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[bud]

Heikki Kovalainen believes McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton's overtaking move on Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner of the Japanese Grand Prix was fair.

Hamilton received a drive-through penalty after he forced Raikkonen off the track while running wide on the exit of Turn One. The penalty effectively ended any hopes the Brit had of scoring points at the Fuji Speedway.

Kovalainen told ITV: "Obviously Kimi got a good start and I think my start was very good as well, Lewis' wasn't quite as good.

"Kimi initially jumped Lewis and then I think Lewis was trying to fight back. They both went a bit deep and I also went a bit deep.

"I don't know... I thought it was just a normal first corner."

When asked if he thought Hamilton's move was clean, the Finn replied: "I think so. I have to see it again afterwards.

"I wasn't just focussing on what they were doing I was also seeing who was behind me and who was alongside me. I was just trying to stay away from any trouble. I am not the right person to make any calls, I am just a driver, not a judge."

Kovalainen, who was a strong contender for a podium finish when his engine blew up on lap 17, shrugged off his own woe at Fuji.

"I think it was an engine failure," he said.

"I don't know what [triggered] it because the reliability has been fantastic so far this year and even last year.

"Sometimes these things happen. I just saw some pieces of metal flying from the exhaust, which is never a good sign."

So did i Heikki, so did I

[f1maniac95]

I think that move was completely legitamate move inconsistantcy by the FIA for a perfectly legal move.

[TheOak]

if that was a legitimative move then getting on the front row in quali wouldn't mean that much. You can start a few rows back and just get on the inside at the start, wait for everyone else to brake first and then just dive into the corner and hope that the drivers infront of you see you and the cloud of smoke from your locked front tyres in their mirrors and move out of your way so as not to get rammed off the track.

[Hanwombat]

He can say anything and I'll agree

But yes,

[bud]

if that was a legitimative move then getting on the front row in quali wouldn't mean that much. You can start a few rows back and just get on the inside at the start, wait for everyone else to brake first and then just dive into the corner and hope that the drivers infront of you see you and the cloud of smoke from your locked front tyres in their mirrors and move out of your way so as not to get rammed off the track.

Youre serious??

[Denthúl]

I do disagree to an extent. Drivers can be penalised for weaving on track (considered to be dangerous driving) and so I would say that something like this could also fall under such ruling. If he'd hit the brakes a split-second later, or the Ferraris and Kovalainen had not seen him when they did, and it could have taken both teams out of the race completely.

I think it was unnecessary, personally - he held the upper hand, he had the points advantage and was, generally, better around this track. He did not need to take the risk at all. I agree with what Brundle and Blundell said afterwards - the safety of all the cars and drivers around him at the time was put at risk because of it.

[McLaren Fan]

I do disagree to an extent. Drivers can be penalised for weaving on track (considered to be dangerous driving) and so I would say that something like this could also fall under such ruling. If he'd hit the brakes a split-second later, or the Ferraris and Kovalainen had not seen him when they did, and it could have taken both teams out of the race completely.

I think it was unnecessary, personally - he held the upper hand, he had the points advantage and was, generally, better around this track. He did not need to take the risk at all. I agree with what Brundle and Blundell said afterwards - the safety of all the cars and drivers around him at the time was put at risk because of it.

Hamilton's tyres were flat-spotted down to their canvas. That says it all for me. He braked far too late and virtually swerved into Kovalainen. If he had made contact with Kovalainen, it would be bye bye constructors' title for McLaren and winning the drivers' title would be a lot more challenging. A drive-through penalty was harsh, certainly at Fuji where the pit lane is incredibly long, but there was no smaller penalty in the rule book, so there was little else the stewards could do. Still, the FIA managed to exercise their political influence with the Bourdais-Massa incident. No doubt Mosley was on the phone to Alan Donnelly.

[bud]

wake up guys its racing..... the hole shot for the first corner is all about positioning yourself that means late braking.
How many times have we seen guys overshoot going off or causing other guys to go off with not even a second look from fans or f***stewards alike?
What Lewis did was normal and did not deserve a penalty of any kind! he did not even hit anyone FFS

then Felipe kamakaze massa drives like a maniac and ends up with 2 points now! that is
but all to the script for FIAt

[Denthúl]

wake up guys its racing..... the hole shot for the first corner is all about positioning yourself that means late braking.
How many times have we seen guys overshoot going off or causing other guys to go off with not even a second look from fans or f***stewards alike?
What Lewis did was normal and did not deserve a penalty of any kind! he did not even hit anyone FFS

then Felipe kamakaze massa drives like a maniac and ends up with 2 points now! that is
but all to the script for FIAt

Did you not see how far back he was and how long he had to keep his tyres locked-up just so that he didn't hit somebody?

