it for a reason, maybe McLaren voiced concerns? And then Ferrari radioed to Massa to let him through? He did yeild pretty quickly after the initial attack from Lewis.

[ajdavison2]

not that many 'silly' mistakes actually.

Indeed, he used to drive in to people on purpose...

those were deliberate actions, not mistakes

I'm struggling to remember a time when Ham has DELIBERATELY run into another driver?