Monaco Investigations

[Spudgun]

One thing I found disappointing at the race was the FIA investigations at every tiny little 'incident' that took place.

OK the Barichello/Raikonnen thing fair enough (What was Rubens thinking?)

But, for example the Massa/Bernoldi incident, that was a pure accident. Was it intentional? I think it was just a 'racing' incident.

That's the magic word. 'Racing' incident.

Only a couple of years ago these things would be 'racing' incidents. Now most of the things that happen (not just Monaco) attract some form of penalty. Surely its putting the drivers off actually racing.

What does everyone think?

[neilap]

I dont have a problem with penalties as long as they go the same of everyone. If too many accidents are passed off as incidents then the drivers will be too reckless in their actions ontrack.

[Raven]

I thought the ones handed out today were fine. Barrichello just ran straight into the back of Kimi and took him out of the race. If JPM had done that to Michael, you could bet he would be starting 10 positions back in Montreal.

[paulzinho]

I don't like it, let them get on with i say, racing is racing, accidents happen. If its intentional then its different but IMO its going too far. Let the races pan out and see what happens, it hardly encourages overtaking does it?

But then you might question how do you determine an intentional incident?

[Liz]

Better to punish every infraction than try to decide who deserves a "bye" and start all the politics up again. I think today it was necessary for every infraction to be called, just because of all the rumbling that is still going on about the racing being fixed. Although punishing Bernoldi for cutting a chicane when he didn't gain any advantage from it was odd to say the least.

[Gt_R]

Spudgun, that was precisely what i pondered last night.

I fully support the intentions of this new ruling. But however, while the rule/punishment is to deter drivers from being overly reckless, is it really good?

Whenever there is contact, more often than not, the so-called culprit and suspect would suffer damage and need to pit. The total delay they experience would be huge in F1 terms, and would drop them to almost a lap down from the front runners. If the culprit is to be again penalised, he would be effectively making 2 pit stops more than the rest of the field. This is not the Indy 500 where a lap or even 2 deficit is easier to erase, but in F1, unless you are the in the top 2 teams, such delay would practically render your whole race over. Doesn't really do good for the spectacle.

I'd rather see a situation where after repaired, the driver can make a "possible" charge back up the field, and not one that condemns him right to the back adding to the number of backmarkers.

Actually, the idea of a drive through is quite good. But as paul had said, this is racing and accidents would occur. We can't expect every overtaking to be a success, and if so, it would take away the excitement. The suspense that perhaps the 2 would take a knock trying too hard helps to light up the fight, but the new rule if overly used, would just simply discourage drivers from overtaking. So unless if it is absolutely a "stupid" move or a "intentional" move, leave the new rule out.

But then again, as Liz said, better punish all then kick up the political fuss again.

[Spudgun]

Rules are rules, fair enough. I just think that the racing element of the sport (ie. the important bit) is being stifled a little.

Blatant stupidity and over forcefulness should be penalised, but tripping over each other in the course of a GP?

Racing is racing, these guys are really going for it at 200mph. It's marginal keeping these things on the road on the pace as it is, let alone dicing with each other. Drivers get passionate about it, that's why they are there. I agree that investigations should take place when there is a suggestion of wrond-doing, but Massa's altercation was a mistake. He lost out as it is, why punish him again?

I'm just using Massa as an example. Other occasions are more subtle, but the Massa thing just sums up the FIA going OTT IMO..

[Gt_R]

yepp~ i agree Spudd

[f1manoz]

It's going way too far. No wonder there is no passing because the drivers are afraid to do it incase there might be contact.

There used to be such a saying 'racing incident' when two racers, charging along, may bump into each other. Where has that disappeared to?

The FIA have got to let these boys RACE. Contact is sometimes inevitable, particularly at tracks like Monaco where passing is virtually impossible unless you have real guts.

[mac]

Massa's mistake was pretty bad and I feel it deserved to be penalised. As did Barrichello's.

[DNQ]

Rubens...what were you thinking, mate??
I didn't see much in the Bernoldi/Massa thing, it's a 50:50 thing...Bernoldi made the ambitious move, Massa made the ambitious defence..simple as that.

[paulzinho]

IMO Massa was at fault but it was a mistake and didn't deserve to be penalised, and as for Buttons jump start, well that was a complete joke.

I don't like these penalties, they are not necessary and often ridiculously applied.

[Suzy]

Whilst penalties are justified when there is a flagrant disregard for other drivers on the track, what bothers me about these penalties is that they seem to be handed out each time a driver comes within 200 yards of another one. Every single tiny little touch is rewarded with a penalty; I'm thinking here of Villeneuve getting penalised for nudging Frentzen in Austria. If you get 22 cars going into the same corner at the same time it is inevitable that contact will occur. On most occasions both the drivers involved lose a few places but keep going. There is no need for eagle-eyed stewards to watch for any paintwork being rubbed.

So how do you avoid it? Well, you can ban overtaking of any description (although the FIA seem to already be working towards that), you could make the drivers go through the first corner one by one to avoid any contact or you could paint white lines down the track and turn the race circuits into dual carriageways. None of these are acceptable and the FIA have got to realise that no amount of laws/fines etc will prevent accidents from occuring.

Unless the rules are applied sensibly and consistently then controversies will continue to rage and races will be wrecked for trivial reasons and even more fans will switch off. Now I'm not advocating ram-at-all-costs racing, but I do think it is time that racing drivers were given a bit more free rein to RACE without the fear of penalities and bans.

[Bononi]

Yeah, soon the drivers will remain the same position on the grid, afraid to pass each other.

[Speedworx]

Massa clearly pushed Bernoldi off the track. Enrique had a chance of points, as he was near Fisi at the time.

[nameless]

i dont agree that massa was at fault im sure it is easy to miss a braking zone when someone is directly infront of you, bernoldi was going too fast he slammed on his breaks and there was nowhere for massa to go, neither driver was to blame and certainly no penalty should have been given. barrichello on the other hand was worthy of a drive through, nothing more nothing less he just basically cocked it up

[Yoong Montoya]

I don't think this 10 places rule should be used at all. If you make a mistake and get penalised for it or have to pit for repairs, that's fair enough. What you do in one race shouldn't affect the next. It would be a shame if Barrichello and Massa had to start 10 places back on the grid in Montreal.

[mac]

Bernoldi did not slam on his brakes. Massa locked up, stayed on the brakes and skidded into the back of Enrique. To me it seemed as if he couldn't handle being passed and pushed it too far. Yes, it was a mistake, but it was a pretty silly one. How would Enrique feel? He's just pulled off a brilliant pass only for an over-eager driver to shunt him off. I do think that they sometimes go overboard (JPM at Malaysia for example), but I feel they got it right with Massa and Barrichello.

[steve_r]

I hear a lot of talf about the Massa & Barichello incidents, but what about Button. Presumably his car was malfunctioning at the start, he ended up virtually last & then got a drive through penalty. What do people think about that? Surely he had suffered enough, even without the penalty?

[Sato san]

Massa is very good , but he did make a huge mistake by taking out Bernoldi in the way he did , still im sure he will learn from it .
But as for the giving out of penalties , well as long as its all dished out fairly then i would say that can only be a good thing for the sport .

[Liz]

As for the 10 places rule, as Jacques pointed out, if the Minardis get this penalty, where will they have to start? In some other race? The next day?

[Sato san]

maybe they will have to start from pole in the F3000 RACE