2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Hamilton vs Vettel incident

[Phil]

Maybe the whole "what happens after the safety car goes in" procedure should be called into question?

Its practically a game of playing the unpredictable. Vettel should have left more space. Hamilton had every right to do what he was doing, purposely or not.

[seventhsin]

Not sure if Lewis did brake or not or he was just simply off throttle. I think I understand what Lewis was trying to do. He was giving the safety car a big enough of a gap to get back to the pit, because I noticed during one of the restarts, the safety car only just managed to get back to the pit when the Lewis flew by the start-finish straight. What you don't want is Lewis slowing down on the straight, because guaranteed cars behind would probably pile up, reminiscence to what Schumacher did in 2000 at Monza right before Parabolica

Lewis heard from his race engineer after the previous SC restart that the gap to SC line and Lewis crossing his line was very fine, over the radio Lewis said it wasn't as close as they thought, but its very possible he wanted to give himself a little more distance the next time.

In my opinion Seb is 100% in the wrong, and I'd rather Seb to win the WDC this year. He just didn't react in time to his incorrect anticipation of Lewis speed, to then purposefully shunt Lewis was just bizarre to see, very poor sportsmanship.

A real shame for Lewis with his headrest, Toto was hostile towards Ted when he asked about it after the race.

[Xwang]

Small correction for you...there is no brake light on f1 cars. Ham was harvesting electricity, but yes I agree that vet needs a post race penalty of some sort as well, preferably points and maybe even grid demotions next race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVpyAShqeH4

HAM has used the brake pedal just after the apex and immediately before being hit by VET (the onboard replay shows that HAM braked before the apex and then again after the apex) and I don't think it is correct.
Than VET was wrong in not controlling his car from laterally colliding with HAM's one when they were side by side and he was probably saying to HAM how much he love him

Watch Hamilton dangerously did not accelerate after the corner, if he was harvesting energy he would still be accelerating, I think Hamilton should be given a penalty post race, grid penalty or otherwise.

The driver has no control over harvesting, you can't penalise the driver because his car was harvesting.

HAM braked after the apex as the on board replay shows.
VET is guilty of not avoiding the lateral collision when he was probably telling to HAM with arms gestures how much he loves him

[Phil]

Again: is he prohibited from braking and ensuring heat in his brakes?

[LionKing]

Maybe the whole "what happens after the safety car goes in" procedure should be called into question?

Its practically a game of playing the unpredictable. Vettel should have left more space. Hamilton had every right to do what he was doing, purposely or not.

Hamilton can not just do as he pleases as this part also included in the rules:
"In order to avoid the likelihood of accidents before the safety car returns to the pits, from the point at which the lights on the car are turned out drivers must proceed at a pace which involves no erratic acceleration or braking nor any other manoeuvre which is likely to endanger other drivers or impede the restart."

[WaikeCU]

Not sure if Lewis did brake or not or he was just simply off throttle. I think I understand what Lewis was trying to do. He was giving the safety car a big enough of a gap to get back to the pit, because I noticed during one of the restarts, the safety car only just managed to get back to the pit when the Lewis flew by the start-finish straight. What you don't want is Lewis slowing down on the straight, because guaranteed cars behind would probably pile up, reminiscence to what Schumacher did in 2000 at Monza right before Parabolica

Lewis heard from his race engineer after the previous SC restart that the gap to SC line and Lewis crossing his line was very fine, over the radio Lewis said it wasn't as close as they thought, but its very possible he wanted to give himself a little more distance the next time.

In my opinion Seb is 100% in the wrong, and I'd rather Seb to win the WDC this year. He just didn't react in time to his incorrect anticipation of Lewis speed, to then purposefully shunt Lewis was just bizarre to see, very poor sportsmanship.

A real shame for Lewis with his headrest, Toto was hostile towards Ted when he asked about it after the race.

Understandable, when a clear given 1-2 was up for grabs, it just turned south for Merc. Add to that their main championships' rival increased the gap to their main driver after all what happened during the race and what Seb did. So yeah understandable how frustrated he'd must be.

