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

Typical F1.
You wait months for a race and then 2 come along in the space of a few weeks.

This weekend will see the 13th race at the Sepang circuit; will it be unlucky for some?
For a most excellent circuit write-up, see Galahad's musings here, along with enough stat's and data to satisfy the most ardent of nerds: Sepang International Circuit

2009 is remembered for the later start and torrential rain which resulted in the race being red flagged after 33 laps; making it only the fifth race in F1 history to be stopped before 75% of the distance had been completed.

Ferrari and McLaren will no doubt be aiming to make it into Q2 after their amateurish mistakes last year.
With rain forecast for the weekend though, the chances of one or more of the top drivers making a mistake is fairly high.

This race is probably make or break for HRT.
If they don't manage to qualify within 107% of the fastest time in Q1 and are once again stopped from participating in the Grand Prix, then you have to assume it's all over for them.

So, lots to look forward to. Let's hope it's not a Red Bull walkover and qualifying is a lot closer than Australia.

 

[Jen]

So it's not enough to "enhance" the racing with artificial gadgets; we now have the effing stewards miscalling some of the best racing we've had for yonks.

A racing incident that attracted tit for tat penalties - one misjudgement and "an absolutely nothing wrong" (comment from Brundle on Lewis defending his position)

 

[Sakari]

Tis ridiculous to give Lewis penalty from that.. I just did watch the video and there's no extra moves or anything worth of penalty. Race driving must be banned according to stewards.

 

[Brogan]

Well we all saw how the press room reacted when Hamilton slid off into the gravel at China in 2007 - almost all of them got to their feet cheering and clapping.

Who's to say that a lot of the stewards don't share the same sentiments?

Another great Grand Prix memory ruined by the stewards.

 

[Enja]

Apparently this is why Lewis got the penalty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L61_AevsjMs

 

[Alonso_McLaren]

Why does anti-Hamilton sentiment occur?

I really can't imagine how real racing can take place with the pathetic "2 moves rule"

 

[tranquility2k9]

If it was such a big deal then Alonso would have said so in his interview directly after the race, but he didn't. It's just the FIA / Stewards causing more problems with their ridiculous inconsistent regulations!

Now we have the DRS, slip streaming will happen a lot more and if drivers cannot move around whatsoever then we'll just have boring races where drivers simply get past with ease. It won't be overtaking anymore!

 

[Hamberg]

So Alonso causes an avoidable accident right after Lewis moves more than once, the very move deemed to cause accidents and why it is not allowed.

They both can't be penalised. Oh sorry, no if it means Alonso losing a place to Hamilton they can.

Spa 2008 again anyone? On the bright side he won the championship when the stewards were determined to destroy it for him.

Four times Vettel weaved FOUR.

 

[tranquility2k9]

Well if it had been Hamilton taking all four wheels off the track at Melbourne then he'd have probably have got penalised there too lol?

Vettel is the wonder kid remember!

 

[Jen]

"The "driver" steward today was Emanuele Pirro: former F1 driver and five time Le Man winner. During a motor sport career that has spanned almost 40 years, Emanuele Pirro has achieved a huge amount of success, most notably in sportcar racing, with five Le Mans wins, victory at the Daytona 24 Hours and two wins at the Sebring 12 Hours. In addition he has won the German and Italian Touring Car
championships (the latter twice) and has twice been American Le Mans Series Champion.Pirro, 49, enjoyed a three-season Formula One career from 1989 to 1991, firstly with Benetton and then for Scuderia Italia. He subsequently spent four years as a test driver for McLaren.

Pirro’s debut as an FIA Steward came at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and he will perform a similar role this weekend in Malaysia and at next weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.

From the FIA website.

So we probably won't know for a while where anyone finishes next weekend either

 

[snowy]

I don't think they took any account of the marbles, if you watch closely Lewis's line he is not actually weaving but following the racing line that the marbles were delineating. The stewards have made two blatantly poor decisions there, my guess is they smoked too much pot before the race.

 

[MCLS]

Can they appeal?

 

[Jen]

Vettel is the wonder kid remember!

As in "I wonder if I dare overtake" - it's only his fear of overtaking that keeps him at the front of the grid

 

[Hamberg]

Can they appeal?

I was wondering the same. There is some strange rule about this that I can't remember.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

I'm lost for words, fair enough Hamilton changed direction but he wasn't the only one to do so during the race. If they want to punished him for the offense then they should at least punish all those who commited similar offenses.

 

[Brogan]

"I knew I was going to get a penalty. I'm not surprised," explained Hamilton. "I was in with the stewards, so I anticipated it. I always try to assume the worst-case scenario. It's only one spot, and it's not really made me feel any worse than how the weekend has gone anyway."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90619

 

[MCLS]

Well he's used to it by now

 

[teabagyokel]

Sorry, they're not against the rules there. I think off the start they don't generally penalise for weaving, but they did warn him at last year's Malaysian GP.

Its a 50-50, and I'm not sure they were wrong. However, I am sure there is an inconsistency issue.

However, Alonso's penalty was wrong because he's basically got away scot-free and his crime is a much clearer pen than Lewis'

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Is more than one change of direction to defend your position allowed at the start?

It is when you are not a manufacturer team, clearly.

 

[Brogan]

The Race Hub has been updated.

It's looking good for Vettel and Red Bull fans.

F1 2011 Race Hub | Clip The Apex

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Sorry, they're not against the rules there. I think off the start they don't generally penalise for weaving, but they did warn him at last year's Malaysian GP.
Its a 50-50, and I'm not sure they were wrong. However, I am sure there is an inconsistency issue.
However, Alonso's penalty was wrong because he's basically got away scot-free and his crime is a much clearer pen than Lewis'

Are you suggesting by that statement that Lewis comitted any offence at all? (other than just not being quick enough to stop Alonso smacking him up the rear).

I'm sure that Hamberg was referring to Vettel's weaving at the first corner while trying to defend from Lewis.