Ist lap Crash in Germany/Ralf given penalty (merged threads)

[eatapc]

I figured that Rubens would have to find a way to move over for Michael without letting it look like team orders. He didn't waste any time: gets off to a very slow start, then manages to ping-pong between Ralf and Kimi, killing two birds with one stone. Brilliant work. His job is secure for another year.

[Warning: sarcasm, cynicism, irony and tongue-in-cheek humor. Take seriously at your own risk.]

[rpolinski]

How can poor old Kimi in an apparent 1 car team compete against the three car Team Schumacher juggernaut? Hopefully the lone Williams driver and the renaults will take points off scummi.

[RWC]

Haven't seen it yet eatapc but i can easily imagine it.Anyone that seriously believes that they WOULDN'T use team orders is incredibly dumb.This is michael's ferrari team we're talking about

[DavidStHubbins]

"Wha' happened?!"

[Blue-eyed Devil]

I think for once Rubens is not the one to blame. Not much you can do when two other cars are closing in on you from both sides...

[eatapc]

Originally posted by RWC
Haven't seen it yet eatapc...

Hope I didn't spoil it for you. In fairness, both Ferraris got equally slow starts, but it was Rubens who got caught between two cars making faster starts. None of the drivers did anything stupid, but mayhem was the result anyway.

[alfasud]

I think that Kimi was a little bit eager to go for a gap that wasn't really there, although he got false sense of security from Rubens bad start, thought he could go around the outside, and found nowhere to go.... pity, was looking forward to seeing good results from Kimi and Ralf. Would have been good to see a red flag there.

BTW, we seem to have a lot of threads on this first corner incident, maybe they could be merged?

[neilap]

Originally posted by eatapc
I figured that Rubens would have to find a way to move over for Michael without letting it look like team orders. He didn't waste any time: gets off to a very slow start, then manages to ping-pong between Ralf and Kimi, killing two birds with one stone. Brilliant work. His job is secure for another year.

[Warning: sarcasm, cynicism, irony and tongue-in-cheek humor. Take seriously at your own risk.]

Very good.

[Damon]

I don't think Ralf did it on purpose but it did make him look a bit silly. Ralf, you should check out those mirrors every now and then!

[Down F0rce]

Driver of the day is Montoya, no doubt. ****head of the race goes to Ralf Schumacher, what a utter idiot. Thankfully Kimi's still in it, but Ralf has fallen behind too far to be the champion. And after today, he dosent deserve it.

[RWC]

Yeah,they're all to blame kind of.A racing incident for sure

[Down F0rce]

Kimi is only 9 points behind, he's more than in with a chance. It's still a three hourse race, one I hope he wins.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Damon
I don't think Ralf did it on purpose but it did make him look a bit silly. Ralf, you should check out those mirrors every now and then!

Get outta here.

It was just racing. Ralf was ahead and RB didn't want to back off. No problem with that whatsoever. Kimi suffered as much and he was coming from further behind.

Unless you wanted to criticise Ralf for not being brave enough to hold his position?

[Gt_R]

I don't think Ralf is to be blamed for what happened at the start. It's pure simple racing accident, and a pity too as Ralf may be the closest competition to JPM today.

I think the d-head driver gotta be JV. held up the leaders while being lapped. I'd understand if it's from a novice, but what JV did is plain childish and amature...even the Minardi rookie did a better job being lapped.

[Damon]

Gotta be Montoya for the title now. If he has a strong race at the Hungaroring (something that has never happened before ) then it's certainly possible.

[Damon]

Come on Peter I wasn't critising. It did make Ralf look silly but, as I say, it wasn't on purpose. I just guess Ralf didn't know Barrichello was there.

[corkholio]

Happens in Hockenheim all the time because the preferred line is to sweep to the left to maximize the exit speed at the Nordkurve. Hard for Ralf to have seen Kimi at the time when he decided to make that move and he probably left Rubens enough room had Kimi not been there. 3 cars in the same spot is never a good idea.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Down F0rce
****head of the race goes to Ralf Schumacher, what a utter idiot.

Well I've read some dross in my time but you've just won first prize. Sorry but I'm attacking the poster.

Monty drove very well but MS made the pass of the race and surely deserves the aplause.

[corkholio]

Ralf knew Barrichello was there. He just didn't see Kimi.

[nickF1]

So it was rubens who hit ralf from behind?
I did see the race..

[paulzinho]

Everyone said it was a racing incident, shouldve been red flagged IMO, lost 3 laps with the safety car so it took a few minutes to clear up but no we cant mess up the TV schedules....

[corkholio]

I think they were right not to red flag it. As long as the marshalls were able to clean up the mess while allowing the cars to drive through without running over large patches of debris then I don't see the problem.

[paulzinho]

Kimi was on the outside of Rubens with Ralf on the inside, I think Rubens was clipped by both but Kimi was pitched into a spin and into the side of Ralf, causing rather large dent in sidepod of Williams and big shunt with tyre barrier for Kimi.

[RWC]

He can't see that angle in his mirrors i think.In any case ralf has a right to move across (he did it slowly).Just that everything went abit quick for rhubins to back out of the situation and it looked like kimi had no intention of backing off!
What is really needed is for the stupid fia to THINK abit and mandate wheel guards/bumpers in f1
This open wheel thing has allways been lethal-touch two racing tyres together and one WILL get thrown up in the air.

[Peter Mallett]

I just can't see how this made anybody look silly. Good point about Rubens having room. I think Kimi just stretched things a bit and it ended in tears.