[marmer]

Not sure how ham avoided a pen for braking right after the apex of a corner perhaps not as bad as get but a 5 second time pen just to make a point would have been appropriate sky F1 feed showed throttle and brake and he was off throttle and on brakes just after apex had two presses of the brake peddle so not harvesting he had no need to brake where he did

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[Mattchu]

One thing which can be used as a reference is the gap between the Force India behind Vettel and Hamilton. On the video/replays you can see the Ferrari accelarate away from the pink car and close right in on the Merc eventually hitting it, the gap between Ocon (or was it Perez? I forgot in all the comotion) and hamilton stays pretty much the same.
Very weird incident but at the end of the day the lead car becomes the safety car and they dictate the pace. When ever any driver pretty much is leading after a safety car they do this toing & froing so as the car behind you have to be ready for it. Vettel saying he brake tested him is just hogwash, what he did after is ridiculous!

[FW17]

Hamilton needs a penalty at the next race, this is not the first time he has slowed down abruptly. It has been a feature all through is career, repeatedly warned for not being aware of other cars behind.

This was a case of him trying to back Vettal into Perez gone wrong, needs a penalty.

[Steven]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVpyAShqeH4

HAM has used the brake pedal just after the apex and immediately before being hit by VET (the onboard replay shows that HAM braked before the apex and then again after the apex) and I don't think it is correct.
Than VET was wrong in not controlling his car from laterally colliding with HAM's one when they were side by side and he was probably saying to HAM how much he love him

Watch Hamilton dangerously did not accelerate after the corner, if he was harvesting energy he would still be accelerating, I think Hamilton should be given a penalty post race, grid penalty or otherwise.

The driver has no control over harvesting, you can't penalise the driver because his car was harvesting.

HAM braked after the apex as the on board replay shows.
VET is guilty of not avoiding the lateral collision when he was probably telling to HAM with arms gestures how much he loves him

The quoted youtube video does not show anything that can make you conclude Lewis braked or did not brake.

Let's stick to the facts please.

And to be fair, the matter is really about what Vettel did in response to accidentally bumping into the race leader. And really, his behaviour is unacceptable for a Formula One driver, and it would fit the sport if appropriate penalties would be enforced for such behaviour, no matter if that's Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso or Diniz.

[NathanOlder]

Again: is he prohibited from braking and ensuring heat in his brakes?

Exactly what I said earlier. But not many people seem to understand the brakes help heat the tyres as well as the brakes themself

[fabian77]

The driver has no control over harvesting, you can't penalise the driver because his car was harvesting.

Harvesting would not stop you from accelerating, you just would not be able to use the ERS which they wouldnt since they are under safety car so no excuse.

That's not how harvesting (and physics) work.

When it is harvesting, you just lose the extra boost from the ERS system and the rear red light would be flashing which it clearly doesn't.

[Unc1eM0nty]

My opinion is Hamilton reduced his speed in quite a bad spot, downhill, right after the apex of the corner.

Light had just gone out, he's backing up the pack, this it what happens at all restarts, only Vettel had a problem with this it seems.

His response in the post race interview was beyond a joke, when asked about the dangerous driving he convinced himself he was punished for running into the back of Lewis, he's just had no answer for his actions, because there are none that could justify what he did. And as for loosing control while raising one hand, please ............... how ridiculous does this sound, they were doing about 40kph at this point.

Great race though, Ricardo was running 17th early in the race and comes 1st, Bottas was last and a lap down and comes 2nd, really pleased for Lance, always good to see new blood on the podium.

[seventhsin]

Understandable, when a clear given 1-2 was up for grabs, it just turned south for Merc. Add to that their main championships' rival increased the gap to their main driver after all what happened during the race and what Seb did. So yeah understandable how frustated he'd must be.

Of course, I've just never seen Toto angry before, most personalities in F1 are pretty polished when it comes to media and the press. He's also quite an intimidating figure, they had to bleep out his profanity on my 'live' stream.

[i70q7m7ghw]

It's not as if Vettel has run in to the back of someone under the SC before... Oh no wait, he crashed in to the back of Webber in Fuji 2007 under the SC