2019 German Grand Prix - Hockenheimring, July 26-28

[siskue2005]

Why is there an issue with the team getting fined as opposed to the driver? When various teams had wheel nut issues and released a car with a tire that would fall off they either stop them before pit exit, or if they notice too late order them to stop somewhere safe. The team gets the fine and this the rule cited is a "unsafe release."

Mountains out of molehills.

because, Leclerc if not released at the unsafe manner, he would have lost 3 to 4 seconds in that process... so in effect he gained time by illegally releasing early and also there is a matter of dangers to the pit crews.

Moreover it was ferrari fans who were talking about all the unpunished things and crying at fia twitter etc, so when the roles are reveresed suddenly ferrari fans are talking about not giving any penalty and changing their view like that

all these have caused this out roar

[El Scorchio]

HAM crash and pit entry from spectators view.
He saw Red!
a bit dangerous...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2e8rL0d4z0&app=desktop

It's an interesting one for me. Definitely broke the rules by not going round the bollard, but his options there are either drive backwards to get round it (never going to happen) or do another full lap, but this time with half a front wing and tyres with wet gravel on them which is going to make the car even more difficult to drive and therefore increase the chances of another accident somewhere, and possibly shed a load of bodywork onto the circuit.

On balance, it was lose/lose and assuming he made sure not to drive in front of any other cars when crossing the track, I think he did the safest thing under the circumstances. Given those circumstances, I had half a mind the stewards might have thought the accident, ensuing pit stop and massive delay in the pits were punishment enough. Not saying they were wrong to punish him, but I'd have thought it wouldn't be too hard to argue he actually did the most sensible and safe thing in driving across the grass straight into the pit lane. I wonder if they had last year on their minds! he got away with one then...

[Jolle]

HAM crash and pit entry from spectators view.
He saw Red!
a bit dangerous...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2e8rL0d4z0&app=desktop

It's an interesting one for me. Definitely broke the rules by not going round the bollard, but his options there are either drive backwards to get round it (never going to happen) or do another full lap, but this time with half a front wing and tyres with wet gravel on them which is going to make the car even more difficult to drive and therefore increase the chances of another accident somewhere, and possibly shed a load of bodywork onto the circuit.

On balance, it was lose/lose and assuming he made sure not to drive in front of any other cars when crossing the track, I think he did the safest thing under the circumstances. Given those circumstances, I had half a mind the stewards might have thought the accident, ensuing pit stop and massive delay in the pits were punishment enough. Not saying they were wrong to punish him, but I'd have thought it wouldn't be too hard to argue he actually did the most sensible and safe thing in driving across the grass straight into the pit lane. I wonder if they had last year on their minds! he got away with one then...

There is a lesson to be learned here for Hamilton/Mercedes I think. Not the crash itself, sliding out on engine braking (helped with max regen because of the SC?) was one of those rainy races things, but keeping your head cool and making the right decisions after that. Missing the pit entry not only gave him a penalty that would cost him a podium during the next SC, the time to get the team ready was also very short. Under the SC he wouldn’t lost too much time without his FW and could of easily made it round. Now he lost 20+ seconds for the extra time he stopped and ten places during the next SC stop.

[zibby43]

Personally, I wouldn't even call this a wet race. As you said it's a complete crap shoot, and why I hate races like this.

Until the next wet race, when Ham scores higher or misses walls, then you guys will be all "love races like this" and "amazing showcase of skil

No, I have never liked, interchangeable races like this, so try again!

Same. It’s less about driver skill and more of a lottery when there are 78 (!!) pit stops. That’s not driver bias or favoritism - that’s just logic.

[Just_a_fan]

Until the next wet race, when Ham scores higher or misses walls, then you guys will be all "love races like this" and "amazing showcase of skill."

If the German GP had been a traditional "wet race" rather than a "we're not sure what it's doing over the next hour" then Hamilton would almost certainly have won it. Everyone would have been on wets with maybe a change to inters at the end if a dry line arrived. In changeable conditions such as Sunday's race, there's a bit of luck in being on the right tyres at the right time. Had Hamilton missed the wall and then switched back to inters, or had Max hit a wall in his spin, we'd all be talking about a very different result and lauding different drivers for their performances. I believe the term used by denizens of the US is "crapshoot".

[Artur Craft]

What amazes me is how reckless the teams are. After Saint's out, everybody should have been warned about how tricky that penultimate corner was. If the teams did warn, then the drivers were very reckless

[Zarathustra]

Did that guy with all those onboards already post them?

[MtthsMlw]

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1155899497215602688?s=19

[aleks_ader]

You know what fascinates me. The wheelgunner had the nut undone even before the car fully stopped. So jackman literally showed and stopped the car on position. Pfff.

And also for huge F1 team budget water proffing the walkie talkie with ziplock bag wins.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Interesting race. The biggest take-away for me is that the FIA is truly lost without Charlie Whiting. RIP Charlie, you a sorely missed.

The race should have been red flagged restarted when Leclerc went off. Lots of cars on slicks on a very wet circuit. It's almost as if Bernie was in control. A driver was walking on circuit and drivers were left carry on at racing speed. Disgusting. Absolutely appalling. Leclerc could have very well joined his best friend Bianchi.

[Jolle]

So the logic of the unsafe release... that they didn’t crash was enough not to give a time penalty. If Bottas would of braked for Verstappen in Monaco, Bottas would have been third and Verstappen second? I get the initial logic not to punish the driver for a mistake by the team, but this will mean that drivers won’t yield in the pit lane anymore, which is even more dangerous.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Alfa Romeo given 30 seconds for having illegal cars? That's a DSQ surely? WTH is going on right now? Michael Masi, are you even qualified?

[Edax]

Interesting race. The biggest take-away for me is that the FIA is truly lost without Charlie Whiting. RIP Charlie, you a sorely missed.

The race should have been red flagged restarted when Leclerc went off. Lots of cars on slicks on a very wet circuit. It's almost as if Bernie was in control. A driver was walking on circuit and drivers were left carry on at racing speed. Disgusting. Absolutely appalling. Leclerc could have very well joined his best friend Bianchi.

Or he could have been hit by a rescue vehicle (Take Inoue). Or he could fall in a ditch jumping the safety barrier in the wrong place.

You might ask what Leclerc was doing there in the first place, casually strolling around an active track with no marshall in sight.

Think the Nascar regulations are way ahead in that respect. If you’re not on fire; don’t get out of the car until the marshals tell you it is safe to do so.

[Capharol]

Interesting race. The biggest take-away for me is that the FIA is truly lost without Charlie Whiting. RIP Charlie, you a sorely missed.

The race should have been red flagged restarted when Leclerc went off. Lots of cars on slicks on a very wet circuit. It's almost as if Bernie was in control. A driver was walking on circuit and drivers were left carry on at racing speed. Disgusting. Absolutely appalling. Leclerc could have very well joined his best friend Bianchi.

don't overreact here, LeClerc wasn't the only one going off in that area so keep it cool .... and this was far away of being red flagged, but i guess you rather love to look at checker or see the grass grow....

[Capharol]

Alfa Romeo given 30 seconds for having illegal cars? That's a DSQ surely? WTH is going on right now? Michael Masi, are you even qualified?

are you even know what you are talking about ..... maybe this forum should put up a F1 test see who qualifies on giving comments ..... you would fail by a big margine