2012 Monaco GP - Monte Carlo

[andartop]

poor quality replay of the start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTLpn9UItNQ

In Alonso's defense I think it's clear he only moved to the left about as much, or even less, as Grosjean moved to the right.

I think it's just a racing incident.

Love the camera shots from Maldonado's car high up in the sky!!!

[marcush.]

grosjean was completely unawares of the presence of Schumacher ...he did not even check a single time his left mirror...
BUT he did move over to that side wich is really stupid.would you drive where you have not even checked if there was space to move?

[cheapracer]

Grosjean did overeact, it's Monaco Start for goodness sakes, how could he go so far left without even considering someone might be there and not looking at his mirrors......? Great driver but a bit ameaturish.

Shame about the cars that went up the inside, sure thay had no where else to go but they also gained track position advantage unfairly and could have been re-slotted during the safety car period.

[beelsebob]

grosjean was completely unawares of the presence of Schumacher ...he did not even check a single time his left mirror...
BUT he did move over to that side wich is really stupid.would you drive where you have not even checked if there was space to move?

He didn't move, he was pushed.

[andartop]

He didn't move, he was pushed.

Check the video above, I think he wasn't really pushed that much but rather got surprised/scared and overreacted. Also, Alonso was clearly ahead by then, and Grosjean seems to have moved towards Alonso as much as Alonso moved towards Grosjean. I wouldn't blame any of the two drivers, something like that happens easily in Monaco.

[ringo]

Why did button retire?
didn't want to be overtaken by his teammate in the same car?

[Sombrero]

100% Alonso fault. Incredible that they were looking only at Grosjean and Schumacher after the race.

[andartop]

It was funny to hear Coulthard trying to explain why Button couldn't get past Kovalainen!

[beelsebob]

He didn't move, he was pushed.

Check the video above, I think he wasn't really pushed that much but rather got surprised/scared and overreacted. Also, Alonso was clearly ahead by then, and Grosjean seems to have moved towards Alonso as much as Alonso moved towards Grosjean. I wouldn't blame any of the two drivers, something like that happens easily in Monaco.

Agreed – racing incident, but the chain of events was started by alonso, not anyone else.

[FrukostScones]

100% Alonso fault. Incredible that they were looking only at Grosjean and Schumacher after the race.

Alonso's move triggered the crash maybe, but Grosjean's move to the right to suppress such a move by Alonso opened the door for Schumacher on the left and when Grosjean was forced/pushed to the left by Alonso there was no space anymore.
Would have Grosjean chosen a not so aggressive move to cover the inside before turn 1 then he would have lost maybe one place against Alonso but would not have lost the whole race. Again! How many races did he lost in the first lap Melbourne, Malaysia, Monaco. 3 of 6 (50%).
50/50 Grosjean/Alonso, Schumacher 0 fault

[i70q7m7ghw]

I think Kova was overdefending a little if I'm honest. I know he was in a great position for that car, but he was massively slow compared to the McLaren & the Sauber both of which ended up tangling with him trying to get past, I think he would have been better off just yeilding in the end, and he would have finished further up. There's nothing wrong with holding up a slower car when your racing for position, but some times you have to be realistic, if that car is 2 seconds a lap faster than you he's going to try to come through, one way or another, and if you block too hard there will be a crash. Just my tuppence.

Grosjean probably should have yeilded at the start rather than moving across, a bit harder on the brakes and slotting in behind Alonso probably would have been the way to go, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Maldonado, well what can I say, I think a true representation of his 'talent' this weekend.

Webber, flawless, and well deserved. Did anyone catch what he said on the radio afterwards? It was something along the lines of "well done guys" there was a but/catch in there, possibly something about MSC penalty gifting the race a bit?

Schumacher, what a shame. I do wonder sometimes if it's right to apply penalties related to previous races to the next race, is it not better to draw a line under a race weekend and start fresh on the next weekend? I also feel if he had perhaps accepted some of the blame and apologised he may have gotten away without a penalty, I think his attitude probably upset the stewards.

The race overall was a bit of a snorefest really, I don't remember any particular on track overtaking, and most of the field did a 1 stop with relative ease, I thought these Pirelli's were meant to have high deg?

[Cuky]

He didn't move, he was pushed.

Check the video above, I think he wasn't really pushed that much but rather got surprised/scared and overreacted. Also, Alonso was clearly ahead by then, and Grosjean seems to have moved towards Alonso as much as Alonso moved towards Grosjean. I wouldn't blame any of the two drivers, something like that happens easily in Monaco.

Agreed – racing incident, but the chain of events was started by alonso, not anyone else.

The chain of events was started by Grosjean and no one else. Alonso was in front and was faster than Hamilton, so it is normal he will go to try and go around, as he can't go through him.
On the other hand, Grosjean moved far too much on to the left without checking if someone is next to him.

[andartop]

I do wonder sometimes if it's right to apply penalties related to previous races to the next race, is it not better to draw a line under a race weekend and start fresh on the next weekend?

Been thinking about that as well, any suggestions for alternative penalties?
Obviously fines are irrelevant as money means nothing to these guys or the teams.

[i70q7m7ghw]

I do wonder sometimes if it's right to apply penalties related to previous races to the next race, is it not better to draw a line under a race weekend and start fresh on the next weekend?

Been thinking about that as well, any suggestions for alternative penalties?
Obviously fines are irrelevant as money means nothing to these guys or the teams.

I think the only thing left in that sort of situation, where the driver has retired from the race, is possibly a championship points deduction?

[stefan_]

Alonso-Grosjean-Schumacher was a race incident triggered by Alonso, but I think it can be considered a race incident. The other thing is that it's funny how people say "he should be aware someone can be on left or right" and crap like that. I am curious about how many actual racing experience have the persons who give advice about how aware you should be at a start in Monaco.