2020 Russian Grand Prix - Sochi Autodrom, September 25 - 27

[El Scorchio]

Third time in two seasons where Hamilton lost a possible victory by a infringement of the rules where a team of the magnitude of Mercedes should know better (Germany 2019, the bollard, Italy 2020, pitlane closed and Russia 2020).

Especially the last two were carbon copies that someone didn’t read the notes...

Germany 2019? did u expect Lewis to drive around the track with damaged front wing and shedding debries and risking Massa like accident? it was correct decision to pit and take penalty

Italy 2020; talked to death, they didnt see it, as simple as that, a genuine mistake considering they only had 10 sec to react and the closed message was in page 4

Sochi 2020: Wolf's quote above shows that it was not clear cut as u think. There is no clear cut rules stating this, like the idiot David Croft was saying on air!

Yes, totally agree about Germany 2019. His options were either skip the bollard and get his car fixed up safely before returning to the track or attempt to do a whole lap slowly with bits coming off his car in a race which was already dangerous enough for several drivers to have spun off, with the risk of having another accident himself and making it all even worse. By the letter of the law he shouldn’t have skipped the bollard but common sense really ought to have prevailed there. He got punished for doing the sensible thing under those extreme circumstances, which was ridiculous.

[El Scorchio]

Max defends Lewis, penalty points too harsh. If you are endangering others, via driving you should give penalty points, but for this not needed. If you can read Dutch:

https://racingnews365.nl/verstappen-pla ... overdreven

Good on him. You’d hope any of the drivers would say the same about any of their counterparts there. Max is quite good at seeing and commenting on some of the absurdities in the sport.

[Jolle]

Third time in two seasons where Hamilton lost a possible victory by a infringement of the rules where a team of the magnitude of Mercedes should know better (Germany 2019, the bollard, Italy 2020, pitlane closed and Russia 2020).

Especially the last two were carbon copies that someone didn’t read the notes...

Germany 2019? did u expect Lewis to drive around the track with damaged front wing and shedding debries and risking Massa like accident? it was correct decision to pit and take penalty

Italy 2020; talked to death, they didnt see it, as simple as that, a genuine mistake considering they only had 10 sec to react and the closed message was in page 4

Sochi 2020: Wolf's quote above shows that it was not clear cut as u think. There is no clear cut rules stating this, like the idiot David Croft was saying on air!

Yes, totally agree about Germany 2019. His options were either skip the bollard and get his car fixed up safely before returning to the track or attempt to do a whole lap slowly with bits coming off his car in a race which was already dangerous enough for several drivers to have spun off, with the risk of having another accident himself and making it all even worse. By the letter of the law he shouldn’t have skipped the bollard but common sense really ought to have prevailed there. He got punished for doing the sensible thing under those extreme circumstances, which was ridiculous.

It was under safety car, so no danger to other drivers.
The pits entry is before the bollard. If you are past the bollard, you have to do another lap.
This of course was made worse that the team wasn’t ready for a nose change, and something that should have been done in 20 seconds almost took a minute.
Doing a full lap under SC, even with the FW broken off wouldn’t been a problem and given the team a bit of time to get ready.

[El Scorchio]

Not sure it’s about specifically punishing Hamilton, but more about manufacturing as tight a championship battle as possible.

Concurred. Hence the term, "Formula WWE". Americans taking over was a bad omen.

Yes! Exactly. My hope is that having a motorsport man (SD) in charge now rather than a TV man (CC) that this may change for the better.

[Wynters]

I hadn't realised it was quite as blatant as that from Leclerc. I thought he'd done the same as Hamilton (which I didn't consider a penalty at the time), but it looks like he actually eases his steering to drift into Stroll. I think your point about it being the first lap is the key. Like many successful teams in other sports, Leclerc has realised he can play to the whistle, not the rulebook. It's working pretty well for him.

Even with that, I think it was (overall) a very good drive from him. That car is awful, but he's getting decent points in it. He does need to stop crashing into people though.

I wonder how close Stroll could've got to Hamilton, given his upgrades?

I also wonder what Mercedes will say about pitting Hamilton so early? Sky said something about Mercedes being worried about a Renault undercut, but that seems like a ludicrous proposition.

