FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

By Jonathan Noble Friday, September 12th 2008, 16:29 GMT

Formula One drivers have been told that they should wait at least one corner before resuming a fight for position in the event of future chicane-cutting incidents.

In the wake of the Lewis Hamilton controversy from Belgium, F1 drivers sought clarification on what was and was not allowed during their regular Friday evening briefing with F1 race director Charlie Whiting.

Autosport.com understands the drivers were informed that in the event of a driver cutting a chicane and gaining a position, he not only had to give that place back but should also wait for another corner before he could attempt to retake it.

Waiting until after the following corner would ensure there were no questions of a driver having gained an advantage.

At Spa, Hamilton gave back the lead he gained from Raikkonen when he cut the final chicane, but then retook first position almost immediately under braking for La Source.

The race stewards deemed that Hamilton had gained an advantage in that move, so gave him with a 25-second penalty that stripped him of victory and moved him down to third. His McLaren team have appealed against that decision.

Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber welcomed the clarification on the situation, which should minimize the chances of repeat problems in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

"We are still trying to find a solution for the second chicane here, because we still think there is a way to roll through there," Webber told autosport.com. "But generally, it is pretty clear for people to probably not attack immediately again, which wasn't mega, mega clear in the past."

It wasn't clear at all, Webber. In fact, the rules said nothing about it. Thankfully, there is now some clarity about the issue, but I hope they don't apply this clarification retrospectively against Hamilton.

[texasmr2]

Finally the 'grey area' is alittle more clearer.

[7UpJordan]

It wasn't clear at all, Webber. In fact, the rules said nothing about it.

Indeed, more "making it all up as they go along" by the FIA.

[Denthúl]

It wasn't clear at all, Webber. In fact, the rules said nothing about it. Thankfully, there is now some clarity about the issue, but I hope they don't apply this clarification retrospectively against Hamilton.

I'd say that, in all sense, they cannot do that, except I know that they can.

I'm glad it has been cleared up and, should the rules be made to say it, I would agree that it is fair. However, I would not agree that it is fair to punish someone who has commited a crime before the law regarding it has even been written.

[McLaren Fan]

Mosley, as a lawyer, should know you can't make new laws apply retrospectively...

[FerrariFan63]

Mosley, as a lawyer, should know you can't make new laws apply retrospectively...

Unless you have absolute power. In which case you can do as you please. The FIA isn't answerable to anybody or anything, that I had noticed.

[Denthúl]

Mosley, as a lawyer, should know you can't make new laws apply retrospectively...

As a lawyer, he's also capable of sniffing out loopholes. And as president of the FIA, his power unquestionable, he can do whatever he pleases, unfortunately.

[McLaren Fan]

There are no loopholes on this matter in terms of how the legal system works. The thing is, however, the FIA is not the British (and a lot of other) legal system, so the same thing does not apply. It would be nice to think that the FIA would show some humanity and decency and take this into consideration, but Mosley will weigh up the situation and decide on the thing which is most politically expedient.

[texasmr2]

Every week, the drivers hold meetings to discuss many thing, and some of these things are the pecularities of the track that is being raced that weekend. This meeting has lots of items on the agenda, but most importantly, it provides specific applications of rules on particular aspects of that track.

It has been reported--and I am too tired to look it up still again--that in the driver's meeting that very chicane was identified as a place where a 25 second penalty would be assessed. That's the reason for the penalty. Everyone knew the penalty ahead of time.

I am awaiting a link or confirmation to this so please be patient.

[przemo]

Well, whatever they talk about in those meetings does not reach public ears. Maybe they talked about cutting corners or even specifically that chicane, but I've always heard that if you cut a corner and gain a position you just have to give it back. I doubt Hamilton would break the rules on purpose and risk a penalty. They must've not clarified that problem even in the drivers meetings. At least FIA has specifically stated what the drivers should not do when they cut a corner. This will do for now, until next time when someone does something unprecedented, which is not clearly stated in the rules.

[AKR]

According to what has been written then Lewis Hamilton is clearly guilty as he didn't wait until the next corner..........................That of course said if they didn't just make that up as they go along like someone else already mentioned in one of their posts/reply to this.

[Denthúl]

According to what has been written then Lewis Hamilton is clearly guilty as he didn't wait until the next corner..........................That of course said if they didn't just make that up as they go along like someone else already mentioned in one of their posts/reply to this.

Thing is, that was not written down until the FIA made that statement, so how was he to know that he was breaking the rules?

[bud]

making rules up afterwards to back their decision making! Typical FIA amateurism

clearly in this case Lewis should get the benefit of the doubt and from now on once you cut a corner even giving the possy back you cant attack until the next corner!

[Mikep99]

making rules up afterwards to back their decision making! Typical FIA amateurism

clearly in this case Lewis should get the benefit of the doubt and from now on once you cut a corner even giving the possy back you cant attack until the next corner!

Agree

[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

FIA race director Charlie Whiting clarified to drivers and team officials at Monza what is expected in terms of fair overtaking.

A furore was triggered after the Belgian Grand Prix one week ago, when Lewis Hamilton's victory was retrospectively taken away because he had passed Kimi Raikkonen shortly after cutting a chicane.

In the regular pre-race drivers' briefing at Monza, scene of Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, Whiting told the gathering that, if a driver negotiates a corner illegally and gains a place, he should wait at least one more corner after giving back the position before launching another overtaking move.

Red Bull driver Mark Webber said after the briefing: "Generally, it is pretty clear (now) for people to probably not attack immediately again, which wasn't mega, mega clear in the past."

It is understood that Whiting made clear his information was simply a clarification, rather than a new interpretation of the existing rule, or a new rule altogether.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

Bollocks. The rules do not say anything about having to wait for one corner. This is a new rule. It just goes to show how arrogant the FIA are that they can come up with this trash and get away with it.