- 11 Sep 08, 12:56#64428
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007
McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
From Planet F1:
Thursday 11th September 2008
Charlie Whiting's role in the stewards' investigation of Lewis Hamilton's move past Kimi Raikkonen during the Belgian GP has been thrust back into the spotlight amid reports that the Race Director advised the stewards to study Hamilton's driving despite previously advising McLaren he had driven within the rules.
In their press release that announced their intention to appeal Hamilton's demotion from first to third, McLaren stressed that they had twice received assurances from race control that Hamilton's manoeuvre was 'okay'. Speaking immediately after the race, team boss Ron Dennis specifically named Whiting as providing those assurances.
Yet while Whiting's approval of Hamilton's move may prove integral to McLaren's defence if their appeal is heard, fresh reports claim that Whiting was also pivotal in the stewards deciding to launch their investigation.
In his blog, The Times F1 correspondent Ed Gorman claims that I have established that, despite having appeared to convey to McLaren that Lewis had done nothing wrong, Whiting himself then played a key role in instigating the formal investigation of the incident by the stewards.
'After every race it is normal procedure, apparently, for the stewards to enquire of the race director if there is anything that should be looked at. Whiting is thought to have said to them that, although he had been in touch with McLaren about the exchange between Lewis and Kimi on lap 42, the stewards may still want to have a look at it themselves.'
It remains unclear - and apparently unknown - whether Whiting specifically advised the three stewards that he had assured the McLaren pitwall that he felt Hamilton's move was legitimate.
At the very least, the confusion over Whiting's role in the process adds to the sense of unease that the stewards' decision was essentially subjective and Hamilton was punished on account of their own opinion in the absence of any hard evidence. McLaren's press release stressed that Hamilton had slowed by 6kph along the straight to allow Raikkonen to re-pass - a fact that they seemingly believe was ignored or not taken into account by the stewards.
The apparent ambiguity of Whiting's position - and his subsequent failure to provide any clarity as to how and why the stewards launched their investigation - has also had the unfortunate, but inevitable, side-affect of allowing conspiracy theories to flourish.
In his own blog on the investigation, ITV reporter Ted Kravitz has questioned whether there may have been a sinister influence that caused the three stewards to probe Hamilton's actions.
'But if Charlie thought what Lewis did was okay at the time, why was the incident put under investigation at all?' he asks pointedly.
'Did Whiting change his mind? Did the stewards instigate the investigation? (They are allowed to do this, by the way.) Or did someone else in the FIA advise Whiting to have another look at the incident in detail?'
So many loaded questions and, as yet, so few answers.
Thursday 11th September 2008
Charlie Whiting's role in the stewards' investigation of Lewis Hamilton's move past Kimi Raikkonen during the Belgian GP has been thrust back into the spotlight amid reports that the Race Director advised the stewards to study Hamilton's driving despite previously advising McLaren he had driven within the rules.
In their press release that announced their intention to appeal Hamilton's demotion from first to third, McLaren stressed that they had twice received assurances from race control that Hamilton's manoeuvre was 'okay'. Speaking immediately after the race, team boss Ron Dennis specifically named Whiting as providing those assurances.
Yet while Whiting's approval of Hamilton's move may prove integral to McLaren's defence if their appeal is heard, fresh reports claim that Whiting was also pivotal in the stewards deciding to launch their investigation.
In his blog, The Times F1 correspondent Ed Gorman claims that I have established that, despite having appeared to convey to McLaren that Lewis had done nothing wrong, Whiting himself then played a key role in instigating the formal investigation of the incident by the stewards.
'After every race it is normal procedure, apparently, for the stewards to enquire of the race director if there is anything that should be looked at. Whiting is thought to have said to them that, although he had been in touch with McLaren about the exchange between Lewis and Kimi on lap 42, the stewards may still want to have a look at it themselves.'
It remains unclear - and apparently unknown - whether Whiting specifically advised the three stewards that he had assured the McLaren pitwall that he felt Hamilton's move was legitimate.
At the very least, the confusion over Whiting's role in the process adds to the sense of unease that the stewards' decision was essentially subjective and Hamilton was punished on account of their own opinion in the absence of any hard evidence. McLaren's press release stressed that Hamilton had slowed by 6kph along the straight to allow Raikkonen to re-pass - a fact that they seemingly believe was ignored or not taken into account by the stewards.
The apparent ambiguity of Whiting's position - and his subsequent failure to provide any clarity as to how and why the stewards launched their investigation - has also had the unfortunate, but inevitable, side-affect of allowing conspiracy theories to flourish.
In his own blog on the investigation, ITV reporter Ted Kravitz has questioned whether there may have been a sinister influence that caused the three stewards to probe Hamilton's actions.
'But if Charlie thought what Lewis did was okay at the time, why was the incident put under investigation at all?' he asks pointedly.
'Did Whiting change his mind? Did the stewards instigate the investigation? (They are allowed to do this, by the way.) Or did someone else in the FIA advise Whiting to have another look at the incident in detail?'
So many loaded questions and, as yet, so few answers.
Last edited by McLaren Fan on 11 Sep 08, 13:05, edited 1 time in total.
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2007
McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
