Phil wrote: ↑11 Oct 2018, 18:39
I would have to watch the replay (I haven't), but just reading and going by what you are writing, doesn't this suggest a constant movement to the inside?
It might be my explanation or how you are thinking about it, but you are just slightly off.
Think about driving down a strait 2 lane high way in the left lane. If you turn your wheel slightly to the right, and then bring it back to the neutral (strait position), the car is going in a strait line, but it's trajectory is no longer parallel to the highway, instead its at a slight angle. Thus you will end up in the right lane eventually and have to turn the wheel left to get the car back in a trajectory parallel to the highway.
Another way to think of it is as a vector diagram. by turning the wheel slight to the right and then bringing it back to the neuronal position the car has a velocity parallel to the highway, and one perpendicular to it (though very small).
the two additional right inputs Vettel made increased the cars velocity perpendicular to the track.
I see it like this.
- Vettel made his initial move to the right
- Lewis followed suit with a more substantial move, meaning he would get to the right side of the track before Vettel, thus being able to pass up the inside.
- Vettel realized this, and thus the two additional right inputs to ensure he got right before Lewis, so he could block him off.
Until the announcement this was legal, under a strict reading of the rules because all the movements were in the same direction. The problem is that the subsequent moments can lead to a situation where a crash is inevitable, as the trailing driver is committed and can't back out do to the speed difference and lack of down force.