F1 - Lewis H

[Poyetry In Motion]

Just heard Lewis Hamilton has been put to the back of the grid for failing to return the car to the pits after Q3.
Another harsh judgement or correct implementation of the rules?

 

[Falkor]

Harsh if he was going to be demoted it should have been to 10th, also the team should have been punished not the driver so harshly, i do wonder if it was an Alonso or Schumacher what the pen would have been.

 

[Seasider78]

According to sky sports rules were correctly applied


McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has been excluded from qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix and demoted from his pole position to the back of the grid.

Hamilton thought he had snatched one of the finest poles of his career when he pipped Pastor Maldonado at Barcelona's Circuit de Cataluyna.

But at the end of the race he stopped on the track under team orders because of insufficient fuel in his car to get back to the pits, breaching FIA technical regulations by doing so.

Rules state a car must return to the pits after qualifying and then have a litre of fuel remaining for a sample to be taken.

The stewards rejected McLaren's argument that not putting enough fuel in the car was 'force majeure' and after a lengthy hearing, handed out a severe penalty.

An FIA statement read: "A team member had put an insufficient quantity of fuel into the car, thereby resulting in the car having to be stopped on the circuit in order to be able to provide the required amount for sampling purposes.

"As the amount of fuel put into the car is under the complete control of the competitor, the stewards cannot accept this as a case of force majeure.

"The stewards determine that this is a breach of article 6.2 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations and the competitor is accordingly excluded from the results of the qualifying session."

A brief McLaren statement read: "We accept that the stewards did not agree with our interpretation of force majeure. Our aim is now to maximise the points we can score."

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe later said on Twitter: "To all our fans: so sorry about this error. We are more gutted than anybody. An amazing performance by Lewis throughout Q, ruined."

 

[Northstander]

Mclaren are turning into somewhat of a joke in F1, will be surprised if they keep Hamilton next year, I fancy him taking Massa's seat at Ferrari

 

[Falkor]

Mclaren are turning into somewhat of a joke in F1, will be surprised if they keep Hamilton next year, I fancy him taking Massa's seat at Ferrari

Want to see him and Brawn together

 

[Icy Gull]

Not putting enough fuel in the car was a force majeure? Assumably English (French English in this case ) is not Whitmarsh's forte, nor is running a Formula One team. It was a cock up pure and simple. Another one in a litany of them in the last 5 races, their ineptitude must make Ron Dennis wonder if he did the right thing handing over control.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

Mclaren are turning into somewhat of a joke in F1, will be surprised if they keep Hamilton next year, I fancy him taking Massa's seat at Ferrari

Is Alonso moving on? Can't see those 2 ever working together again otherwise

 

[Decode]

Its a crazy punishment, you see less punishment for dangerous driving. Schumacher got 10 places for nearly forcing Barichello into a wall a couple of years ago.

It was obviously an honest mistake because Hamilton looked like he had time in his pocket the whole way thru qualifying. Not blaming anyone for applying the rules, but the FIA are only ruining there own product with rules like this.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

Mclaren are turning into somewhat of a joke in F1, will be surprised if they keep Hamilton next year, I fancy him taking Massa's seat at Ferrari

There is very little chance of him going to take Massa's seat as 'eees' said above Alonso and him just don't get on. If (when) massa goes it'll be Webber or Paul D.R. to take that seat freeing up Lewis to race with Vettel and the Red Bulls. Adrian Newey will be so angry that he designed a pretty rubbish car this season he will probably deliver a super up-grade mid season then focus on next year to deliver a championship car for Lewis and Seb.

 

[GOM]

Its a crazy punishment, you see less punishment for dangerous driving. Schumacher got 10 places for nearly forcing Barichello into a wall a couple of years ago.

It was obviously an honest mistake because Hamilton looked like he had time in his pocket the whole way thru qualifying. Not blaming anyone for applying the rules, but the FIA are only ruining there own product with rules like this.

The rule was applied correctly, but the punishment was entirely up to the stewards, it did not need to be so harsh. They could have just excluded him from Q3 since all was legal before that, and left him in 7th place.
Different people, different punishments.

 

[JJ McClure]

The penalty seems harsh buts is just applying the rules. Hamilton must be so pissed off, he was immense in qualifying and was a full half second quicker than Maldonado in 2nd. The team have made another mistake to add to all the bodged pit stops they've had so far this year. There's got to be questions asked about how Whitmarsh is running what is supposed to be one of the biggest and well financed outfits in the sport.

 

[itszamora]

Hamilton must be furious. At least they've produced a good car this year, but they seem intent on ruining his and Button's races with a succession of lousy pitstops and now not putting enough fuel in the car for qualifying. Absolutely ridiculous, and pretty silly of them given that it's the last year of Lewis's contract.

 

[El Presidente]

I am sure 'honest' Lewis will claim that is was because he is like black.

 

[itszamora]

I am sure 'honest' Lewis will claim that is was because he is like black.

To be fair, this was something totally beyond his control. As an F1 driver, you'd like to assume that your team are capable of putting the right amount of petrol in the car and changing the tyres quickly. McLaren can seemingly do neither at the moment.

 

[JJB]

Seems very harsh. If you crash in qualy 2 after posting a lap time you don't get put to the back of the grid do you? Surely the same principle should apply here?

 

[Icy Gull]

I am sure 'honest' Lewis will claim that is was because he is like black.

If you were a steward you'd be another anti Hamilton one, never a good word to say about him I notice.

The guy is a crowd pleaser and like most footballers has been found to be a cheat when he thinks he can get away with it. I don't think I've seen you level any criticism of Vicente for going down too easily in the box though. Double standards or is it because Lewis is black

 

[Falkor]

I am sure 'honest' Lewis will claim that is was because he is like black.

Have you seen the interview i think you should it was clearly meant in jest

 

[Icy Gull]

Have you seen the interview i think you should it was clearly meant in jest

El Pres is a Formula One and Lewis Hamilton hater, just so you are aware. He holds the "cheating" in Australia a couple of seasons ago and the fact that he is a tax exile against him

 

[Falkor]

Have you seen the interview i think you should it was clearly meant in jest

El Presi is a Formula One and Lewis Hamilton hater, just so you are aware

aghhhhhh why as his one of the most talented drivers, a proper F1 driver that likes to battle and not be just in the fastest car, not the best driver on the grid but his one of them

 

[maltaseagull]

The rule was applied correctly, but the punishment was entirely up to the stewards, it did not need to be so harsh. They could have just excluded him from Q3 since all was legal before that, and left him in 7th place.
Different people, different punishments.

This- I recall Lewis getting drive through penalties for unsafe release in the pit lane. Last grand prix there were 2 similar incidents that went unpunished. The punishments do seem to be more harsh when he is involved.