When a driver weaves across the track, he doesn't have to hit anybody to incur a penalty. Driving dangerously does not have to involve a crash for it to count as being dangerous.

Edit: Here's what it says in the rulebook.

16) INCIDENTS
16.1 "Incident" means any occurrence or series of occurrences involving one or more drivers, or any action by
any driver, which is reported to the stewards by the race director (or noted by the stewards and referred to
the race director for investigation) which :
- necessitated the suspension of a race under Article 41 ;
- constituted a breach of these Sporting Regulations or the Code ;
- caused a false start by one or more cars ;
- caused a collision ;
- forced a driver off the track ;
- illegitimately prevented a legitimate overtaking manoeuvre by a driver ;
- illegitimately impeded another driver during overtaking.
Unless it was completely clear that a driver was in breach of any of the above, any incidents involving
more than one car will normally be investigated after the race.

16.2 a) It shall be at the discretion of the stewards to decide, upon a report or a request by the race director,
if a driver or drivers involved in an incident shall be penalised.
b) If an incident is under investigation by the stewards a message informing all teams which driver or
drivers are involved will be displayed on the timing monitors.
Provided that such a message is displayed no later than five minutes after the race has finished the
driver or drivers concerned may not leave the circuit without the consent of the stewards.

16.3 The stewards may impose any one of three penalties on any driver involved in an Incident :
a) A drive-through penalty. The driver must enter the pit lane and re-join the race without stopping ;
b) A ten second time penalty. The driver must enter the pit lane, stop at his pit for at least ten seconds
and then re-join the race.
c) a drop of ten grid positions at the driver’s next Event.
However, should either of the penalties under a) and b) above be imposed during the last five laps, or
after the end of a race, Article 16.4b) below will not apply and 25 seconds will be added to the elapsed
race time of the driver concerned.

16.4 Should the stewards decide to impose either of the penalties under Article 16.3a) or b), the following
procedure will be followed :
a) The stewards will give written notification of the penalty which has been imposed to the competitor
concerned and will ensure that this information is also displayed on the timing monitors.
b) From the time the stewards’ decision is notified on the timing monitors the relevant driver may cover
no more than three complete laps before entering the pit lane and, in the case of a penalty under
Article 16.3b), proceeding to his garage where he shall remain for the period of the time penalty.
However, unless the driver was already in the pit entry for the purpose of serving his penalty, he
may not carry out the penalty after the Safety Car has been deployed. Any laps carried out behind
the Safety Car will be added to the three lap maximum.
Whilst a car is stationary in the pit lane as a result of incurring a time penalty it may not be worked
on. However, if the engine stops it may be started after the time penalty period has elapsed.
2008 F1 Sporting Regulations 8 of 43 19th May 2008
c) When the time penalty period has elapsed the driver may rejoin the race.
d) Any breach or failure to comply with Articles 16.4b) or c) may result in the car being excluded.

I do disagree to an extent. Drivers can be penalised for weaving on track (considered to be dangerous driving) and so I would say that something like this could also fall under such ruling. If he'd hit the brakes a split-second later, or the Ferraris and Kovalainen had not seen him when they did, and it could have taken both teams out of the race completely.

I think it was unnecessary, personally - he held the upper hand, he had the points advantage and was, generally, better around this track. He did not need to take the risk at all. I agree with what Brundle and Blundell said afterwards - the safety of all the cars and drivers around him at the time was put at risk because of it.

Hamilton's tyres were flat-spotted down to their canvas. That says it all for me. He braked far too late and virtually swerved into Kovalainen. If he had made contact with Kovalainen, it would be bye bye constructors' title for McLaren and winning the drivers' title would be a lot more challenging. A drive-through penalty was harsh, certainly at Fuji where the pit lane is incredibly long, but there was no smaller penalty in the rule book, so there was little else the stewards could do. Still, the FIA managed to exercise their political influence with the Bourdais-Massa incident. No doubt Mosley was on the phone to Alan Donnelly.

