Grand Prix 2011 Indian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Is the season over yet?

Unfortunately the answer is no as the F1 circus rumbles onto India for a brand new track, but after problems with the construction of the track, there is a degree of hesitation as not everyone is overjoyed about the prospect of a race there at the current moment in time. Added to the fact that it is another Tilke track, many fans aren't optimistic for an exciting race, but we've been proven wrong before. After all, we thought 2011 would be a close championship!!

Red Bull reasserted itself as the best car on the track after a dominant win in Korea with Vettel taking yet another win as he continues to rewrite the record books in the same way as Schumacher used to, just not as controversially as the elder German. Mark Webber had his strongest races recently pushing Hamilton very hard for second place, perhaps showing that he still has it for next season.

Hamilton put a long list of poor races behind to finish second in Korea after taking his first pole position of the season and it turned out after the race that he was running with tyre bits in the front wing which was costing a good couple a tenths a lap, something which would surely have cost him a true crack at a third race victory of the season, but at the very least it shows that he's getting back to his best, but a split with his partner might explain a less than happy mood recently.

Ferrari are constantly lingering as the team behind the top 2 and they are almost in a race with themselves as they are far quicker than Mercedes but not quick enough (mainly Massa) to challenge the Red Bulls and Mclarens for victories, particularly on a consistent basis after the problems with the EBD after Silverstone.

In the midfield there is a serious log jam as Mercedes, Renault, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso fight over points and championship places as a lot of money is at stake for 4th-8th in the championship and it's probably the best place to see action at the moment as the racing has been close and extremely well fought with different cars being better at each different circuit with none having the best all round package of the 5 teams. Now even Team lotus is getting involved in the action as they are starting to beat some of these cars on pure pace which will no doubt please the owners, and Kovalainen beating Petrov on pure pace in Singapore would particularly have pleased the team after the rows with Group lotus this season.

No-one knows what to expect from the Indian track, but early reports indicate it's better than previous Tilke tracks, but then it can't be worse than Bahrain and Abu Dhabi really.... We hope so anyway.

For Galahad's superb write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/buddh-international-circuit/
 
I was just going to say that's a bit harsh. I dont usually pass comment, but I cannot remember any practice incidents incurring a race or grid penalty. Does anyone know if there is a precedent, or similar incidents which did not result in a penalty?

That must put a crimp on things for Lewis.
 
Does anyone know if there is a precedent, or similar incidents which did not result in a penalty?
All practice incidents from this year

Australia
Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg escaped grid penalties despite being found guilty of impeding
Hamilton and Rosberg in Q2 baulked Vitaly Petrov and Sergio Perez respectively, while Nick Heidfeld was impeded by Schumacher in Q1
Warnings were given instead

Turkey
D'Ambrosio qualified 20th but penalised five grid places for ignoring yellow flags in second practice

Monaco
Lewis Hamilton originally qualified seventh with a Q3 time of 1:15.280, but then had his fastest Q3 time deleted for cutting the chicane
Rubens Barrichello was fined €3,200 for speeding in the pit lane on the way to the grid

Italy
Williams were fined 5000 Euros for a breach of the tyre regulations during Friday practiceRubens Barrichello was found to have used a set of option tyres that had not been allocated for use on Friday during second free practice

Japan
Schumacher fined €5,000 for a late pit lane entry in FP2; he went the wrong side of a bollard
Bruno Senna was fined €2,200 for speeding in the pit lane during qualifying

Korea
Mark Webber was fined €1,400 for speeding in the pit lane during qualifying

India
Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez were given 3 place grid drops for ignoring double waved yellows in FP1
 
I don't understand how significant speeding in the pit lane can be given a lesser penalty than setting a time under yellows. They are both safety infringements are they not?
 
On the basis that there had been a dog on the circuit earlier in the session, I find it hard to understand how 2 drivers could have ignored yellow flags.

Isn't the fine for speeding in the pitlane a defined linear function of how far over the limit they were?
 
It does seem slightly harsh given the fact that the 'all clear' green light was on at the same time as the flags being waved. I feel an Ask the Apex coming on...
 
Thanks Bro, it would seem that the yellow flag incidents are consistent.

As for the ignoring yellow flags, I have heard, I thin on twitter that the laps were after the chequered flag (I could be wrong) and there would have been no steering wheel guide, and the flashing lights would not have been deployed. I guess that there would have been the organic fabric manipulation system in place, so if that is the case, in matters of track safety I can kind of understand.
 
Double-waved yellows mean "Marshalls on-track - slow down and be prepared to stop" - safety rules are there for a purpose, and in light of the last 2 weeks' events in World Motorsport, Safety is obviously at the top of everyone's agenda. The penalty had to be applied, no matter who the transgressor(s) were.

I'm just waiting for someone to accuse McLaren of deliberately failing to tell Hamilton that there were waved yellows now...
 
Surely Lewis would have been braking at that point, so he would of been slowing when the double yellow flags were out? That also could of meant he lost time aswell, but the FIA have telemetry so they should know
 
I'm just waiting for someone to accuse McLaren of deliberately failing to tell Hamilton that there were waved yellows now...

Well wait on...... Hamilton was told. his engineer said " track clear turn 8&11 turn 16 still yellow."
He may have thought "track clear" meant all clear and not heard the rest if he was on a banzai lap. Or thought by the time he reached 16 the yellow was no more. It was harsh, especially since green flags were waving and green lights showing.
And to Josh, to suggest I would want Hamilton to win at the expense of someone is ludicrous. Especially after the week we've had in motorsport!

On another point. What was with the Ferrari flexing front wing?
 
Well wait on...... Hamilton was told. his engineer said " track clear turn 8&11 turn 16 still yellow."
He may have thought "track clear" meant all clear and not heard the rest if he was on a banzai lap. Or thought by the time he reached 16 the yellow was no more. It was harsh.
And to Josh, to suggest I would want Hamilton to win at the expense of someone is ludicrous. Especially after the week we've had in motorsport!

So then why is it a harsh penalty? They BOTH put people's lives in danger, they should be penalized. He was told there were yellow flags so he should have known. Saying he may not have heard or he may have thought the track was clear doesn't excuse him as that is then still his fault isn't it? Same goes for Perez. It's their own fault and a grid drop makes more sense and hurts them more than some stupid fine.
If anyone should feel harshly treated it's D'Ambrosio as he got a heavier penalty than Perez and Hamilton!
 
Its harsh because greens and yellows were going at the same time! This was first pracatice not quali. You think three drivers deliberately ignored waved yellows?
 
Deliberate has nothing to do with it.

Drivers are penalised all the time for causing a collision; I doubt any of those were deliberate.
 
Back
Top Bottom