What was the “referenced matter”? I guess I missed it. PM me if you don’t want to derail the thread, but since the season is essentially done, I don’t see that as a big issue.
Here is a link: Alonso brushes off racism claims following incidents against Hamilton
Basically, in 2008 Alonso’s rival Lewis Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse by a small section of Spanish fans. Rather than condemning their behaviour, Alonso chose to say that Spain is not a racist country (probably a fair comment - very few, if any countries are majority racist I suspect) and that it was best not to talk about it. In my view (and that of many others) he could have set a better example by denouncing the behaviour. I am not saying Alonso is a racist, just that I think he could have done a lot better in that situation - and hence (along various other controversial incidents in his career) I find it hard to feel sorry for him, however talented a driver he may be. Hamilton may be a bit of a douchebag in his lifestyle (subjective) but unlike, say, Schumacher, Vettel, and Alonso he doesn’t deliberately put others in greater danger than they should be.
I want to retract my previous post where I blamed Ocon 100% for the Brazil incident and now move the blame 100% to Verstappen, based on this video F1 released of Ocon’s in-car for the 2 laps leading up to the incident, including the pit stop. I didn’t fully understand the circumstances, and I regret being so hasty in placing blame.
Bull shit, I saw that clip too. It is still a back marker knocking out the race leader. As soon as it was clear the RACE LEADER was outbraking him on the inside, he should have backed off (as happened quite a few times in that place when people like Ricciardo actually were racing for position).
It sucks for him that his pit stop was bad and that he came back on track behind Verstappen, that’s what you have to live with when you are driving in P 14. If you are going to overtake the race leader, it has to be 100% clean and because you are much faster. You don’t go wheel to wheel with someone who rightfully considers you to be as relevant as a traffic cone.
His initial overtake at 3:05 to 3:08 was clean. Verstappen tried to overtake him back at 3:11 and then they collided at 3:12. Ocon was taking the racing line and Verstappen tried to pass round the outside and got it wrong.
Still not relevant and there were multiple similar instances where a driver was trying to overtake on the outside of turn 1, only to have to back out afterwards. Ocon was never entirely past Verstappen and at least half a car length back when they were going for turn 2. But most imprtantly, the traffic cone should have realised he was a traffic cone.
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To my way of thinking, you have to be a full car length (plus an inch) ahead of someone before you head to the apex of a corner. If there’s any overlap, even half a car length, then you need to give the other car a lane. What was Ocon supposed to do, drive off the track to get out of Verstappen’s way? If Ocon had drifted wide on the exit of the corner, forced Verstappen to the edge of the track, and then they touched, that would be Ocon’s fault. As it was, I see it as Verstappen’s fault.
Are there any guidelines on this from Formula 1? As it happened, they penalized Ocon, but did they cite any specific rule on why? Are there any actual rules on who has the right-of-way in a passing situation, and who has to give way?
I think the boldened bit captures his mindset very well, and that is exactly the reason why Verstappen ended up second rather than first.
I don’t know about you but I always look both ways when crossing a one-way street, if I see a road-user coming the wrong way I don’t cross (this has happened). I’d like to see them punished for it but I see no sense in risking avoidable harm to myself as well.
Agreed. I’d initially misunderstood the situation but having watched the in-car from Ocon a few things seem to be clear.
- The rules permit Ocon to unlap himself, and so his team was correct in telling him to do so
- He had a huge speed advantage going into T1 and made a clean pass
- Having made a clean pass, and being alongside Verstappen going into turn 2, he’s entitled to 1 car width of space, again in accordance with the rules
Ocon was in the right both per the letter and the spirit of the rules, so I’m not sure what grounds the FIA used to give him his penalty. People seem to think there’s some unwritten rule wherein he’s not entitled to that 1 car width of space if he’s P14 and the car he’s passing is P1, but I don’t buy it.