I agree that it was a little harsh, but again with it being the minimal penalty, it's fair at the same time, if you get what I mean. The Bourdais-Massa incident is something that I'm currently looking in to regulation-wise, because I've never been aware of any regulation that says the guy coming out of the pits must yield to a faster car coming down the pit straight.

[bud]

so locking up tyres is dangerous now a penalty whenever a guy locks a tyre sound good to you?

FFS are we motorsport fans here or lawn bowlers?

[Denthúl]

so locking up tyres is dangerous now a penalty whenever a guy locks a tyre sound good to you?

FFS are we motorsport fans here or lawn bowlers?

No, that is not what I said, nor even what I implied.

[McLaren Fan]

I agree that it was a little harsh, but again with it being the minimal penalty, it's fair at the same time, if you get what I mean.

Yes, that's what I said.

16) INCIDENTS
16.1 "Incident" means any occurrence or series of occurrences involving one or more drivers, or any action by
any driver, which is reported to the stewards by the race director (or noted by the stewards and referred to
the race director for investigation) which :
- necessitated the suspension of a race under Article 41 ;
- constituted a breach of these Sporting Regulations or the Code ;
- caused a false start by one or more cars ;
- caused a collision ;
- forced a driver off the track ;
- illegitimately prevented a legitimate overtaking manoeuvre by a driver ;
- illegitimately impeded another driver during overtaking.
Unless it was completely clear that a driver was in breach of any of the above, any incidents involving
more than one car will normally be investigated after the race.

16.2 a) It shall be at the discretion of the stewards to decide, upon a report or a request by the race director,
if a driver or drivers involved in an incident shall be penalised.
b) If an incident is under investigation by the stewards a message informing all teams which driver or
drivers are involved will be displayed on the timing monitors.
Provided that such a message is displayed no later than five minutes after the race has finished the
driver or drivers concerned may not leave the circuit without the consent of the stewards.

16.3 The stewards may impose any one of three penalties on any driver involved in an Incident :
a) A drive-through penalty. The driver must enter the pit lane and re-join the race without stopping ;
b) A ten second time penalty. The driver must enter the pit lane, stop at his pit for at least ten seconds
and then re-join the race.
c) a drop of ten grid positions at the driver’s next Event.
However, should either of the penalties under a) and b) above be imposed during the last five laps, or
after the end of a race, Article 16.4b) below will not apply and 25 seconds will be added to the elapsed
race time of the driver concerned.

16.4 Should the stewards decide to impose either of the penalties under Article 16.3a) or b), the following
procedure will be followed :
a) The stewards will give written notification of the penalty which has been imposed to the competitor
concerned and will ensure that this information is also displayed on the timing monitors.
b) From the time the stewards’ decision is notified on the timing monitors the relevant driver may cover
no more than three complete laps before entering the pit lane and, in the case of a penalty under
Article 16.3b), proceeding to his garage where he shall remain for the period of the time penalty.
However, unless the driver was already in the pit entry for the purpose of serving his penalty, he
may not carry out the penalty after the Safety Car has been deployed. Any laps carried out behind
the Safety Car will be added to the three lap maximum.
Whilst a car is stationary in the pit lane as a result of incurring a time penalty it may not be worked
on. However, if the engine stops it may be started after the time penalty period has elapsed.
2008 F1 Sporting Regulations 8 of 43 19th May 2008
c) When the time penalty period has elapsed the driver may rejoin the race.
d) Any breach or failure to comply with Articles 16.4b) or c) may result in the car being excluded.

Likewise, I read the rules and saw nothing to suggest Bourdais was in the wrong. More political bullpoo.

[bud]

so locking up tyres is dangerous now a penalty whenever a guy locks a tyre sound good to you?

FFS are we motorsport fans here or lawn bowlers?

No, that is not what I said, nor even what I implied.

he wasnt zig zagging he kept a straight line, just because his tyre locked up what makes it dangerous?

[Denthúl]

Yeah. The only argument that Massa has in his favour is that he held the better line, although he was still behind Bourdais going in to the corner, so not even that is valid. I'm waiting for them to post the Stewards' document relating to it so I can see which article it is apparently covered by.

[McLaren Fan]

Yeah. The only argument that Massa has in his favour is that he held the better line, although he was still behind Bourdais going in to the corner, so not even that is valid. I'm waiting for them to post the Stewards' document relating to it so I can see which article it is apparently covered by.

Yes, another piece of comic relief after a tragedy.