[komninosm]

hmm
https://streamable.com/11p6ld
via /u/Ricci2014_

I have said in this topic already that was a penalty for Leclerc imho. They look similar but are not exactly the same, two situations never are. Lewis forced Albon of track, that did not happen here and besides it was first lap. But why leclerc was allowed to do this without consequence I don’t understand. Did it to Verstappen in Japan 2019 too, also at first, without even an under investigation.

Let me help you understand perhaps.
It's because FIARRARI

[djones]

[El Scorchio]

Germany 2019? did u expect Lewis to drive around the track with damaged front wing and shedding debries and risking Massa like accident? it was correct decision to pit and take penalty

Italy 2020; talked to death, they didnt see it, as simple as that, a genuine mistake considering they only had 10 sec to react and the closed message was in page 4

Sochi 2020: Wolf's quote above shows that it was not clear cut as u think. There is no clear cut rules stating this, like the idiot David Croft was saying on air!

Yes, totally agree about Germany 2019. His options were either skip the bollard and get his car fixed up safely before returning to the track or attempt to do a whole lap slowly with bits coming off his car in a race which was already dangerous enough for several drivers to have spun off, with the risk of having another accident himself and making it all even worse. By the letter of the law he shouldn’t have skipped the bollard but common sense really ought to have prevailed there. He got punished for doing the sensible thing under those extreme circumstances, which was ridiculous.

It was under safety car, so no danger to other drivers.
The pits entry is before the bollard. If you are past the bollard, you have to do another lap.
This of course was made worse that the team wasn’t ready for a nose change, and something that should have been done in 20 seconds almost took a minute.
Doing a full lap under SC, even with the FW broken off wouldn’t been a problem and given the team a bit of time to get ready.

I just can’t agree that doing another lap with a car with bits dangling off it is the ‘right’ thing to do under any circumstances. Let alone in a race that was already so hazardous. It was obviously safer for everyone for him to just pit at that moment and seemed an occasion where common sense could have prevailed rather than pedantry- you can probably pick several moments like that from recent history affecting a number of drivers or teams. Anyway, It’s in the past now and not related to this race so I’ll leave it there!

[214270]

hmm
https://streamable.com/11p6ld
via /u/Ricci2014_

HAM was ahead before the corner & on the racing line, it shouldn’t have been a penalty in that instance. LEC however...

Stewarding for awhile now has been shocking. Pisses me right off their inability to call it right time and again.

[komninosm]

I also wonder what Mercedes will say about pitting Hamilton so early? Sky said something about Mercedes being worried about a Renault undercut, but that seems like a ludicrous proposition.

That's pretty ludicrous.
I think Mercedes will say he used up his tires and it was unsafe to drive any longer.
I think he should have gone longer, or instead try 2 pit stops and hope for a SC.
I mean he had 3rd place in the bag anyway.

[djones]

They told him to come in and he initially said no. He then set the fastest lap two times in a row and came in.

Despite any computer simulation on the tyres or data they may have, they should listen to the person who can actually feel the grip more often in my opinion. He had plenty of grip as was purposefully nursing the tyres up until that point.

[f1jcw]

wow


“The stewards received information from the team that the driver of car 44 had received a team instruction to perform the practice start in the incorrect place. This was confirmed by the Stewards having listened to the audio between the Team and the Driver.

“Based on this information the Stewards replace document 46 with this decision and therefore remove the penalty points imposed and fine the competitor (Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) €25,000.”

[214270]

wow


“The stewards received information from the team that the driver of car 44 had received a team instruction to perform the practice start in the incorrect place. This was confirmed by the Stewards having listened to the audio between the Team and the Driver.

“Based on this information the Stewards replace document 46 with this decision and therefore remove the penalty points imposed and fine the competitor (Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) €25,000.”

Amazing. They just keep making fools of themselves for everyone to see, Masi should be on the hotseat

[djones]

So wait on... what about the time penalty?

[Phil]

The really funny thing is, at the point of when the infringement took place to the time it was issued that he was under investigation, to another good 20 minutes later when the penalty was given... what were they doing, if not for listening to the team radio?!