Chinese GP 2010 - Shanghai

[Miguel]

You all must admit that had we seen a double Ferrari DNF due to a crash in the pitlane we would all be laughing our nice bottocks off. You know, I'd be pretty pissed if I were Massa, but I think that Alonso was tired of playing nice with him in Australia and, to a lesser extent, Malaysia.

[komninosm]

Hey change of subject, sort of. When Alonso passed Massa right before the pit, doesn't that create confusion in the pit crew? I mean they are expecting Massa and get Alonso first. I guess the tyres and stuff are identical for this pitstop, but still, valid question? I doubt it was team orders.

EDIT: Can someone pls post vids of side by side racing in pit-lane in previous years?

heh Miguel a wing came off in the pit entry and they got SC out, if they crashed there they would probably stop the race for an hour LOL

[vall]

Hey change of subject, sort of. When Alonso passed Massa right before the pit, doesn't that create confusion in the pit crew? I mean they are expecting Massa and get Alonso first. I guess the tyres and stuff are identical for this pitstop, but still, valid question? I doubt it was team orders.

EDIT: Can someone pls post vids of side by side racing in pit-lane in previous years?

heh Miguel a wing came off in the pit entry and they got SC out, if they crashed there they would probably stop the race for an hour LOL

Valid point, I guess in certain circumstances it may create a mess

[vall]

I have a question about LH pace in the last 10 laps. He slipped by 2.5s off the Button's pace and good 9s behind. Then suddenly he was back on JB pace. Why was that? JB slowed? He made a mistake that cost him 3.5s, but still.

[komninosm]

Vettel being an A$$:
http://en.espnf1.com/china/motorsport/s ... MP=OTC-RSS
"I had a battle with Lewis in the pit lane," he recalled. "At the stop I was ahead; I don't know why he pulled to the left and was keen to touch me. I hoped I didn't get a puncture from that - I don't really understand why he did that as I was a bit ahead of him and had the advantage anyway."

He pulled to the left? WTH? Just see the picture on the article. Look where Vettel's car is. He is almost stepping on the white line. Look where the car in front is, middle of the lane. And it's alone. Vettel is not giving proper room, case closed.

"The stewards concluded that the duos driving, which saw Vettel edge Hamilton towards other teams' pit boxes, was undertaken in a "dangerous manner". They talked to both drivers and reviewed video footage of the incident before making their ruling. "
I guess the article author is cleverly inserting his pro-Hamilton bias here in the stewards decision, otherwise they would have only reprimanded Vettel:
"Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have been reprimanded but not penalised for their driving in the pit lane during the Chinese Grand Prix. "

[komninosm]

Hey change of subject, sort of. When Alonso passed Massa right before the pit, doesn't that create confusion in the pit crew? I mean they are expecting Massa and get Alonso first. I guess the tyres and stuff are identical for this pitstop, but still, valid question? I doubt it was team orders.

EDIT: Can someone pls post vids of side by side racing in pit-lane in previous years?

heh Miguel a wing came off in the pit entry and they got SC out, if they crashed there they would probably stop the race for an hour LOL

Valid point, I guess in certain circumstances it may create a mess

I vaguely recall something similar happen in previous years, but no specifics. It was worse then because of different sets of tyres for each driver.
Hmm then again even Alonso's unused intermediates are different than Massa's unused intermediates in serial number and kept in different spaces. Can a team get in trouble for using one driver's set of tyres on their other driver's car?

[ramjam69]

Here's my take on the Vettel - Hamilton incident. People say Vettel's lollipop was raised first. That's because his pit is closer to the beginning of the pitlane than McLaren's. Vettel would have stopped sooner than Hamilton because he didn't have so far to his pit, surely??

