- 05 Sep 12, 10:51#318758Having had the day off today, I've been taking time to study the vast range of different articles which are still being written up on the first lap crash at La Source and the resulting ban for Romain Grosjean. Needless to say, it is a topic of intense debate. I, to be honest, am in favour of the ban, but there have been numerous comparisons with other "similar" first lap incidents such as the start of the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix and the start of the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. Yes there was no ban in either of those two accidents, but there were probably reasons.
In Montreal in 1998, Alexander Wurz found himself squeezed out going into Turn 1, tipped over and the resulting crash was something to behold. But the field was extremely crowded in the midfield, much more so than where the incident started at Spa yesterday. There was no wild sweep across the track from one particular driver, it was simply the field-bunching effect that caught Wurz out.
The start at Melbourne in 2002 is more tricky however. Ralf Schumacher appeared to misjudge his braking from behind Rubens Barrichello (who himself was trying to ensure his P1 position going into the first turn) and the ensuing carnage took out half the field. Not only was this a different type of incident to the start at Spa (and as a result I feel it shouldn't be held in comparison) the FIA did indeed take the incident seriously. Rather than apportion blame on one particular driver, a set of strict guidelines were given to the drivers, and penalties were promised after more first lap incidents occurred that year in Sepang and Interlagos.
And then we have comparisons with Wurz and Coulthard colliding scarily in Melbourne back in 2007 and Schumacher squeezing Barrichello at Budapest. While the CONSEQUENCES of the Wurz/Coulthard incident were similar to Spa (see picture in above post), the incident actually, in my opinion, bears more hallmarks to the Schumacher / Barrichello incident in Budapest, where Schumacher clearly forced Rubens right up to the wall at frightening speed, within a few inches of causing the mother of all accidents. And this is where we also start to see the roots of Grosjean's penalty.
The outrage sent in Schumacher's direction after that race in the summer of 2010 was mighty. Fans the world over, the commentators and paddock insiders all were largely of the opinion that Michael had taken the defence of his position ever so slightly too far, bordering the line that separates aggressive from dangerous. Jackie Stewart was vocal about the incident, saying, "We are never more than a millimetre away from something awful happening and for Schumacher to do what he did with Rubens Barrichello is just inviting disaster. ... It was one of the most blatant abuses of another driver that I have seen. It is a terrible example from a man who has seven world titles, bully-boy tactics."
Needless to say, the FIA did take action, and Schumacher was given a 10 place grid penalty for the next race at Spa. If contact was actually made, I am of the belief that a ban could well have been sent Schumacher's way. And this brings us back to to Grosjean's punishment for the accident at Spa. In cutting across the track in defence of his position going in to Turn 1, he squeezed Lewis against the wall, backed off, and then squeezed him further. The resulting pile-up was costly for many teams, and many drivers, and wasn't good on the eye. Grosjean was totally out of order at the start, and had the outcome stemmed from a mere incident, like at Montreal in '98, no bans would've been handed out.
Race wins:181Drivers' titles:12Constructors' titles:8Fantasy F1 Team = Bridewell Palace Racing 
