Maldonado's punishment, Spa 2011

[gridwalker]

I think we might see wheelnuts with really sharp spikes on cars from Monza and on, 'rips the competition apart'.

The spikes would be banned as movable aerodynamic devices.

[mep]

Wait I have to figure this.
Maldonardo deliberately crashed into Hamilton during out lap and gets a 5 places grid penalty?
What is going on here?
If he had done it to keep some race position he would at least have a reason but he just did it because he can’t control his emotions.
What punishment did Schumacher received for blocking the line to Barrichelo?
It was for race position and they didn’t touch.

[roost89]

Note it's only Hamiltons' onboard not Maldonado's so one can't get the full picture. Getting Maldonado's would allow us to see how he drove his car when the collision took place. Did he turn into Hamilton? Was his wheel straight, did he not turn his car enough. These options are, as yet, unknown.

Sorry chaps, the facts are a bit thin in the viewing world.

I think his punishment is just though. A Race ban, or 3 as some are suggesting, is a bit much for what ultimately was damage to both cars. More so to Maldonado's than Hamilton's it seems.
An article on F1SA states that Hamilton moved toward Maldonado, whether at the start of the overtake or just prior to the collision, I'm not sure. But that's why he was reprimanded.

Anyway, I don't know what you folk are complaining about, that's lenient! In Britain you get jailed for licking a stolen Ice-cream!

[Muulka]

You're not getting the big picture of what Maldonado was trying to do here.
To give you a clue, this hasn't been seen since Alonso parked his car in front of Hamilton's.
That is a total loss of control of civility. Even Alonso's thing wasn't as bad as this, as it wasn't dangerous.

I've got to agree. This is up there with Schumacher parking it in Monaco, Alonso parking it in Hungary (I think), but in my view it was worse as it involved a deliberate attempt to destroy another car. As Brundle himself said "if Maldonado is on the grid tomorrow what kind of message does that send out to all the young drivers out there?", or Coulthard's "I'm furious and I'm not even in the car. I hate to see unsporting behaviour like that."

I can fully believe and accept that Pastor is probably very sorry he did it and that it was done in a red mist, but there is no excusing deliberately driving into another car. To only receive the same penalty as he would if he'd held Hamilton up on a flying lap or changed his gear box is an absolute disgrace and brings the FIA into disrepute. There is no doubt in my mind, having seen the in car footage, that Maldonado plain drove into Lewis whilst Lewis was driving in a straight line (relative to the track).

If anyone in the junior formulas emulates this then it will be entirely the FIAs fault for sending such a weak message here in Spa.

Maybe the stewards should be banned for bringing the sport into disrepute! breaking their own rules lol.

[myurr]

@flynfrog - rather than just hurling your sarcasm around criticising the majority on this board, perhaps you'd like to explain what Lewis did wrong during the timeframe of this video: http://www.pureinnovation.com/images/St ... donado.swf

Watch his steering wheel in particular - he holds a constant gentle turn following the curve of the track. You also have given no explanation as to why Maldonado was so far off the racing line and moving further away from it when the collision happened.

Instead you've fallen into your usual pattern of criticising anyone who believes Lewis to be in the clear without ever actually saying why those people are wrong or backing up your claims. You probably think it's funny but you do yourself and this board a great disservice with these types of post.

[Florio]

I don't understand Hamiltons reprimand. Even if it was for the contact beforehand, he didn't force anyone off of the track, and I doubt he made any significant difference to the laptime. He kept a straight line when Maldonado passed, in fact he turned left a bit. I don't think a 5 place grid penalty is fair to be honest. Others have had that for a gearbox packing up - hardly their fault, compared to a unsporting, and dangerous behaviour.

[bhall]

The total of seven seconds in that video is hardly a complete representation of all that happened.

Maybe I phrased it incorrectly before, but either the McLaren driver brake checked Maldonado coming out of the hairpin, slowed suddenly for his cooling lap, lost traction, etc, etc; or Maldonado's Williams suddenly found an unexpected and astonishing burst of speed. Either way, Maldonado had to swerve to avoid running into the back of the McLaren, and that's likely what upset him, especially given his history with that driver.

The net result of everything, however, is that this is just something for everyone to bitch about one way or another. No one was hurt, the "offended" landed in P2 for the race and the "offender" will still not score any points tomorrow. It's done.

[myurr]

@bhallq2k - I agree it'd be nice to see the on board for that period but you are wrong to suggest there was a brake check. A brake check is where a driver slams on the brakes in front of another causing collision or the other driver has to take avoiding action. That clearly did not happen.

As can be seen on the off-board videos, and confirmed in the driver interviews, Hamilton ran wide at turn 1 with Maldonado taking a tighter line and getting back on the power. As it was an in lap for both drivers, Lewis clearly wasn't in a hurry. He started to move back to the racing line, saw Maldonado was going up the inside of him, and immediately moved back to the left to let him through. Absolutely nothing wrong there - remember the session had ended and both drivers were on a cooling down / in lap.

The on board video picks up from that point onwards.

[strad]

We didn't get the in car, but I put together a 3 min. forward backward fast and slow and if you look at the lines forming the starting boxes and the position of Hamiltons left wheel, it is clear he moves right....BUT..before the fanboys get out the tar and feathers,,It was clearly instigated by Maldonado, AND it was not an aggressive turn to the right so much as leaning back,,,like a guy will do..followed by Maldonado completing his unsportsmanlike and dangerous chop.
click for video

[myurr]

We didn't get the in car

Yes we did. http://www.pureinnovation.com/images/St ... donado.swf for example. There's another vid on YouTube linked elsewhere.

Edit: And Lewis didn't move right if you watch the on board video carefully. Check the steering angle both before and after the collision - it's the same, and it's clear in the after collision section of video that Lewis is exactly following the curve of the track.

[wesley123]

@myurr I think he was talking about the on board of Maldonado, which I would love to see

[beelsebob]

The scary thing here is not actually Maldonado's overly lax penalty, instead, it's Hamilton's overly harsh one.

Hamilton actually got penalised, for making a clean overtake, on a fast qualifying lap, without making contact. Sorry... but WHAT!

[strad]

I'm sorry...What I meant was we in the States did not get from Speed the on-board from Hamilton that has been previously captured and shown here. What I offer is the head on view that clearly shows Lewis lean right...watch his left front in relation to the start box lines. BUT...I reiterate, that I am not saying Hamilton caused it..He was doing what is quite natural,,,after all the track is headed right.

[Byronrhys]

I remember Schumachers head being requested for his Incident with Rubens, and to me this is WAY worse and such a shitty punishment? These steward sure clearly biased.

[beelsebob]

Maybe I phrased it incorrectly before, but either the McLaren driver brake checked Maldonado coming out of the hairpin, slowed suddenly for his cooling lap, lost traction, etc, etc; or Maldonado's Williams suddenly found an unexpected and astonishing burst of speed. Either way, Maldonado had to swerve to avoid running into the back of the McLaren, and that's likely what upset him, especially given his history with that driver.

When was the last time you saw a driver carry on at full speed after their fast lap?
When was the last time you saw drivers slowing down after their lap, off the racing line cause a crash?