[raymondu999]

JB said in the press conference that he had no grip/balance on the last few laps and he just started aquaplaning with every bit of water he touched, so he had to back off quite a bit. As for pitlane battles, anyone remember Montoya vs Raikkonen a few years back, 2004 I think? That was awesome

[komninosm]

I have a question about LH pace in the last 10 laps. He slipped by 2.5s off the Button's pace and good 9s behind. Then suddenly he was back on JB pace. Why was that? JB slowed? He made a mistake that cost him 3.5s, but still.

JB did have a wheel block outing. Also with their tyres worn out they both made mistakes and irregular lap times near the end.
I think Hamilton was tired of all the passing he made and happy to finish second. At least he didn't whine this time about Button being on different strategy. He seemed to take it rather well.

[komninosm]

JB said in the press conference that he had no grip/balance on the last few laps and he just started aquaplaning with every bit of water he touched, so he had to back off quite a bit. As for pitlane battles, anyone remember Montoya vs Raikkonen a few years back, 2004 I think? That was awesome

Thank you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oYjCBooeDI
This proves my point clearly. Even crazy Montoya had enough sense to veer to the outside line.

[vall]

JB said in the press conference that he had no grip/balance on the last few laps and he just started aquaplaning with every bit of water he touched, so he had to back off quite a bit. As for pitlane battles, anyone remember Montoya vs Raikkonen a few years back, 2004 I think? That was awesome

yeah, I missed the conf. I watched the race on Chinese TV in Internet and these guess double the press conferences. I no longer bother to even watch it.

[komninosm]

"I made a serious mistake at the start as my reflexes let me down and I left early," said Alonso.
http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/3375 ... jumpstart/

Asked if he nevertheless thought Alonso’s move may have been slightly unfair, Massa said he didn’t think he could complain about anything – particularly as Lewis Hamilton also got by Sebastian Vettel at the same spot earlier.
http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/3375 ... onso_move/

Fernando Alonso has put his passing move on team-mate Felipe Massa, while entering the pits, down as a racing incident and stated that it will not compromise the pair’s relationship.
http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/3375 ... ationship/



"As far as I'm concerned it's okay. The team waited quite some time and I got quite a lot of wheel spin so I struggled to get out of the box. I noticed Sebastian was there, he pushed me quite a lot.

"But I felt it was fair."
http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/3373 ... stigation/

(Wow no whining about team strategy or this, he must be happy)



EDIT: Anyone got the vid of this pit from Hamilton's on-board cam?

[segedunum]

How could he yield when Vettel put his wheel in the McLaren side?

Errrr, Vettel was in front. He had the position. End of. That's the way it works.

Take a look at the picture you posted above. Hamilton has lost the position. There is no reason to be where he is.

If Hamilton breaked he would have caused the wheels to collide and a serious accident.

Hmmmmm, no. He eases off the accelerator and drops in behind into the pit lane. Easy. He would have caused a serious accident where he was if he'd ran over a wheel gun. Trying to justify his action of staying in the pit lane box zone, trying to get alongside Vettel, on the basis of safety is.........bizarre, quite frankly.

You're also deluded about the facts of the pit entry...

Errrrr, no. Hamilton entered the pit lane by crossing the white line. That's very clear. The pictures and rules on that are extremely clear, or at least they should be.

[timbo]

So, Hamilton got second consecutive reprimand? Would there be any further sanctions?

[segedunum]

This proves my point clearly. Even crazy Montoya had enough sense to veer to the outside line.

No it doesn't. If Montoya had clearly got out ahead there then he would have been within his rights to stay ahead, maintain his line and have Raikkonen drop in behind. He wouldn't be obligated to simply let Raikkonen in. Raikkonen simply had track position there. Notice that Raikkonen did not have to cross the white line to force the issue as Hamilton did.

When two drivers are neck-and-neck then you will get situations side-by-side like that, but the Vettel and Hamilton situation is not the same because Vettel is clearly ahead. He simply doesn't have to move over to let someone else alongside him in the pitlane. It's that simple. To blame Vettel because he didn't simply move over for Hamilton over is just utter lunacy.