FORUMula1.com

[stonemonkey]

I'm no Schumacher fan but I'll just say I still disagree.

[Rivelution]

Gotta love the way Red Bull celebrates...





this is sooo my new avatar

[scotty]

What the rules are clearly saying are that if the safety car is out at the start of the final lap, the race is effectively over. The wording makes that extremely obvious. The rules are saying that the last lap is an exception to the general rule of the safety car coming in mid-race and racing continuing from the white line onward. Anyone who thinks anything else having read the rules is clearly trying to point out a technicality that doesn't exist. To repeat, it is the way in which the situation was executed today that caused the scenario that played out. Personally, though of course you're entitled to do so, I'd stop clutching at straws, accept that what happened happened and move on... Hopefully Schumi will make the podium in two weeks, motivated by the sheer outrage he'll rightly be feeling right now as a result of his lost points today!!

Clutching at straws? Hardly, it's perfectly legitimate questioning of rule interpretations.

[bud]

I don't understand why they even brought the SC in if you're not allowed to overtake still! Last race a SC was deployed at the end was Aus09 that day it lead the pack over the line!

[billindenver]

The earth may shift on it's axis from my doing so, but I have to agree with bud. There is no reason to pull the safety car in, if pulling it in doesn't release the racers to do their thing. If the race is effectively over, then the safety car should remain out.

[f1ea]

I thought it was a bloody good move.
But when i read the rules, it was clear it was not legitimate. i think it is a new rule though... so there's no backtracking to compare it to other races.

[Monzilla]

Schuey is still in a Ferrari frame of mind....act first argue afterwards. Still it was a cheeky move that gave me a laugh.It was quite funny when Jonathan Legard said " Over to you Damon Hill" though Rules are rules though and Im glad that they are the same for everyone now.

[FerrariFan63]

I guess that the reason for the new rule is that they don't want pictures of the safety car leading the cars across the finish line.

[zurich_allan]

What the rules are clearly saying are that if the safety car is out at the start of the final lap, the race is effectively over. The wording makes that extremely obvious. The rules are saying that the last lap is an exception to the general rule of the safety car coming in mid-race and racing continuing from the white line onward. Anyone who thinks anything else having read the rules is clearly trying to point out a technicality that doesn't exist. To repeat, it is the way in which the situation was executed today that caused the scenario that played out. Personally, though of course you're entitled to do so, I'd stop clutching at straws, accept that what happened happened and move on... Hopefully Schumi will make the podium in two weeks, motivated by the sheer outrage he'll rightly be feeling right now as a result of his lost points today!!

Clutching at straws? Hardly, it's perfectly legitimate questioning of rule interpretations.

It is clutching at straws. For the millionth time, the rule has not been written in an ambiguous way, it's perfectly clear, there's nothing to interpret! It's just a bad rule that was executed poorly. So disrespecful roll eyes back at ya!

[bud]

I guess that the reason for the new rule is that they don't want pictures of the safety car leading the cars across the finish line.

Yeah it must be the reason. Seems not all the teams and drivers read the finer details of some of the new regs.

[Dj_polly12]

"Don't worry worry about the intention, read what the rules say."


Direct quote from Ross Brawn last year. I wonder if he will use that one again

[FerrariFan63]

It is clutching at straws. For the millionth time, the rule has not been written in an ambiguous way, it's perfectly clear, there's nothing to interpret! It's just a bad rule that was executed poorly. So disrespecful roll eyes back at ya!

I think you've both missed the point. The rules are very clear. What was not clear was whether the safety car was coming in because the race was ending under the safety car (no passes allowed), or whether the safety car was coming in normally, it just being a coincidence that the end of the safety car period was on the last lap. According to the new rules, these are very different situations.

I find it very easy to excuse Schumacher making a mistake given that the green flags were waving. Surely if the race was ending under the safety car the flags (both real and electronic) would remain yellow. Given that, I think that Race Control or the procedures designed by the FIA are primarily to blame.

If we assume that Race Control was at fault, then the penalty given to Schumacher seems excessive. Once the mistake has been made, there's no way to completely undo the mistake. If Schumacher keeps his place, then Alonso has been unfairly denied it due to being illegally passed. But, since all the evidence (i.e. flags) were directly indicating to Schumacher that they were racing again, if he isn't allowed to keep the place, he has been unfairly denied the 6th place which the flags indicated he was right to fight for.

IMHO the most fair solution is simply to undo the pass, and give Alonso 6th and Schumacher 7th. A 20 second penalty dropping Schumacher out of the points is excessive.

[bud]

Merc are appealing but as we saw in Spa 08 you cant appeal a drive through even a retrospective one, which is what Schumi got with a time penalty. So this result will stand.

[Denthúl]

Merc are appealing but as we saw in Spa 08 you cant appeal a drive through even a retrospective one, which is what Schumi got with a time penalty. So this result will stand.

I thought Toro Rosso had previously proved that you can with a successful appeal of a time-penalty (making the Spa situation even more ridiculous)?

[hesketh308]

I still don't see how that is a fair punishment

I don't see why they would issue a retrospective imaginary drive-through penalty on something that occured RIGHT at the end of the race, especially on a ruling that is so unclear

I feel that perhaps a position reversal and some sort of fine or grid place drop next round would of been a more suitable punishment

Im not Schumi's biggest fan, and i must admit im liking Alonso more as of late, but it seems that Schumi is getting penalised for actually racing someone.

The new position with having retired racers on the stewards panel has worked very well up until this point, but i must say, this is the first poo-poo decision.

Also, what is this about not being able to appeal a drive-through penalty? Surely that is a loop hole the stewards can use to make sure someone is definatly penalised?