Spa...should it have been stopped?

[Lotusonpole]

Simple question.
After the first lap pile up, should the race have been stopped and restarted, giving the marshals more time to clean the track of those shards?

It was still a great race but I wonder.....

Cheers
Peter

[ljakse]

I don't think so - SC was just enough.

[jet]

No they did a good job for just using the SC

[marcus]

should have been stopped , but thats because Im greedy and want all the drivers to get a fair chance at a decent run.

but seriously when you look at the "Shardgate" affair it was a definate problem and obviously the track wasnt cleaned properly.

[Morris 1100]

The drivers had a fair chance at the first start.

The track was clean before the drivers dumped rubbish all over it!

The problem with the "Shardgate" affair was that it only affected one brand of tyre. Maybe it was a construction problem and not a puncture problem?

[MacMan]

nope it shouldn't have been stopped and I am glad it wasn't, good call by Charlie.

[forzaf1]

It should of been. It was the first lap so it wouldn't of made much difference to have stopped the race and a quarter of the grid was knocked out.

Alex

[Hazard]

Seen worse starts at Spa...the grid was navigatable still, and it's debatable whether the debris was still left over.

Olden days of course they would restart them - but if full restarts can be avoided the better. It's bad for scheduling - reduces the chance of strange results, and to be honest - the little teams need them!

[racer69]

The safety car is there for that exact reason, to allow the race to continue and not be stopped. The cars could still get through so it was the right call with regards to the rules.

[BootsOntheSide]

Would you have been saying that if Jenson had missed Baumagartner, slammed into the barrier and been seriously hurt? Continuing races in situations like those is a massive safety risk. Why should TV take precedence? In almost every country, the programme directly after F1 has lower viewing figures anyway.

Anyway, there are already 2 threads on this subject. Merge?

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Morris 1100
The problem with the "Shardgate" affair was that it only affected one brand of tyre. Maybe it was a construction problem and not a puncture problem?

It was only Michelin's but it is hard to say, with only three occurances, that it is to do with that tyre.

Whatever, I think, that the race should have ben stopped after the first round of accidents. For all the reasons stated after this race and Indy.

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by forzaf1
a quarter of the grid was knocked out.

The track being blocked, or being covered in debris is a valid reason for a red flag.

The reason above is not.

[Gt_R]

Did the debris cause the tyres to puncture? Or did the tyres puncture and result in debris?

Honestly, it seems that one tyre manufacturer is getting into trouble more often than the other.

Is there a problem with their maufacturing/design? Bahrain, USGP, Spa...under high loading, and all too often to be coincidental..

Are they getting marginal with their performance/quality compromise? Somebody could provide a clue.

[ljakse]

Originally posted by Gt_R
Did the debris cause the tyres to puncture? Or did the tyres puncture and result in debris?

Honestly, it seems that one tyre manufacturer is getting into trouble more often than the other.

Is there a problem with their maufacturing/design? Bahrain, USGP, Spa...under high loading, and all too often to be coincidental..

Are they getting marginal with their performance/quality compromise? Somebody could provide a clue.

Believe it or not, those were exactly my thoughts.

[Gt_R]

I believe.

Toyota's crash on Friday due to a puncture is the start of a series of puncture which seems to be very Michelin-exclusive.

And it may be passed off as coincidental if not for the trend we see at some other circuits.

[Kirk]

It was a tough call but in light of Ralf's shunt in USGP I really thought they would red flag it. Safety should take precedence over all else and perhaps luckily there was no (obvious) tyre blowout resulting. I'm inclined to give the stewards the benefit of the doubt that thay made the correct decision.

[Mr V]

Imo the race should have been stopped, the fans don't want to see F1 cars going slowly past behind the SC (although, when have the FIA ever cared about the fans? ) plus it also allows for a better "clear up" job. After all, this is the drivers well being we are talking about here.

[shy tot racing]

Originally posted by Lotusonpole
Simple question.
After the first lap pile up, should the race have been stopped and restarted, giving the marshals more time to clean the track of those shards?

It was still a great race but I wonder.....

Cheers
Peter

Yes it definitely should have been stopped!!! The deal Ecclestone has done with the TV companies is the reason for no red flags--their schedules are more important??? How long before someone gets really injured because of this red flag avoidance. If the Senna tragedy happened this year I bet they would continue under the S.C.

[Adam43]

Is it all Bernie's fault? Afterall he is the guy who introduced Sid Watkins to GP racing. The Prof. is the the guy who has improved safety at circuits and F1 immeasurably since the '70s. Apparently he is the only person who can tell Bernie what to do. Many, many sessions have been cancelled because of safety problems (Helicopter's can't fly etc...).

In addition it is Charlie Whiting and the other race officials who actually make the call.

[Adam43]

shy tot racing welcome to 10-10ths

Is it all Bernie's fault? Afterall he is the guy who introduced Sid Watkins to GP racing. The Prof. is the the guy who has improved safety at circuits and F1 immeasurably since the '70s. Apparently he is the only person who can tell Bernie what to do. Many, many sessions have been cancelled because of safety problems (Helicopter's can't fly etc...).

In addition it is Charlie Whiting and the other race officials who actually make the call.

I agree it should have been stopped...

[Adam43]

shy tot racing welcome to 10-10ths

Is it all Bernie's fault? Afterall he is the guy who introduced Sid Watkins to GP racing. The Prof. is the the guy who has improved safety at circuits and F1 immeasurably since the '70s. Apparently he is the only person who can tell Bernie what to do. Many, many sessions have been cancelled because of safety problems (Helicopter's can't fly etc...).

In addition it is Charlie Whiting and the other race officials who actually make the call.

I agree it should have been stopped.

[Adam43]

shy tot racing welcome to 10-10ths

Is it all Bernie's fault? Afterall he is the guy who introduced Sid Watkins to GP racing. The Prof. is the the guy who has improved safety at circuits and F1 immeasurably since the '70s. Apparently he is the only person who can tell Bernie what to do. Many, many sessions have been cancelled because of safety problems (Helicopter's can't fly etc...).

In addition it is Charlie Whiting and the other race officials who actually make the call.

I agree it should have been stopped.

[Lotusonpole]

Er...????
The needle is stuck....lol.
OK we get the point....

Cheers
Peter

[racer69]

I'm no fan of the safety car in racing, but it is there in the rules to be used to keep a race going at a safe pace so it doesn't have to be stopped, which is what happened at Spa and is what should of happened with regards top the rules.

What would you have preferred:

- The cars trundle around behind the safety car for 3 laps, or;

- Wait another 40 minutes while it is all cleaned up and all the pre-race stuff happens again?

[garcon]

It seems the jury is still out as to whether shards from the accidents caused any/all of the punctures. Yes this was a danger, but my view is that the Safety Car was the right call. If we start red flagging races because of carbon-fire debris on the track, where do we stop? Or start? It could disrupt races to the point of farce.