This is the moment in which the most entertaining and dramatic Formula One race this season ended up the most controversial.
Entering the Bus Stop chicane on lap 42, championship leader Lewis Hamilton was alongside his race rival Kimi Raikkonen after getting a good slipstream from exiting Stavelot. The world champion in the leading Ferrari was struggling for grip in the treacherous conditions as rain fell on the Spa Francorchamps circuit and he was about to get overtaken.
Lewis was in a determined mood to retake the lead after losing it on the second lap at the La Source hairpin. The McLaren had a good run from Stavelot and through Blanchimont, and he was ready to make the manoeuvre. Kimi held his line and braked early for the chicane, forcing Lewis to take the outside line.
The Finn then edged his Ferrari out wide in a bid to stay in front… Pushing your rival wide was not very clever and it shows how much Kimi Raikkonen didn’t wanted to concede the race victory…
At this point, Lewis had to make a quick decision. Either crash into Kimi or take the escape route. The Briton took the latter and even though cutting the corner is against the strict Formula One rules, he had no choice but to avoid the collision with the red car.
Hamilton rejoined the circuit and he let through Raikkonen on the start/finish straight, in fear that he might get a penalty for missing out a corner. Immediately afterwards, he attacked the Ferrari into the hairpin with a bold pass down the inside on Kimi.
This series of events didn’t go down well with the race stewards, who decided that Lewis Hamilton ‘gained an unfair advantage’ by missing out the chicane. To throw out the winner of the race over this racing incident is simply ridiculous and it was no surprise to see the uproar of Formula One fans from around the world when the news broke out that the McLaren driver had been penalised and Felipe Massa (who finished second on the track) was awarded the race win.
Obviously McLaren are appealing over this decision as it won the race fair and square. It’s quite surprising that Ferrari didn’t lodge the complaint but it was the race stewards who did…
It shows the inconsistency of the FIA. Why is that Ferrari always seem to escape heavy punishment while the other teams get the full wrath of the sport’s governing body? Case in point, Malaysian Grand Prix 1999 (Ferrari ran illegal barge boards but allowed to keep the win), Felipe Massa running off the road in his duel with Robert Kubica in Fuji last year and more recently, Felipe’s near collision with Adrian Sutil in the pits at Valencia that resulted in just a small Euros fine…
It is completely ludicrous that during the same Grand Prix at Spa, Heikki Kovalainen received a drive-through penalty after his collision with Mark Webber, while Kimi Raikkonen, who forced Lewis wide at the same corner didn’t get any punishment whatsoever…
There is a running joke in Formula One, that the FIA stands for ‘Ferrari International Aid’ as the sport’s governing body is biased towards the Italian team. And if the sport is rigged, then what is the point of racing?
As a passionate fan of the sport (I’ve been following Formula One since the late 1980s), this decision is by far the most disgusting. I am deeply worried that the general image of Formula One has been corrupted by dirty politics and I wonder what the sport could do to get out of this messy situation in the long term…
When I heard the news I was like huh are you kidding, whats the unfair advantage in that. He let kimi over take and then he re over took him later. I was o_O but after seeing the video footage you emailed me
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ovii_wwwformulamagcom-hamiltonkimi_sport
1. I’m wowed by the noise of these machines and the way they drive. And how the mclaren upshifts, amazing to watch.
2. I do think Hamilton was wrong in this instance, he looks like he specifically went for the chicane area.
3. I still believe his punishment is way harsh though.
All in all though its making the season ever so much more exciting though, you have to admit!
Serves the arrogant git right. He’s not a Driver that deserves any kind of accolade, understatement is what’s needed.
Anyway what ever way you look at it he took an advantage even if he eventually gave it up.
Immediate thoughts had to be “Travesty…”,”Disgrace……”. IIRC , Alonso has pulled virtually the same stunt on Coulthard in Malaysia this year without censure.
However the FIA’s history of trying to manipulate world championships to its own ends since Mosley took over the helm is as long as your arm – 1994,1997,1998,1999,2006,2007…….. then why shouldn’t it continue?
