Renault out of European GP

[bogaTYR]

wowww.... cool down TBY

we all seem to think the same, F1 is dangerous but there are situations in which drivers should stop instead of going on driving around with dodgy parts or parts that are clearly about to drop off.

just to name a few recent ones: we saw kimi with this exhaust, we saw rubens who felt there was a problem with the back of his car, we saw alonso with his wheel, we saw LH with a damaged floor board, we saw several drivers go around with punctures or even tyres that were shred to bits.

all of these went on their merry way for longer or shorter periods of time during an F1 race with other competitors being in the race as well. therefor enhancing the danger to both themselves, other drivers and potentially spectators.

first point: we have the meatball flag, not used since 2003 and we have the responsibility of the drivers. why isn't the meatball used more?
second point: we now have a penalty for renault. but none of these other examples have even been mentioned by the stewards as a problem. where is the consistency?

 

[Galahad]

If Renault's penalty is upheld, we will only have 18 cars attempting to qualify for the European Grand Prix.

Where and when was the last race with so few qualifiers?

 

[teabagyokel]

Monaco 2005, wasn't it? When BAR got kicked out of 2 GPs for something in San Marino...

 

[Galahad]

Very good TBY, I should have known you'd be the one to get it!

 

[Brogan]

There are rumours that the Renault ban may be lifted.

But the company's operations director Carlos Moreno-Figueroa sounds confident the double world champion will actually not miss the race.

"I call on all those who are doubting whether or not to buy a ticket depending on the presence of Alonso to do so, as we are being told from every side that he will be in Valencia," he is quoted as saying by the local Costa Levante News.

I wonder who he means by "from every side"?
Surely not the FIA or WMSC or even Bernie or Max...

Link: Promoter confident Alonso ban will be overturned

 

[The Artist.....]

I was reading on Autosport online this week that there was a very strong possibility that Renault's punishment would be re-classified, to a removal of a ban, but with a hefty fine (albeit not of the same magnitude as McLaren's spy-gate fine).

It would be better for F1 if they present 20 cars in Valencia, although perhaps a more adequate punishment would be to give both Renault cars a 1 second penalty for each stage of qualifying. Would that be appropriate?

The reason Renault were thrown out was because the options available to the stewards were to
1. Impose a paltry fine - $25,000 or suchlike
2. Disqualify Alonso from the race - well that was not really an option was it
3. Give Alonso a time penalty - again not really an option
4. Ban Renault for a race.

 

[Brogan]

It's at times like this that the penalty system should be more flexible.

We've seen it in the past where what has seemed an unduly harsh sentence has been handed out only becuase the stewards had no other option.

Although I agree it would be better for F1 to have a full grid, I'm not sure the ban should be overturned.
Then again, maybe the ban has had its effect and in future teams will be more safety-minded?

 

[GeoffP]

Couldn't agree more Brogan,

The inappropriate scale of penalties available don't exactly bring support to the FIA either for setting an appropriate penalty, or for delegating the ability to decide to their nominated officials.

However I do that feel the FIA cannot back peddle on the penalty handed out unless demonstrably new evidence regarding the infraction is brought to the appeal. Any change of heart would have to be yet another hit to their somewhat shaky credability.

Oh, and if Renault do provide new evidence, I for one would like to know why they did not provide it in the first place.

As you can tell, I do not want Renault to take part in Valencia, not because I don't want them to race, but because the FIA should only be allowed to change the rules going forwards, not retrospectively - i.e. they should also be bound by the rules as much as the participants

 

[Brogan]

As far as I am aware, Renault aren't appealing on the grounds of evidence relating to the incident but simply that the penalty is too harsh.

I expect they will cite other similar incidents where teams received only a fine (Vettel/Red Bull, Australia '09) or weren't penalised at all (Räikkönen/Ferrari, France '08).

Again it all comes down to consistency from the stewards.

 

[Speshal]

Renault admitted to the court that it breached the sporting regulations, in that it failed to ensure that car #7 complied with the conditions for safety throughout practice and the race, and that it released the car after a pitstop when it was unsafe to do so. However, it requested the court to reconsider the severity of the sanction imposed by the stewards.

Having heard the arguments of the parties, the court has decided as follows:
1. to allow the appeal and overturn the sanction imposed by the stewards in the contested decision;
2. to issue a reprimand and impose a fine of $50,000 upon Renault