Poll 2010 European Grand Prix Chump of the Weekend

[cider_and_toast]

Unlike the Driver of the weekend thread I think selecting this weekends "chump" could be a bit more tricky. There was only one real incident of note this weekend which of course was Webber's decision to try and jump the Lotus of Kovalainen rather than to pass it in the more traditional method of driving around it. Does that make Webber the chump of the weekend or was Kovi the man in the blame?

Another driver that could be in for a mention in this category could be, Michael (Seven times World Champion) Shumacher who seems to be falling further and further down the field with each weekend. Contrast the performance of the Mercs from Friday morning until the end of the race on Sunday and marvel at where it all went wrong. Yes Schuey's team mate also found the going tough but once again Schumacher was out qualified and out performed. His statement this weekend stating that he was at Mercedes to stay may prove to be about as welcome as a similar statement from one Fabio Capello regarding his England job.

Throw into the mix the bag full of drivers who found themselves with a penalty or two and the wonderful sound of a ranting Alonso who told his team "you only job now is to talk to Charlie Whiting about Hamilton" and there are several other minor moments of "chumpery" to take into account.

Its a tough call this weekend but who do you think deserves our least wanted accolade?

 

[Muddytalker]

Yep, I was tempted to choose Alonso for his whinge (no matter how well founded it might have been, just race your race, ffs), but had to choose the Kerpen snail.

 

[Brogan]

Schumacher was unlucky in that the pit lane red light came on when he pitted so he had to wait for the snake to pass before joining it at the back.
Bad strategy on the part of the team so not really his fault.

Mark Webber again shows his penchant for driving into people.
Did Heikki brake too soon? Possibly.

If David Coulthard had been on the list then I would have voted for him.
I am sick and tired of him defending Red Bull and their drivers and once again he said that the new teams or "B teams" as he calls them should just move out of the way and not try to race the rest.
Shut up Coulthard!
They've paid the same entry fee as everyone else and are quite within their rights to race.
I'm glad to see Mike Gascoyne put him in his place.

The award though goes to Alonso. Just for the sheer amount of whining he did during and after the race.
He and Ferrari even went so far as to accuse the FIA of manipulating the race. That to me shows signs of paranoia.
The guy obviously has serious problems with Lewis and it's affecting his ability to race.
He needs to get over it and quick otherwise it's going to eat away at him.

 

[fat jez]

Had Alonso kept his gob shut, my vote would have gone to Webber. His car is faster than the Lotus, so why not make the overtaking move at a time of his choosing instead of sitting right on Heikki's gearbox? (literally at one stage!).

But for his sore losing rant, it goes to Alonso. Looks like he fits in very well at Ferrari!

 

[Enja]

David Coulthard for the 3rd time this season about his nonsense concerning back markers.

Quite why the BBC continue to employ a blatant and active Red Bull ambassador is beyond me.

 

[teabagyokel]

Undoubtedly it has to be (the man I voted DotW last time out) Alonso.

It doesn't matter what Alonso's opinion on Hamilton's indiscretion was, the fact he spent lap after lap bitching about it to the detriment of his own race, and did nothing to get out of 9th place on track despite the fact Force Indias and Saubers were going past Buemi ahead of him speaks volumes.

I cannot take the man who "unknowingly" benefited from the worst example of race manipulation in this sport's 60 year history sitting on his high Prancing Horse about Hamilton marginally getting past the Safety Car.

 

[MajorDanby]

My vote also goes to Alonso for his whinging and inferiority complex, otherwise it would have been to MW for not giving himself enough room for the overtake (not blaming him but he should have played the percentages a lot better)

 

[FB]

I'm the single vote for Webber. Alonso deserves a big bunch of sour grapes but Webber's attempt to pass a car "5 seconds slower" was pitiful.

 

[Galahad]

Buemi for me. Being passed on the last corner of the last lap is a criminal piece of driving in my book.

(doesn't matter that the stewards would have taken it away anyway)

 

[siffert_fan]

Lots of pilots deserving this "award" after this race. My first thought is that Alonso deserves it for his never-ending moaning. However, that really has nothing to do with his driving, but rather with his seeming visceral dislike of Hamilton.

Buemi's last corner antics are deserving of "honorable mention". Throwing away an entire race's efforts on the last turn is unforgivable.

However, for me it has to be Webber. He keeps showing a penchant for the "vertical overtake" which is inexcusable. There is no reason he couldn't have made the pass safely given the superiority of his car. He really needs to overcome this tendancy or it could lead to very dire results.

 

[snowy]

I can't help feeling that another driver in a car that fast against a car that slow would have handled things differently. Taken precautions, thought ahead, used more of the road available, expected a longer braking distance... even though everything happened so fast I can't help believing that the Lotus of Kovalainen is not quick enough to merit such indecisiveness and lack of forward planning.

I really must thank Mark for bringing to the attention of everyone in F1 the fact that overtaking is a challenge and should never be undertaken lightly or turned into a spectacle repeated lap after lap by numerous cars on numerous other cars. No one can be in any doubt that the movable rear wing would certainly facilitate a bloodbath. The majority of the grid are just not up to the task of overtaking.