I dont share Janus’s views since say Silverstone was one of the best drives of anyone ever…still arguing on the net is completely pointless, but
This ruling is a complete joke and makes the F1 yet again seem pointless. I dont trust ANY judgement anyone makes in this sport and there’s no point in waiting with baited over them anymore. I just give up with this “sport”, simply because just isn’t a sport now and hasn’t been for a while
This isn’t just because of last Sunday and being a Lewis fan. So many things have gone wrong for far too long now and the “sport” needs a complete staff change and rules made clearer and more quickly. There is no reason why a decision could not be made within minutes. If the rules are clear, then surely only 2 or 3 replays could show the stewards what they need to see. OK so Kimi cocked up very quickly after but the decision could have been made by the end of the race.
I’m completely unbiased, but Ferrari’s pit lane disaster was worse imo. there was a big possibilty that there could have been a crash and possible injuries. Then Kimi DELIBERATELY nailed his car before the lights said it was safe and in doing so gave the re-fueling guy broken bones. Now come on! That deserves looking into. A driver purposely put other people in danger. If someone did that on the track, they’d be given a ban for christsake!!! You get bollocked for a lot less in fact on the track.
But, in the end none of our opinions matter to them. We dont pay millions in sponsorship so we dont mean anything, at least till everyone stops watching.
But I will say this. Lewis, should have waited. Everyone knows that Massa and Kimi are complete shite on wet races, and Lewis if phenominal ( not quite up there with Shuey , but it’s only a matter of time. and no I’m not up his arse. Even haters cant deny that is is the best on the track in the wet ). He also caught him very quickly so it was inevitable that Lewis would of had another chance even with 1 lap to go. But he didn’t and again got questioned and done for it. If any move is in a grey area, everyone must play safe cos one day it’s ok, the next not. So Mclaren should have told Lewis to back off till the next corner.
And that’s my other problem with this. Lewis’s team. Ron D is a complete w***er, and has for too much control over Lewis and has made too many misguided calls FOR him. Lewis would have been reigning champ were in not for Ron and those crap calls last year. Basically Lewis needs to get out of Mclaren, but we all know that wont happen because of Ron’s huge wings he’s got him under. So we end up at my first comment. Lewis if anything needs more attitude, more balls, and his out of Rons arse. Shuey turned Ferrari around from joke to poke, all by stamping his authority and backing that up by his driving. Lewis’ skill ( schoolboy errors aside ) can allow him to do that, and instead of backing them after some championship loosing cock-up, stand up and give it some ( off the record at least, musn’t annoy those precious sponsors ).
Oh my, I have gone on a bit haven’t I. Well F1 made me do it, and I’m not sorry lol
Thanks for the comments guys. Great to hear the different opinions on this controversial moment in the Belgian Grand Prix. The McLaren team have lodged an appeal over the matter and we will find out if Lewis Hamilton can get back his victory after being penalised a 25-second penalty for cutting the chicane. Read the article here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70442
In a related story (see here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70443), it’s interesting to discover that the McLaren team were told twice by the FIA race officials that Lewis Hamilton had given back the race lead to Kimi Raikkonen was ‘okay’. If race control was fine then why did the race stewards handle the matter differently?
I must admit, if Lewis Hamilton wasn’t too eager in overtaking his fellow rival into the hairpin and did the move later on the lap, there wouldn’t been an issue… But hindsight is a wonderful thing and I must agree with Snige’s comments on this view. Even Felipe Massa, who ‘won’ the Belgian Grand Prix thought the McLaren driver was too optimistic. See the article here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70428
Even though this is a bad situation in Formula One, I still have faith and I will be watching with much interest with this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza. McLaren are determined to strike back with a dominate display on Ferrari’s home soil.
It’s funny how it always turns into an attack on Ferrari, You’d think McLaren would be more concerned by the apparent lack of decent character rather than FIA bias. McLaren as a team are characterised by being Bad winners and sore losers, this lack of fairness is what keeps me away from F1. I’ll stick to WRC.
Valeo,
Janus
At the moment, it’s really a two horse race ie Mclaren and Ferrari, so it’s always going to be an attack on those too. Depending on what’s gone on, the debate will switch to an attack or defence with these teams.
