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[internos2k]

There was exactly one other car on the track at that time, so clean air/space was NOT a problem.

OK, But this has been the FIRST TIME that a team must explane this kind of details to the stewards, not?

[McLaren Fan]

McLaren Fan thanks for the quote from the F1 rulebook. I guess you are right, because this does not point directly to qualifications. It says the race and since it's the case are qualis considered part of the race? I too think it's a political decision and no more than that. What a shame, the FIA/Stewards have done it again!

Well, if you really wanted to get into the nitty gritty, you could argue that the whole event is a Grand Prix made up of three parts: practice, qualifying and the race. Alternatively, you could call the whole event a race. Personally, I think my first interpretation is correct, however, the FIA have used a tiny loophole in the diction to punish McLaren. Like I say, the FIA monitor the radios and are aware of what's going on so the fact they have only acted now is proof enough that qualifying and the race are separate and this decision has been made as a result of some groups' agenda.

[tomato100]

Having only recently fallen in love with F1 racing, I watch everything with people far more knowledgeable. They questioned whether or not the extra 10 seconds Alonso took would actually have been enough for Hamilton to make a difference. Other opinions, please?

[aboldero]

tomato100.

yes, it would have made a difference, alonso delayed hamilton by 10 seconds, hamilton crossed the start line 7 seconds after the chequered flag went out.

alonso knew how exact the mclaren teams timings are and know that 10 seconds would be enough..

in my opinion, the team should have got no penalty.. they did what they needed to, they timed it perfectly, and told alonso to leave, he didn't, so how can the team be to blame???

alonso DELIBERATELY delayed hamilton getting into the pit... this is no different to fisichella delaying yamamoto, and recieving a 5 place penalty.. same offence, same penalty..

[darksroker]

You're right aboldero. For my part, it is almost a nonsense to punish McLaren team. I don't understand why McLaren should be responsible for his drivers' fault. Hamilton didn't respect McLaren's instructions, and Alonso delayed Hamilton. I don't see where is McLaren's fault in this affair.

[tomato100]

To: aboldero

Thank you. I understand what you mean and yes, Alonso deserved the penalty for acting unfairly because he lost his temper. However, having worked with/taught small children, I easily recognized the disingenuous smile on Hamilton's face as that of someone who had cooly stabbed a teammate in the back (he clearly understood the timing and other repercussions of not obeying his team's orders) and gotten away with it. Alonso was foolish to allow himself to be goaded into such clumsy "revenge" but Hamilton's actions and demeanor were far more unattractive, as his swearing at his own boss revealed. McLaren should slap him smartly but probably won't have the courage to do it. This will likely go the way it goes in so manyother aspects of life/sport when smoothly presented and cunning borderline or outright illegal behavior is overlooked because the player "delivers the goods" -- and is the better sneak/snake.
Drama everywhere - but the racees are GRAND!!

[supeindesu]

Well... so, FA crossed the start line at 00:00:00.6... sure, he wait enough to the point that he was nearly out?, you are a bunch of hooligans, please...

[7UpJordan]

Well... so, FA crossed the start line at 00:00:00.6... sure, he wait enough to the point that he was nearly out?, you are a bunch of hooligans, please...

You just love the word hooligan don't you.

[Whitehead]

...team orders which interfere with the race result will be prohibited


Does affecting the qualifying positions not interfere with the race result though? All hypothetical of course. rumours in tomorrow's papers here in England that Mclaren have told Alonso he can leave at the end of the season.

[supeindesu]

You just love the word hooligan don't you.

That was my special word for yesterday

[SerenityX]

I think Loser Hamilton don't know what he's doing, the only thing he may know is he want to win all the races and the world champion, at the cost of the team and his team-mate. He's not a team player, that's for sure. In a race like F1, unflinching team support is the pinnacle at all the world champion title.

I found a lot irregularity in his speaking at the post-race press conference. On one hand, he admitted that he's wrong for not letting Alonso pass at the beginning of Q3, and he blames the team and his team-mate for delaying him to make the final run. That's one, two, during the post qualifying meeting he admitted his mistake to Alonso and his team but yet he wants Alonso to come talk to him first, and not the other way around. This attitude is very bad and unacceptable. During the final part of the press conference, the press asked him why is it that Alonso should be the one to come and talk him first and not the other way around. He turn around ask the press "who said that".


I really don't believe myself when i read it. It was obvious that Loser Hamilton really didn't mean what he said, and he didn't care about the team, and especially not his team-mate.

He should be a bit more appreciative to the team and especially Alonso, because he is running Alonso setup for most of the race.

I would not want a WC like him. Loser Hamilton, thing like this always comes around.

But while Hamilton slightly inconvenienced the team - and rightly admitted so - Alonso deliberately prevented Hamilton from competing at all. Just because Hamilton did something wrong to begin with does not mean that what Alonso did was not worse.

[internos2k]

I think Loser Hamilton don't know what he's doing, the only thing he may know is he want to win all the races and the world champion, at the cost of the team and his team-mate. He's not a team player, that's for sure. In a race like F1, unflinching team support is the pinnacle at all the world champion title.

