Hamilton Stripped of Win - Official

Massa offers a good opinion:

'"What Lewis did is the sort of thing that can happen," admits the Brazilian, "but I think he was maybe a bit too optimistic in thinking he could just hand back the position, albeit only partially to Kimi and then immediately try and pass him again.

"Incidents like this have often been discussed in the official driver briefings when it has been made absolutely clear that anyone cutting a chicane has to fully restore the position and also any other eventual advantage gained. If Lewis had taken the chicane correctly, he would never have been able to pass Kimi on the very short straight that follows it. That was my immediate opinion after seeing the replay. Maybe if Lewis had waited and tried to pass on the next straight, that would have been a different matter."'

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tinchote

So you are claiming that you can brake the rules during the last two laps, and because there is no time for a drive-through penalty, nothing shoudl happen? :eek:

---

No not at all. The stewards took too much time to make a decision in my opinion and missed their opportunity to issue a drive through penalty. Fair enough issue a penalty but its too late to issue a drive through penalty when the flag has dropped. By not dispensing their form of justice until after the race they removed any opportunity for the penalised driver to react and minimise the impact of the judgement.

Obviously you can't have drivers flouting the rules at the end of a race for the sake of a victory. Under these circumstances penalise, suspend or fine the drivers till they bleed but retroactively altering race results is probably not the way to go.

At worst this incident was a 10 place penalty at the next grid and could've been handled quite adequately by issuing that judgement. We must keep in mind that the race result would've been the same even if the 'offence' had not occurred.

If they believe that it needed an extra harsh penalty then make it 10 places at the next two grids. This is how I believe serious offences should be dealt with and especially for offences committed towards the end of races. When a penalty is issued it must be consistent with the offence, and, with the complexity of modern F1, this may require investigations which can't be completed on race day. Arbitrarily altering race results open's the door to suspicion and nothing will kill a sport faster than the public losing confidence in the integrity of its racing.

I do not believe that the penalty that has been handed down was balanced as it unfairly penalised a point scoring driver. This may not have been the intention but I think that it is the result as a lower placed would not have felt the same sting. In the case of Lewis Hamilton it was a doubly harsh punishment in that it also took a race win away from a young driver.

Just my opinion... :)

Well, it buggered my pickems :(

Lewis knows what he did. But the result is very good for Lewis. The iceman got pissed and ended with no points while lewis just went back a few. had lewis waited a couple of corners he would have been fine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cosmicpanda

Massa offers a good opinion:

'"What Lewis did is the sort of thing that can happen," admits the Brazilian, "but I think he was maybe a bit too optimistic in thinking he could just hand back the position, albeit only partially to Kimi and then immediately try and pass him again.

"Incidents like this have often been discussed in the official driver briefings when it has been made absolutely clear that anyone cutting a chicane has to fully restore the position and also any other eventual advantage gained. If Lewis had taken the chicane correctly, he would never have been able to pass Kimi on the very short straight that follows it. That was my immediate opinion after seeing the replay. Maybe if Lewis had waited and tried to pass on the next straight, that would have been a different matter."'

---

Constructive opinion ...

Massa's opinion is entirely understandable. He benefits if the result stands and as he not actually part of the process or the "incident", he has no responsibility.
From his perspective he is 8 points the richer, so hardly an "unbiased" view.

But he couldn'tve taken the chicane correctly - there was no room.

The "old guys in suits decide the results, instead of the competitors" argument is flat out ridiculous and childish. It happens in every sport time to time, F1 fans have been spoilt in that regard. That cannot be an excuse for letting someone get away with breaking the rules.

You can argue whether Lewis really broke the rules, but that's another argument.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rollo

Massa's opinion is entirely understandable. He benefits if the result stands and as he not actually part of the process or the "incident", he has no responsibility.
From his perspective he is 8 points the richer, so hardly an "unbiased" view.

---

I wonder why are you saying that what Massa just stated is a biased opinion? Did you read what he said? What he's saying is stating FACTS not opinion (Would like to read the memo about the pilot's meeting when they actually duscussed this issue? I'll see what I can do). And I am sick and tired having to deal with MclLaen and McLAren fans thinking that you are above any rules whatsever. You guys have some nerve in having to justify murder if you have to as long as that "crime" is committed by McLaren. Are you seeing how ridiculous you are having to CONTINOUSLY defend McLaren every other day? And when you have nothing to support your arguments, rather than sticking to the subject you start going back to 1,000 years ago, mentioning who knows who thinking that actually your example is identical to what happened in Belgium. Are you kidding me? NO INCIDENT IS IDENTICAL!!! Give it up. Don't you find odd having to do that ALL THE TIME?. Would not be time for you to AT LEAST ONCE to accept what well qualified stewards decide to do? Do YOU know the rules? Do you? Even James Allen could find one thing to say against Ferrari. Imagine: JAMES ALLEN!!! I am ashamed for you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by theugsquirrel

But he couldn'tve taken the chicane correctly - there was no room.

---

He could've followed Kimi and taken it correctly.