Alonso says race 'manipulated' (He isn't angry any more)

[mx_tifoso]

"In Valencia the safety car ruins the race... for Alonso!"

Hamilton: "Safety car? Which safety car?"


Cieco=blind.

[audifan]

anyone who attended pre-season training at valencia will tell you that the authorities do not allow anyone to enter the circuit carrying any tin or bottle ...large dustbins provided to throw them in

so why not the same group of large young men at the GP ?

[ringo]

"In Valencia the safety car ruins the race... for Alonso!"

Hamilton: "Safety car? Which safety car?"


Cieco=blind.

, he should have said that in the podium interview.

[DaveKillens]

I do believe that it was unfair for Alonso to begin the safety car period in 3rd and wind up much further back. Regardless of Hamilton's actions, the safety car rules are a pathetic mess and the true problem.

This isn't the first time Alonso or Monty have gone to their favorite, sympathetic press outlets and spouted emotional tirades, it's just that this time they are acting in co-ordination and going completely over the top.

They are attempting to portray this incident as a huge miscarriage of justice, and even implying "manipulation".

Ever since this thing happened, I have been thinking about another safety car period, and about who benefitted from it, and who suffered. It was Monaco, and due to Alonso starting at the back, they adopted a strategy based on the safety car coming out early. It happened, and Alonso did benefit a lot, leapfrogging many cars to finally finish 6th. Personally, I applaud Alonso and Ferrari for a great job that day, they really reaped huge benefits from capitalizing on the safety car rules.

But what about the others who most likely would have finished one spot higher if not for Alonso? Did they run crying to the press wailing and moaning about the injustice of it all? No, they accepted that the current regulations allowed such things to happen, even though it cost them this time at Monaco.

And this is what really disappoints me, the conduct of Alonso and Monty. When things go wrong, they run crying to their "friends" to circulate their side of the story, behavior very similar to adolescent girls.

I respect Alonso a lot as a driver, and Monty as an executive. But as people, who conduct their affairs with class and dignity, they both get an F minus.

[marcush.]

safety car messups are not new,aren´t they ?in sportscar racing i remember there were two pacecars and again and again it happenned that teams trapped behind the wrong pacecar were loosing out big time..
Of course what about the race leader who gets docked all his valuable second of advantage sure a manipulation as well.

[autogyro]

When ever any motor race is stopped or controlled for safety reasons, there is always going to be an alteration to the race positions and the gaps between cars.
This is unavoidable and cannot be manipulated because any manipulation compromises safety.
The decision should be either to send out a pace car instantly the incident is recognised, or to stop the race, depending on the seriousness.
If the pace car is deployed, all the cars should form up in race order as of the time the pace car entered the circuit.
Any cars ahead of the field established behind the pace car should either slow down to allow the field to catch up or if deemed to far into the pace car lap, they should stay at a safety speed until the pack is established ahead of them when the pace car will then slow to allow them to catch up and join in their correct position.
The pit lane should be closed during the safety car period for all entry other than safety reasons sanctioned by the race director.
No cars will change tyres under the safety car period unless they pited before the safety car deployment.
All cars in the pits for any reason during the safety car period will re join after safety car period from the pit lane in order of pit entry and at the back of the racing pack.
You win some you lose some but this would be fair for everyone, plus a little luck of the draw.

[myurr]

One thing that I don't get with all the people saying that the pits should be shut throughout safety car periods so that there are no free pit stops - if you happen to pit just before the safety car then you effectively get a free pit stop as the time lost is regained as the pack reforms.

The instigator for wanting to reform the pit rules was that Alonso lost out due to the safety car. Shutting the pits would not stop drivers from losing out, merely change who wins and who loses. It also adds complex new rules as to who is and isn't allowed to stop under the safety car, who should be punished for what, and all other kinds of complications.

Where is the great benefit over the current rules?

[myurr]

I do believe that it was unfair for Alonso to begin the safety car period in 3rd and wind up much further back. Regardless of Hamilton's actions, the safety car rules are a pathetic mess and the true problem.

