Schumachers move on Alonso at Silverstone

[Damon]

Now, I know Wrex closed the last thread because discussion got a little heated, but I feel it is worth bringing the debate back as we now have a picture to help. My opinion still stands, it was a poor unsportsmanlike move.

[DNQ]

Well that's a pretty conclusive picture, but I'd like to see a video of it.

[corkholio]

http://videofiles1.f1gp.ru/video/03/...ish-Race-1.avi

Both moved towards the inside line at about the same time. Not exactly sure why Alonso decided to pass on the grass when it was rather obvious that the preferred line to pass through Stowe is by far on the outside.

[Irv the Swerve]

I still think it was a fair move. Mick went to the inside very dramatically and decisively, but Alonso kept at it even though it was a no hope move with Mick committed to closing the door. The fact that he went on to the grass i think made it look like it was worse than it was.

[Gt_R]

The rule of the game is simple. Anything from Michael is unsporting. If the same came from JPM or JV, it's gutsy driving and big balls. Doesn't take a scientist to figure ya?

Michael din't swerve suddenly at Alonso (unlike big ball JV did to Button later in the race, a move some actually praise as good hard racing?!!)to force him onto grass. He made it clear from the beginning the direction of defence he would be taking while Alonso is still behind, yet Alonso simply still attempted to squeeze in. It may be a very borderline incident, but i realise the blasting MS had to take is starting to get out of proportions.

[Kex]

You have to expect those sort of moves on the first lap. Nothing wrong with it. It's called racing isn't it?

[429CJ]

What ****es me off is how easily the other drivers bend over to Schumi and drive off the track. If I'd been Alonso, I'd kept my car on the tarmac and thinked: 'You really want to get knocked off, MF? well, suits me you w****r!'

[Damon]

Watch the above video guys, you can see Schu watching his mirror and waiting until Alonso made his move BEFORE making a move himself, he wasn't just covering his line, it was a block.

[Red]

Oh comeone, you mean Schumacher waits till Fernando makes his move to deliberately try to ram him out of the race! Sheese..

[ASCII Man]

It wouldn't be the first time...

[Inigo Montoya]

More silliness. Alonso has not complained - he can take care of himself.

[ASCII Man]

I didn't notice anything wrong with the move by the way.

[Damon]

Schu has made his name, and probably a great deal of his success from taking the spirit of the rules to the limit in almost every area of his performance. It's a character trait that I dislike.

Some above have decided that it is simple mindless driver bashing, but the fact is if it was JPM or Kimi or whoever else that had done it I'd feel exactly the same. However it wasn't anyone else, it was Schu, again, pushing the limits of what should be acceptable a little too far.

[Red]

Originally posted by ®îjñtjûh
It wouldn't be the first time...

Huh?

[JohnSSC]

I must be watching a different race entirely then what some posters watch. Michael was making that move almost from the start and while I was watching I was wondering just what exactly Alonso was thinking as it was clear there would soon be nowhere to go.

I think GT_R hit the nail on the head. JV was going well out of his way to block "agressively" but there is nary a whiff of criticism. Quite a double-standard going here. Firman is all over the road like a squirrel on acid and the comments are actually positive about what a "great" job he did maintaining his position!!??

And as far as pushing limits goes - that is what racing is all about. If you want the traditional, gentlemanly, good-sport, pip-pip cheerio kind of stuff, then may I suggest Vintage racing?

[Son of Jor-El]

Damn right it was a block. Schumacher is all too aware of Alonso's talent and he has to resort to pretty blunt and unsporting like moves to assert his "authority".

[Spudgun]

Originally posted by Red
Huh?

Jerez '97 for one...

[Peter Mallett]

At the risk of being ridiculed here.

I recall a conversation with a spectator (and fellow racer) at Snetterton in 1998, referring to the commentator who apparently went "Murray" when I passed Alex Rogan (UK club racers will know him) on the grass at Riches (end of the pit straight).

Got to tell you there are many things in this world that give pleasure but when you do something "off the wall" and it comes off the feeling is tremendous.

I bet the same thought went through Alonzo's mind.

No I can't say it was unsporting. I can't say that either driver was wrong. Especially I can't say that either driver lacked skill. I bet they laughed about it afterwards. Just because it was instinctive racing not homogenised FIA ****. Hope the autocensor works there.

[Damon]

That must have scared the hell out of the guy you passed Peter! I've been forced to pass on the grass in a kart on a few occasions but that's not quite the same.

[Peter Mallett]

Actually the point is "It is the same". We just work at lesser levels.

I guess I should have said "I hope" they laughed about it afterwards.

Scary for us but let's not get caught up in this over safe world we live in.

The move looked to me like two guys having a ding dong.
Gawd I must be getting old. "Ding dong"?

[ASCII Man]

Nothing is as frightening as passing (or at least trying to pass) someone on the grass on a bike.
Not something i would recommend to people with a weak heart...

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by ®îjñtjûh
Nothing is as frightening as passing (or at least trying to pass) someone on the grass on a bike.
Not something i would recommend to people with a weak heart...

I'll go with that.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
Alonso was thinking as it was clear there would soon be nowhere to go.

He was thinking - I've got my foot through the floor and still that bugger is is pulling over. I need more power!"

Originally posted by JohnSSC
Firman is all over the road like a squirrel on acid

Yeah but it was really good stuff mannnnnn.

Originally posted by JohnSSC
And as far as pushing limits goes - that is what racing is all about. If you want the traditional, gentlemanly, good-sport, pip-pip cheerio kind of stuff, then may I suggest Vintage racing?

Ooh now. Be very careful here. I said elswhere that we work at lesser levels but don't tell me that someone tramping around a circuit without the aid of seatbelts or rollbars is being less effective with his/her equipment than these guys with no money worries and all the safety they can handle.

If anything F1 is relatively safer than club racing. So that's exactly why I like to think that these guys were doing what we love. Racing.

[R]

It was a dirty, unsportsmanlike move. I'm not sure why Jacques is brought up in this discussion, but you can hardly compare firmly closing the door in a slow corner to squeezing someone off the track at 180 MPH.

Sadly, TGF has done these things a bit too often.

[bosch!]

seems fair enough to me as its el loco being squeezed, personally i'd have liked him to do a bit of grass spinning before taking the rest of the day off to reflect on his dangerous manouvers on DC 2 weeks before. Not nice when its being done to you alonso is it.

Cant stand either of them, they deserve to lock wheels with each other for all eternity. TFG ended up behind el loco after the JYS look-a-likie went a strolling down hanger straight.

What comes around goes around