Poll Should Vettel have been penalised for his start in Japan?

[jez101]

Danger has always been part of the attraction of f1, so no one wants to sterilise it, but i do think we should consider the trajectory we are on. There has to be a limit or we will end up watching bumper cars which might be great, until someone gets hurt.

In order to keep this thread on track, I would love to hear the (considered) views of those who thought Sunday's move was ok. The aspects you might consider, may include how much room is actually left (what fraction of a cars width, for example), how quickly the door is closed, where the challenger needs to be to claim the tarmac (define alongside), and whether there needs to be contact for it to be a penalty.

I have read that crowding has always been part of f1, but I am not sure that is actually true. Watch some of the overtaking from some of the 80s videos posted by Keke and me in the worst circuits poll. They each show a different ethos to the one i believe we are seeing now. Lauda and de Ceasaris is particularly notable as Andrea had a reputation as a blocker in those days. The Mansell v Senna at Detroit is also a good parallel to Sunday. Senna could easily have done what Seb did, but he didn't.

 

[Galahad]

Absolutely. As you are doubtless bored of hearing me say, it's all right for them with their carbon-kevlar survival cells and medical teams on standby. The Formula Ford boys at Oulton or Cadwell don't have those things, but they drive in the same way.

 

[Galahad]

I also thought, incidentally, that it was pretty silly of Vettel to risk a collision with Button. If they had both retired there, that would have been his world championship won, and the echoes with 1990 would have been uncomfortable and detracting to say the least.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I also thought, incidentally, that it was pretty silly of Vettel to risk a collision

I know this isn't a big revelation, and it's been confirmed time and time again this season, but a move is seemingly never silly if it comes off, even if it would be seen as borderline maniacal if it didn't. The Red Bull boys have taken this to a new extreme this year, and have come off smelling like roses every time. Webber into Eau Rouge, and again into 130R; Vettel at Australia, Monza, and Japan.

Just a few more indications that this is a Red Bull year through and through.