But he wasn't going to risk a crash. When LeClerc starting pushing him off, Lewis didn't stand his ground. He gave way. He didn't take unnecessary risks.

 

He did say afterwards that if the WDC had been all wrapped up he would not have yielded and they would have crashed.

 

Leclerc will need to learn acceptable limits, and will I am sure have an accident if he continues to drive with such an over zealous(and dangerous) defence.
On the other hand at any other circuit would there have been a special flag, or would there have been a 5 sec penalty instead?
It would have been handing a 1,2 to Mercedes and I expect a riot would have ensued from the Tifosi if that had that been the case.

 

He had the racing line and was there first. I’m a Hamilton fan... just not sure it would have been justified as a penalty.

 

I agree in part. I don’t think a penalty would have been a good outcome for the race or the fans. But the precedent has been set in the past that if you don’t leave a cars width for your competitors when they are along side on a straight you are penalised.
I think Leclerc drove a very good race under intense pressure. But if Ham had crashed when he was forced onto the grass perhaps we would view things differently

 

That’s not a rule though.

It was also not in a straight but in a braking zone on the racing line. There is a rule that states if your ahead your allowed to not give up the racing line.

 

20.4 Any driver defending his position on a straight, and before any braking area, may use the full width of the track during his first move, provided no significant portion of the car attempting to pass is alongside his. For the avoidance of doubt, if any part of the front wing of the car attempting to pass is alongside the rear wheel of the car in front this will be deemed to be a 'significant portion'.

20.5 Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are not permitted.

 

I’m sitting with a former F2 driver that disagrees that those rules apply in that case. Since he was their first and on the racing line. 20.5 would not apply in either case.
20.4 their where not in a straight at the time. Rewatch the incident, they where in a braking area.

Anyone passing on the outside would then be in the right according to your interpretation.

But to each their own.

 

20.3 Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner.

I think it is clear that you should leave a cars width of track if you have a competitors front wing along side your rear wheels. The only thing in dispute for me is the punishment given. A return to letting the drivers drive with less intervention from the stewards is welcome, but things must be consistent and the drivers safety kept in mind.

I can’t watch the incident again right now, but are you saying Leclerc maintained the standard racing line down the straight and through the braking area without defending the inside line?

That seems unlikely, as HAM would have been down the inside like whippet into a rabbit hole?

 

He didn't defend offline, that is the 2nd move rule.

 

Just let them race dammit!
If you can get your way to first position you should be able to defend it however you damn well please.*












*To an extent

 

I think that rule 20.4 applies at all times unless you are in the corner. Give the driver along side you enough space to stay on track.
I don’t know the corner, but you are suggesting there is a decreasing area of track on the outside of the straight that naturally disappears at the point of turn in? Even if that’s the case I think space should be left.

This should be the art of racing driving, not bumper cars!

 

Rubbing is racing!

 

Tin-tops OK (providing it's not the car you need to drive to work on Monday).

Not open-wheelers. Too easy to get the wheels interlocked and that can easily result in a launch into the air. The things I raced had a chassis that ended at waist height and single-layer fibreglass above that, held on with Dzus fasteners, so I never liked even rubbing wheels.

 

Singapore will see RB strong. Want to see Albon do well. Also Verstappen but he is picking up form for making rash decisions. I know it was talked about earlier in this post that he was never going to progress beyond 4th at Monza so it wasn't a big loss, but he could have easily put himself out of the race completely. I don't think there was any calm rational thinking when he out-braked himself into Turn 1. Spa was a risk he didn't need to take diving up the inside on Kimi as well. People wheel out the old Senna quote about 'when you no longer go for a gap, you are no longer a racing driver' but when you are sitting with the Marshalls on the tyre wall by lap 2 you are no longer a racing driver either. However, give him huge credit for the excellent wins at Austrian and German GP's so what do I know.

 

Going for the gap is one thing but taking stupid risks is another on turn 1 lap 1 is another when you're a front running team.

 

I wonder if Max needs his own thread for next year?

 

Max Crashstappen

 

Sorry to interrupt this broadcast, but as I was listening to music on YouTube recently this guy popped up in a random frame...

 

Give a dog a bad name! (Tiddles). When in my youth I rod round in a group of like minded 50cc 'bikers' one lad had a couple of 'offs' in a week, earned himself the nickname 'Crash' and still answers to it to this day.