I found a lot irregularity in his speaking at the post-race press conference. On one hand, he admitted that he's wrong for not letting Alonso pass at the beginning of Q3, and he blames the team and his team-mate for delaying him to make the final run. That's one, two, during the post qualifying meeting he admitted his mistake to Alonso and his team but yet he wants Alonso to come talk to him first, and not the other way around. This attitude is very bad and unacceptable. During the final part of the press conference, the press asked him why is it that Alonso should be the one to come and talk him first and not the other way around. He turn around ask the press "who said that".


I really don't believe myself when i read it. It was obvious that Loser Hamilton really didn't mean what he said, and he didn't care about the team, and especially not his team-mate.

He should be a bit more appreciative to the team and especially Alonso, because he is running Alonso setup for most of the race.

I would not want a WC like him. Loser Hamilton, thing like this always comes around.

But while Hamilton slightly inconvenienced the team - and rightly admitted so - Alonso deliberately prevented Hamilton from competing at all. Just because Hamilton did something wrong to begin with does not mean that what Alonso did was not worse.

Hamilton has been, temporarily, a traitor. If you are not disgusted by his behaviour, you can be happy to have this driver.

[nick_of_time]

Apart from his disgusting behaviour and ability to drive the car fastest with one of the best cars, i still can't see any driving skill worthy of a WC title. We haven't see any of his serious overtaking or any defending yet. The starts of the US race does not count as a defending, nor can we say the last race at Hungary, where Kimi does not even really seriously attacking. Because the Hungaroring is not a balance track. It a busy track which suit a shorter car of McLeren not a longer car of Ferrari. And that's why Kimi could not really attack LH. If it was on a much balance track Kimi would have overtaken LH quite easily.

There isn't any WC driving quality yet we see from him. And I believe most if not all F1 fans like to see some good fights on the asphalt, and not at the court where some politician driver make the race disgusting to its fans. And also respect the fans don't give us lips service.

[thebiggman]

It is truly amazing to me that so many die-hard F1 race enthusiasts can not
see the facts for what they are without adding personal bias. Based on the
facts I feel that Lewis did make a bad decision by not following team orders,
but Alonso made it worse by making Q3 his own personal agenda to punish
Hamilton. Alonso was rightly punished for his actions, he was wrong. We
have all heard that two wrongs don't make a right. Many of you are probably
wondering what I am talking about, so here are the facts that I observed
during Q3.

Hamilton started Q3 directly in front of Alonso. For the 1st lap they were
within 1 second of each other. At the start of the second lap, Alonso drops
off of the pace which makes it look like Hamilton is pulling away. He drops
so far off of the pace that he ends up holding up Kimi. Alonso, is driving
so slowly up to the 1st pit stop that his time ranked in 8th place. Also,
just before the first pit stop he had slowed so much that he let Kimi go by.
I have never seen this lack of performance from Alonso in the past 3 years.
As he entered the pit, he took his time with no since of urgency. While in
the pit, you can see him feverishly moving his head and hands as he was
talking to his team on the pit wall, then the camera cuts to the guy on the
lollipop holding him in the pit and then starting the countdown. When he
finally exited the pit, Hamilton entered approx. 10 seconds behind him.
Mission Accomplished! At the start of the 2nd lap, Alonso wanted to get
Hamilton behind him so that he could execute his premeditated plan. He did
everything he could to make that happen. I'm also certain that it was his
idea to be held in the pit until Hamilton was within 10 seconds of him. This
means that Hamilton was about to put Alonso one lap down. This is the 2 time
world champion and a rookie is about to put a lap on him in the final
qualifying session? Alonso didn't have any mechanical issues causing him to
drive that far off of the pace. Finally, the last pit stop. Hamilton is
waiting behind Alonso in the pit. During this pit stop, the team is finished
with their work and the lollipop is still down, no one is doing anything to
his car, but the lollipop is down and Hamilton waiting. Then the lollipop
comes up and Alonso still doesn't move, he waits, and additional 10 seconds.
The next thing we see is Alonso putting down his fastest lap of the session,
the first time he drove at 100% the entire 15 minutes. The sad thing is, he
only beat Hamilton's time by 1 tenth. Remember, Hamilton did a 1.19:3 in Q2.
I'm sure he would have put up the same number or better if Alonso hadn't been
pouting and trying to get revenge on Hamilton.

I have read many things out here saying that Hamilton is a cry baby and
Alonso didn't deserve to be punished. From the facts that I saw, Alonso got
off easy, because this was intentional and premeditated. He made the entire
Q3 session a vendetta against Hamilton. If you are the 2 time world
champion, beat Hamilton straight up. Out drive him with your skill and
experience. Obviously, Alonso can't do that and has to resort to tactics
such as what we saw in Hungry. It is really sad and depressing to see this
type thing taking place in F1 and especially within one team.

[ArtHowe]

You nailed it Biggman