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FIA official speaks
Topic Started: Sep 10 2008, 05:46 PM (262 Views)
Rob
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Admin
Intresting article, even if some of the things he says are very poorly worded.
Judge for yourself.


http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/09/10/...he-uk-hates-me/

Quote:
 
Thathi said in Nairobi that there was no conspiracy against the McLaren team. "There was no conspiracy against anybody, McLaren included. We acted professionally and within the FIA rules. Hamilton took a short cut inside of the corner while off the track," he told Reuters.

He furthermore explained that Hamilton had to receive some kind of penalty for cutting the chicane. He explained: "We called Hamilton and Raikkonen, looked at the footage and agreed that the offence was punishable. The regulations say that there has to be a drive-through penalty.

"We had a choice to mete out a time penalty or 10 grid places in the next Grand Prix race. We opted for the former and handed a time penalty of 25 seconds. I know I am a very unpopular person in the United Kingdom now, but then I was doing my job and I know I acted professionally."
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TheCompleteGuitarist
Driver
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A huge problem with what has gone on here lies in the fact that many fans, and casual observers as well as Charlie and the Mclaren team had done sufficient to give back the advantage.

The rule book DOES NOT SAY how much you have to give back. So how can you ever know if you given up sufficient?

The outcome of this issue is suggesting that if you cut a chicane, it doesn't matter what you do, we as stewards will make a judgment over whether we think you should be punished or not.

The fact that Kimi did not finish should not prevent him from also being penalised for his offenses. His actions could still have had a bearing on the outcome of the race.

What if he'd crashed into LH taking himself out of the race but allowing LH to continue in a crippled car only to be overcome by Massa who goes onto win the race?
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GordonB
Chief Engineer
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TheCompleteGuitarist,Sep 11 2008
01:09 AM

What if he'd crashed into LH taking himself out of the race but allowing LH to continue in a crippled car only to be overcome by Massa who goes onto win the race?

10 place penalty.
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Red Andy
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Moderator
TheCompleteGuitarist,Sep 11 2008
02:09 AM
A huge problem with what has gone on here lies in the fact that many fans, and casual observers as well as Charlie and the Mclaren team had done sufficient to give back the advantage.

The fans and casual observers do not have access to the same data as the stewards, so their opinion can safely be discounted - not to mention that fans do appear to be divided on this issue. I think it is fairly clear that what remains to be argued over the penalty, will be argued using telemetry and other data not accessible by fans.

Whiting's opinion was a heat of the moment opinion and was not binding. Whiting had no bearing on the ultimate decision, McLaren knew this and should have taken it into account when instructing Lewis on how to act.

In the end it is the stewards who make the decision - possibly there is some interpretation involved, because as you say the rules are not massively clear - but they had their reasons for doing so and I am confident that those reasons will stand up to the scrutiny of any appeals body.

As for Kimi, yes, the accusations about him should also be investigated and, if necessary, punished - but two wrongs don't make a right, as they say, and that investigation would have no bearing on Hamilton's infringements.
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