Grand Prix 2012 European Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Valencia........

Even Abu Dhabi and Bahrain are more exciting in comparison. Valencia is the only grand prix on the calendar that I genuinley do not look forward to. It's dull, boring and hasn't provided an interesting race at all since its inception on the F1 calendar in 2008. Thankfully it won't be a regular feature in the future as it will be alternating with Barcelona in the future.

Going into the Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton is back as the Championship leader after becoming the 7th driver to win in 7 races with victory in the Canadian Grand Prix. After missing out on the podium in recent races he was back with vengeance after fighting back from starting second and being third with 10 laps to go but thanks to fresher tyres he made easy work of Vettel and Alonso in the latter laps who fell away after a gamble to one stop failed. In the end Roman Grosjean and Sergio Perez finished on the podium and it is testament to the unpredictably of 2012 that it wasn't the first time either of them have been on the podium this season.

From race to race no team has been consistently at the very front, in Spain it was Williams, in Monaco it was Red Bull and in Canada it was McLaren. Both Ferrari and Lotus have probably been the most consistent package over recent weeks but not enough to win races with podium places the highest they can manage, but considering the start to the season Ferrari made, that probably isn't a bad thing and Alonso is only 2 points off the championship leader with world champion Vettel just one point behind in third.

It's a complete reversal of 2011 as this time last year Hamilton left Canada with a world of problems after a DNF which involved a collision with team mate Button who went on to win one of the best races of his career passing Vettel on the last lap. But 12 months later Hamilton won the race with Button finishing a lapped 16th. What's worse for the 2009 champion is that was on merit as well and not down to any car failures or pit problems, it marks a horrid fall from grace after winning the opening race in Melbourne and an early run of podiums but now he is struggling to even get into Q3 and convert that into points finishes. Button appears clueless as to where the problem lies and it may not be a short term fix as the car isn't slow as Hamilton is currently proving. It could be already over as far as Button's title hopes are concerned as he is currently 43 points behind Hamilton and has roughly half the points total.

It is also interesting to note that Button was further behind the leader last season and he was second in the championship, while at the moment he lies in 8th behind both Lotus drivers who are the only front running drivers yet to win a race (excluding Schumacher) and having come close in Bahrain and Spain they will want to be the next winners and take the total to 8 winners in 8 races and with both Raikkonen and Grosjean closely matched it's hard to say who is the more likely. But it's Grosjean's form which is the most surprising, a lot of people questioned why he was given the driver role given the way he was outperformed in 2009 and a lot of people said he would be outraced by the returning Finn, but after 7 races he is only 2 points behind and that is despite several first lap incidents where he has been the innocent part in some cases but not others (Malaysia). With the pendulum swinging from race to race it is hard to predict who will have the upper hand in the Spanish heat.

For Galahad's brilliant circuit write up - http://cliptheapex.com/pages/valencia-street-circuit/

 

[The Artist.....]

Let's play devil's advocate for a moment, to see if all the vitriol against Maldonado is truly deserved.

Firstly, we have seen some overtakes completed at the very corner Maldonado attempted to overtake Hamilton (And around the outside too).
Secondly, Hamilton definitely squeezed Maldonado to the outside of the track, and since they went into the right hander side by side, gave Maldonado the choice of either running into the side of him, or leaving the track....

Now, this does beg a few questions. Firstly, had Hamilton not run right to the outside of the circuit, would Maldonado have left the track? It's possible, but it's also possible that he would have made it into the corner. Secondly, did Maldonado have to return to the track in the place he did?

For the second question, undoubtedly, the answer is no. However, for the first question, there is the issue that Hamilton did force Maldo off the track! Who is to blame for this incident? Maldonado, undoubtedly. However, can we give the actions of Hamilton's car a clean bill of health? Probably not. However, as has already been noted, this may have a lot to do with the state that LH's tyres were in, rather than necessarily a deliberate action!

 

[The Artist.....]