I did attack Mclaren for being a bunch of bad desision makers and Ron being a dick.
And Ferrari in Shuey days, were easily just as bad winners and sore losers. Shuey dumping his car on a corner in Monaco??
You cant tell me Kimi has character surely? Massa has for sure ( as he’d say lol ) and yes neither driver for Mclaren are what you call, a laugh. Who wouldn’t like to go back a few years with Eddie Irvine, Barrichello ( when he was more in the spotlight ) Senna, Eddie Jordan and even good old Murray Walker (OK some would say thank god no more Murray, but boy did he put his life and soul in F1 or what?). The whole sport is so stale and soulless, that there is no room for anyone with character any more. Just look at what having one of those did to Alonso ( in Mclaren team anyways )
I’m not turing this into an argument as it’s pointless. I will critise any team and I couldn’t care less if who wins, if it were Lewis then great, but in the end I just want a good race, which is fair and without all the F1 bull
I also love WRC, but agin we find bad tactics that need to be stamped on. Teams deliberately going slow or even stopping so as not to be first on the next stage?! Thats not on and needs attention
F1’s problem are a given then, moving on.
From what I see of interviews the Drivers don’t seem to like the rules making them sweep, so I doubt that rule will be around next year. Rightly so, It’s dreadful seeing it happen, and it’s mostly Ford doing it mainly because Loeb seems to only have one speed, flat out. Even when he slows it’s faster than most.
Aside from the WRC sending out a car to sweep I cant think of how to stop this. Could monitor speeds and judge if a compeitor was driving slowly on purpose, but I sure wouldn’t like to be the one to judge.
But yeah F1 is yet again rubbish and so touring cars (espesh British) should be given the air time instead.
I’d suggest returning to them driving in reverse order. Not fair to the back of the field but who really cares about them?
Highlights of DTM are entertaining, wouldn’t mind seeing that live.
I miss the old British Touring Car Championship (BTCC for short) as it is a straight fight between the Vauxhalls and the diesel-power Seats right now…. Back in the mid-90s, there were so many manufacturers and the racing was close and exciting. I still remember fondly the BBC’s Grandstand coverage, which attracted millions of viewers on Saturday afternoon with Murray Walker providing the commentary.
If you want action-pack touring car racing, then the DTM is pure class. Like Janus said in his recent comment, it is very entertaining and the cars look spectacular. In addition, many retired Formula One drivers have tried their hand in DTM with limited success. Just look at Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Ralf Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen.
As for the World Rally Championship (WRC), yet again I miss the ‘good old days’. Sebastien Loeb is a great rally driver but he makes the sport look boring with his constant rally victories. He is essentially the Michael Schumacher on the special stages, keeps on winning with the best car. I miss the heroes from rally like the late Richard Burns and Colin McRae.
Going back on topic, its fascinating to read this comment (read here: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70457) from Renault’s director of engineering Pat Symonds voicing his view that this Spa penalty will stifle racing in the long run.
“As it happened in real time, we were talking on the intercom and said: ‘Wow that was definitely a situation where he has to give the place back,'” he said. “I guess we weren’t that surprised when the stewards were found to be investigating it. Having looked at it again, I feel very, very sorry for Lewis. I think he has been very hard done by.
“It raises lots of interesting questions, and I am not talking about ‘Are the FIA on the side of Ferrari?’ We have to believe that they are impartial, the sport would not exist if we didn’t believe that. But I think it does call into question [the sport’s] philosophy, because everyone is saying we need more overtaking in Formula One, we need more excitement, and we need more personalities.
“And yet it seems to me that everything that actually happens seems to be against that.
“Here we had a great race with people really challenging each other and for why? If it’s taken away, then why take that risk?”
Exactly. Pat Symonds has made a good point. Why take the risk for the name of the sport if you are going to get penalised? There should be some consistency in the F1 rules about this.
Well on the point of Seat in the BTCC, it wont be them Vs Vauxhall. Seat have stated they will withdrawing from the championship at the end of this season.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70472
Shame as they made everyone take note and fear that diesel engines are not something to be laughed at. Unlike a bloody great estate car…..Volvo…….