Canadian GP 2011 - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

[forty-two]

So is Button expected to just drive off track to avoid contact with a driver who over-cooked it into the corner and then turned in on him, as Alonso clearly did? Button was already perfectly apexed, on the racing line and his right wheels where already on the curb. Where could he go?

+1

That's how I saw it too.

Racing incident, but if any penalty was deserved it would be for Teflonso IMHO.

[Paul]

I thought the side of the rear left looking backwards was a big clue.

Yep, definitely broken.



So badly, that at times it looked OK.

[forty-two]

Oh and can someone force those Canadian Marshalls to stop wearing those banana skin shoes!

Joking aside, that incident at the end of the race was extremely frightening. I honestly thought there was going to be a terrible accident there, that guy was very lucky.

Hats off to marshalls worldwide though, I'm not sure I would have the balls to do what they do, and I don't think they're particularly well rewarded for it.

[andrew]

So you're comparing different cars? Apples and oranges.

Um yes Andrew, comparing different cars is pretty much the raison d etre of this site. As is comparing what works on these car's with what doesnt. F1Technical

I have given you my explanation, kindly supplied with pictures.
Now if you could counter that with your own explanation(with pictures if it is so obvious) then I will sit down and study it.

Until then Mercedes were running a fat rear wing, which gave them added rear downforce, compared to all those around them bar McLaren....so more downforce = covering for the eventuality of rain. No one could run a full wet set up and make Q3, but Mclaren and Mercedes did cover their bases by adding downforce.

You really don't like being challenged do you? I'll set X on you if you're not careful!

I was meaning that the deisigns vary so car to car the comparision is maybe not the best. Nextgen Auto should have post race comments by someone from Merc and both drivers shortly so the set up will hopefully be confirmed there.

[forty-two]

If Mclaren are able to beat Red Bull (only just) in Canada, what does this say for the rest of the season?

Spa might be ok, but what about anywhere else?

Surely this is Vettel's second Championship year?

[horse]

He had a broken suspension upright and a bent drive shaft according to Ted Kravitz.

Did he give a source? For me the car looked pretty intact apart from the tyre, and Hamilton also didn't seem to find a fault after he got out of the car.

Mark Benson mentions the drive shaft here.

[andrew]

I thought the side of the rear left looking backwards was a big clue.

Yep, definitely broken.

So badly, that at times it looked OK.

Not seen that angle before. 1000 apologies.

[beelsebob]

If Mclaren are able to beat Red Bull (only just) in Canada, what does this say for the rest of the season?

Only just? 21st to first in 25 laps is "only just"?

Spa might be ok, but what about anywhere else?

Look at Q3 at Canada – McL gained 0.5 seconds from their super-hot engine map; RBR gained 1.0. Either the RBR had more in hand all along or they're gaining more from the hot EBD. Silverstone might be an interesting one.

Surely this is Vettel's second Championship year?

Surely.

[ringo]

Both were wrong, but going by Ali G's rules, Button would be wrong.

He went for a gap that wasn't there.

Bittersweet i should say, button intentionally drove into his teammate, and he did see him, no matter how he wants to put it in the press conference, he moved twice.

Wall squeezing is never right. I didn't see him shouldn't be an excuse either, when you looking into your mirror and reacting to the following driver.

Nicki Lauda should shut his pie hole too.
Doesn't know what the heck he's talking about.


About Lewis car, he should have still drove into the pits. If the team spent 1 hour fixing it, he could have joined back after the safety car. Never say never.
They should learn from this.

[Alexgtt]

Oh and can someone force those Canadian Marshalls to stop wearing those banana skin shoes!

Joking aside, that incident at the end of the race was extremely frightening. I honestly thought there was going to be a terrible accident there, that guy was very lucky.

Hats off to marshalls worldwide though, I'm not sure I would have the balls to do what they do, and I don't think they're particularly well rewarded for it.

Agreed, but why the heck didn't the marshalls wait for the complete train of cars to file past before clearing the track. Crazy.

[ringo]

Surely this is Vettel's second Championship year?

Surely.

Not till the Haug sings.

[DaveKillens]

Wow, what a freaking great finish. And without a doubt, Button was the man of the race, with Michael a close second.

Judging by the finishing order, it appears McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari have all closed the gap against Red Bull, either by new parts, or redirected strategy.

It's hard to label Vettel as having "cracked" when it was just two errors, not building up enough of a gap when the opportunity was there, and of course, going a bit wide in a corner. But hey, he did lead all the laps but one, sat on the pole, and did finish a very comfortable second.

There's a lot of noise by some about how Hamilton has been a victim of circumstance and poor decisions by others. And to be honest, it is now questionable whether his aggressiveness is out of control. Well, he collided with two cars today, Button and Webber (both early in the race). Hours later, both Button and Webber were locked in a titanic battle with Schumacher. Funny thing, none of those three made contact with each other, despite numerous passes and attempts. Those three experienced drivers, locked in mortal combat, knew how to race each other hard without placing themselves, their cars, or even their competitors in a position where contact would result.

If anyone requires a frame of reference relating to how passes are successfully accomplished in Formula One, the actions of Webber, Schumacher, and Button during the closing phases of the Canadian GP clearly show how it can be done.

[jav]

Signs of life... MS made the W02 look good today.

I have one complaint about DRS. When Button got by the W02 in the first DRS zone, Buttons wing was still active in the second zone even though he was no longer trailing, and MS DRS was NOT active allowing Button to pull away beyond the 1 second gap. Not very sporting in IMHO. I think once the trailing car passes, DRS activation should have reversed.

Not that the W02 deserved a podium on merit but MS did make it shine a bit.

[andrew]

Not till the Haug sings.

I thought Schumacher was going to loan out Big Joy for the singing?

[forty-two]

Agreed, but why the heck didn't the marshalls wait for the complete train of cars to file past before clearing the track. Crazy.

Wierdly, I think the blame for that lies at least in part with the new safety car rules which force all drivers to slow down, rather than keep going until they catch the pack, this increases the time taken for a snake to form up, but at the same time prevents someone belting it round while the SC is on track.

In answer to your question, there was no "train" so to speak at the time of the incident. Perhaps they need to tell the marshalls this?