In fact, the rules are very clear regarding fuel:

From the technical regulations

6.6.2 Competitors must ensure that a one litre sample of fuel may be taken from the car at any time during the Event.
Except in cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the stewards of the meeting), if a sample of fuel is required after a practice session the car concerned must have first been driven back to the pits under its own power.

No inconsistencies in applying the rules. There is no rule enforcing return to the pits at the end of a race under the car's power. Should there be a rule? Possibly. However, since there is no rule, there's nothing to enforce.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Given that the route around the outside of the corner is the long one, you need to be ahead going into a corner to overtake around the outside. I think that solves that one. Side-by-side, or 3/4 up the side doesn't cut it. Maldonado had no chance unless Hamilton jumped out of his way, and why the hell should he do that? There's devil's advocate shot through the temple.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

The Artist.....

The rule you quote makes no mention of qualifying either.

 

[The Pits]

Qualifying s classified as practice. In 2010, the HRT cars did not run at all before q1, they were allowed to race as qualifying was classified as practice.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Gotcha. Thanks The Pits. They must do that to confuse the audience. Crazy FIA introducing ambiguity for fun again.

 

[The Artist.....]

ExtremeNinja
Qualifying is classified as a practice session. Hence why in the Sporting Regulations, rule 33 states:

33) QUALIFYING PRACTICE
33.1 The qualifying practice session will take place on the day before the race from 14.00 to 15.00.

Ergo, technical regulation 6.6.2 makes explicit mention of qualifying.

 

[The Artist.....]

Given that the route around the outside of the corner is the long one, you need to be ahead going into a corner to overtake around the outside.

... Unless the other driver's tyres are shot and is struggling to get round corners at any reasonable velocity...

I do think that there is also a question that could be raised about if why there was no reason for Hamilton to give way, then similarly, there was no reason for Maldonado to give way. Remember, if Maldonado hadn't left the track, Hamilton would probably have driven into the side of him!

 

[Hamberg]

Maldonado's penalty was for failing to rejoin the track in a safe manner, he wasn't penalised for causing a collision. Interesting.

Either way Artist Hamilton did not do anything wrong in this scenario, Maldonado has shown on more than one occasion that he has the talent of a rookie and the mentality of a hormonal teenager. That combination in a powerful car makes him a liability. Add to that he has the audactiy to say it was Hamilton's fault - never does he take responsiblity. So yes, the vitriol is deserved.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

The Artist.....

How about common sense for good reason?

...thanks for clarifying on the regulations.

 

[The Artist.....]

True - I am just trying to see things from the other side of the coin. Maldonado deserved castigation for how he rejoined - that's definitely true!

However, other drivers have been involved in similar number of incidents early in their careers (And some not so early in their careers), and they went on to become world champions..... Then of course, there was Andrea de Cesaris....

Is Maldonado a de Cesaris or a Senna? Only time will tell!

 

[ExtremeNinja]

He may meet the same end as Senna if he continues in this vein.

 

[gethinceri]

A little bit harsh mate.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I don't wish it on him. I don't wish it on anybody. I don't think it's harsh at all, the way he is driving, and I think someone ought to tell him such.

 

[gethinceri]

I'll get you his number.............................................................................

 

[F1ang-o]

As long as it's not the poor bugger he crashes into.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

...or himself. Now that IS harsh F1ang-o

 

[F1ang-o]

The answer is in his hands...if it is his instinct to run into others.... that are in his way, then something needs to be done, before someone is badly injured (like the marshall) or worse.
Unless this was a racing incident & as such could not have been avoided.

 

[The Artist.....]

F1ang-o
Had this been the other way round, and it was Hamilton who was forced off the track, would you be defending him as resolutely?

There are a number of drivers who have been involved in a relatively large number of incidents in recent memory. Maldonado is one of them, Hamilton is another. Yes, Maldonado has on occasion gone too far, but it is only a small distance from where other drivers have been and where Maldonado is!

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Some people are clearly set in their opinions and this is going nowhere. Can't we all just agree to disagree?