Maldonado should not have been alongside Hamilton for the second of those two corners, it's not possible to make a move like that without driving outside the limits of the track. Hamilton shouldn't have to leave room on the inside unless Pastor was able to put his car there. Having the outside of the previous corner does not equal having the inside of the next corner, the only reason Pastor was in that position was because he took the corner faster than you normally would.Ray wrote:The problem with the Lewis/Maldonado incident is that for some reason it's deemed acceptable to drive as though someone alongside you on the outside doesn't exist. Lewis had every right to defend his position, but I don't understand why it's accepted that he can drive the corner exit like Maldonado didn't exist on track. Driving a normal racing line with someone on your outside is basically forcing them off track intentionally. It doesn't matter who is in that situation, what cars or involded, teammates or no, or what position is being fought over. Driving people off the track because it's "your" corner because you are on the inside is dangerous. I don't think Lewis was at fault or Maldonado, I think it's a completely stupid and selfish way to drive and it shouldn't be allowed. If two cars enter a corner even, then the driver on the inside should not be allowed to drive off the corner like the other guy doesn't exist.
At track like Valencia is dangerous because the walls are so close, and where the walls aren't there are big speed bumps that can easily launch a car. Maldonado was forced into a situation where he shouldn't have been put and he ran the risk of being shoved directly into those speed bumps. I don't think Lewis or Maldonado were malicious or wrong, I think it being acceptable to basically drive someone off track is the problem. Maybe it comes from my early racing days on ovals. You shove someone around like that on an oval, and you're gonna kill someone. The risk is less on a road course, but it's still no less potentially deadly. Just because Lewis was on the inside doesn't mean he can just drive wide like Maldonado didn't exist I don't think. It takes two to tango and they both caused the accident in my eyes.
Imagine Hamilton's car didn't exist and Pastor drove that line on his own, he would never have legitimately made the corner without leaving the track, he was driving too fast and understeered off the circuit, hit the curb and then understeered in to the side of Hamilton's car.
You can't go wide on that corner and then try and take it at racing speed, he should have lifted and fallen in behind Hamilton, and then just overtaken him at the next corner.
It's like getting on the outside of someone on a chicane, you don't automatically win the inside of the second half of the chicane, the other driver has the racing line.
It's pretty bog standard race craft to be honest.