This isn't the first time Alonso or Monty have gone to their favorite, sympathetic press outlets and spouted emotional tirades, it's just that this time they are acting in co-ordination and going completely over the top.

They are attempting to portray this incident as a huge miscarriage of justice, and even implying "manipulation".

Ever since this thing happened, I have been thinking about another safety car period, and about who benefitted from it, and who suffered. It was Monaco, and due to Alonso starting at the back, they adopted a strategy based on the safety car coming out early. It happened, and Alonso did benefit a lot, leapfrogging many cars to finally finish 6th. Personally, I applaud Alonso and Ferrari for a great job that day, they really reaped huge benefits from capitalizing on the safety car rules.

But what about the others who most likely would have finished one spot higher if not for Alonso? Did they run crying to the press wailing and moaning about the injustice of it all? No, they accepted that the current regulations allowed such things to happen, even though it cost them this time at Monaco.

And this is what really disappoints me, the conduct of Alonso and Monty. When things go wrong, they run crying to their "friends" to circulate their side of the story, behavior very similar to adolescent girls.

I respect Alonso a lot as a driver, and Monty as an executive. But as people, who conduct their affairs with class and dignity, they both get an F minus.

Very well said.

[timbo]

Where is the great benefit over the current rules?

The benefit is safety.
With the precedent set in European GP (5 second penalty) there would be situations where team would consider breaking the rules and rushing to pit.

[myurr]

Where is the great benefit over the current rules?

The benefit is safety.
With the precedent set in European GP (5 second penalty) there would be situations where team would consider breaking the rules and rushing to pit.

The 5 second penalty was due, not to safety car procedures specifically, but a poor implementation of the delta time system. Cars couldn't physically comply, hence the lenient punishment. I would expect a deliberate a blatant infraction to be very heavily punished.

A correct implementation of the delta time system that takes into account a cars track position when the safety car is deployed would allow for the safe return of cars to the pits without all the complexities and downsides of the closed pits solutions that have been proposed.

Edit: The delta time system could also be more granular to take into account fast and slow sections of the track, and include an additional slow down in the region of the crash at discretion of the race director.

[timbo]

A correct implementation of the delta time system that takes into account a cars track position when the safety car is deployed would allow for the safe return of cars to the pits without all the complexities and downsides of the closed pits solutions that have been proposed.

Edit: The delta time system could also be more granular to take into account fast and slow sections of the track, and include an additional slow down in the region of the crash at discretion of the race director.

So, you still wish to make corrections to delta time system?
It's easier to ban pit-stops under SC and get rid of that system altogether.

[myurr]

So, you still wish to make corrections to delta time system?
It's easier to ban pit-stops under SC and get rid of that system altogether.

Bit of a sweeping statement to make. I've already pointed out loads of problems with shutting the pit lane some of which have been answered but several major ones have not. Why is sorting all of that out so much and then dealing with the extra workload placed on Race Control during a safety car period so much easier than a few upgrades to a common automatic system already installed in all the cars?

[siskue2005]

Closing the pitstop would create situations like what Renault cheated in singapore 2008

And its really dangerous like again what happened to Massa in Singapore 2008
Its massively dangerous to have all cars come in at the same time

[timbo]

Closing the pitstop would create situations like what Renault cheated in singapore 2008

Nope. Without refuelling noone HAS to pit at set time anymore. Tyres can always last for a couple more laps at SC pace.

And its really dangerous like again what happened to Massa in Singapore 2008
Its massively dangerous to have all cars come in at the same time

And the current rules are causing exactly that.

[siskue2005]

Closing the pitstop would create situations like what Renault cheated in singapore 2008

Nope. Without refuelling noone HAS to pit at set time anymore. Tyres can always last for a couple more laps at SC pace.

What if someone can pit(on purpose) just before a SC and there is a huge accident, and he comes out first when everyone pits ? ala Singapore 2008

And its really dangerous like again what happened to Massa in Singapore 2008
Its massively dangerous to have all cars come in at the same time

And the current rules are causing exactly that.

Atleast they wont come in as a long chain, like Canada 2008 etc