2012 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa

[smellybeard]

How long the lights stay on for is purely random. all he can do is abort (like Hungary)

Once all the cars have come to a halt on the grid, and the course car and medical cars are also in position further back, the start sequence is initiated by the race controller. Green lights are no longer used to indicate the start of a race, instead once the red lights are extinguished (there is a pre-determined random time delay of between 4 and 14 seconds - over which the race controller has no control - between the lights coming on and the last one going out) the race is underway.

Ok, so it was the computer that made a bit of a mess of it. Understood - sort of.
A random time delay of between 4 and 14 seconds seems like trouble to me.

Regardless of whether it's in the rules, under the control of the computer, under the control of the last car to arrive on the grid or the guy with the green flag, the start today was 'unfortunately timed' and did not contribute positively to a safe commencement of racing.

[RB7ate9]

For some reason, the broadcast director of the race apparently dozed off at several points since we saw Heikki spin out several times, the race start a dozen-and-a-half times, but left both the viewer and the commentary confused as to: 1

1. Maldonaldo's incident
2. Massa's pass on Webber. This one was a bit frustrating because they were specifically asking for that footage and were giving kudos to Massa for passing Webber's Red Bull. Very frustrating.

Otherwise, Webber appeared down on power compared to the rest (couldn't get past Hulk and Massa got by?!!??!). Turns out, that was essentially the case:

Christian Horner, Team Principal:
“A great recovery – we had strong race pace. We didn’t plan a one stop, but we managed to make it work well with Sebastian once we got around the half way mark. His overtaking was excellent and our guys even went wheel to wheel on occasion, which was good and fair. To go from tenth to second was a great recovery. With Mark, we were hoping for more but I think our selection of top gear was probably a bit short today and it penalised him a bit when he was overtaking at the top of the hill. But, nonetheless he’s scored good points; I think in clear air he would have been very quick, but he was in traffic for most of the race. So overall, after a disappointing Saturday it was a positive Sunday.”

On to Monza!

[Lurk]

@ 0:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... sCaRAty9iY

I don't understand why Maldonado took a penalty for jump start? He obviously started just at the light extiction. Is there a "minimum time reaction" in formula 1 as they do in 100m?

[RB7ate9]

...
Tough to say IMO. Their low-downforce package worked supremely well in race pace in Spa.

I'm going to have to say that RB benefited a lot from the first-turn incident and from Vettel's guts through the chicane. I predict that they're still going to have a rough time in qualifying but their race pace may keep them in the higher points scheme. No victories, though. If anything, Vettel will retain 2nd in the WDC, but Webber will lose out to either Ham or Rai; most likely Rai. None too pleased with Webber's string of rough races...

[AnthonyG]

@ 0:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... sCaRAty9iY

I don't understand why Maldonado took a penalty for jump start? He obviously started just at the light extiction. Is there a "minimum time reaction" in formula 1 as they do in 100m?

Same here, I also couldn't understand why they called it a jumpstart...

[raymondu999]

Possibly. But I disagree that the first corner incident benefitted them as such - post-T1, Vettel was lower than his grid position, albeit with some of those being numpties such as Kovalainen (not slighting on Kovalainen - slighting on his car!)

[Shrieker]

I don't like the Toro Rosso's bending over for the bulls, and racing normally against other opponents all the time. So, if I have the money, that means i can buy another team and make them bend over and take it up the .... whenever I want ? Something needs to be done about that, not fair at all...

[marcush.]

poor luck for sauber ...both cars wiped out within a few hundred meters from the start...even if Koba could soldier on till the end-gosh that sauber can take an awful lot of punishment ...two cars hitting the right front corner and the car made it till the end... =D>

[Pup]

@ 0:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... sCaRAty9iY

I don't understand why Maldonado took a penalty for jump start? He obviously started just at the light extiction. Is there a "minimum time reaction" in formula 1 as they do in 100m?

What you see from the head on shot is when Maldonado darts to his right, which corresponds roughly with the lights going out. But from the overhead shot you can see that he was moving forward for .5 to a full second before that.

[Blue fellow]

I want to see an on-board of Maldonado's start, I think his car might have rolled forward a little bit before fully accelerating

[Shrieker]

I like KK's onboard. He must've gone "what on earth is going on ?!?!" lol.

At the time I thought Lewis had about a foot of space to the right and as a fan lamanted that he didn't yield the position. But looking at the onboard shot now, it's obvious that he has barely half a foot to the right and no driver on the grid would've gone onto the grass just in case some loony went Igor all of a sudden. So it's not really surprising they banned Grosjean for a race.

[raymondu999]

I don't like the Toro Rosso's bending over for the bulls, and racing normally against other opponents all the time. So, if I have the money, that means i can buy another team and make them bend over and take it up the .... whenever I want ? Something needs to be done about that, not fair at all...

I think that's slightly the wrong perspective. IMO more correctly, the Toro Rosso drivers are basically "number 2 drivers" to the Red Bull team. So at all times, they can confirm they understand the message that "Webber/Vettel are, and always will be, faster than you"

[sknguy]

I can see how calling Maldonado's start a jump-start might seem incorrect. However, I suppose his was a "jump" in terms of making a gamble by anticipating the start, rather than reacting to the signal to actually go. If everyone was able to start a race by anticipating when the lights go out, it would probably get messy pretty quickly. In that respect, I could see an incident involving he and a casino not ending well.

[astracrazy]

didn't Pastor admit to jumping the start because the clutch paddle slipped from his fingers?

[astracrazy]

Ok, so it was the computer that made a bit of a mess of it. Understood - sort of.
A random time delay of between 4 and 14 seconds seems like trouble to me.

Regardless of whether it's in the rules, under the control of the computer, under the control of the last car to arrive on the grid or the guy with the green flag, the start today was 'unfortunately timed' and did not contribute positively to a safe commencement of racing.

i don't understand why your saying this. Todays accident was caused by grosjean cutting up hamilton....i don't see if the lights went out after 5 secs or 13 it would have been any different....