It's all a conspiracy

[fatbloke]

I think it's now been proved once and for all - there is a conspiracy going on at McLaren - Evil Ron and Mika cannot possibly have a number two driver beating them, so they scupper his race by leaving mechanics out on the grid, knowing full well that this will incur him a 10 second stop penalty. It's all a fix!

(Or could it be that he simply had a nightmare day and fecked everything up ? Much like Rubhino does ? )

[Gerard]

Sorry fatbloke, but no conspiracy here.
It was David's own fault. He said: "I was trying to re-position the car on the yellow line when I stalled it. It was my mistake and I can live with it."

Mechanics rushed to his aid but because it was not done before the 15-second cut-off he was hit with a 10-second penalty.

He did however attack the decision to give him a stop-and-go penalty.

He said: "I do not want to criticise anyone because the rules are the rules but the FIA should allow the stewards to show some common sense if someone does not gain an advantage."
"This is what turns people off the sport. They were deprived of a race. It takes away the essence of sport."

[fatbloke]

erm, I think perhaps that I was pulling your plonker, Mr V. Though i'm sure, if he were Brazilian, then the nutters would all be here swearing it was fact

[Gerard]

Hey, no one's allowed to pull my plonker.
Whatever that is.

[fatbloke]

You don't want to know, bloke

[Sharky]

Come on!!! You don't really believe that do you?? I mean....the Mclaren team messing up DC's car so that he wouldn't beat Mika....I don't think so. Besides, there are better ways to do that without a lot of damage being done to the team in the constructors championship....Just ask Jean Todt and MS.

[Red]

I guess a 10s stop'n go is better that a start from 23rd position on grid. So I guess it really is a conspiracy, but to favour David!

[Jay]

It was still a stupid penalty. He did not gain an advantage, and it deprived us of a potentially good race.

Come on guys, think before giving a penalty! This decision is what gave the race to Schumi.

[fatbloke]

Much as I wanted him to win, we have to stick to the rules. There would have been uproar if it was Schumacher and he was allowed to get away with it, so why should David ? He'll be back...

[RIKB]

The real issue here is the fact that there were mechanics wandering around whilst all the other cars were taking off on their formation lap.

If one of those guys had been hit, there would be hell to pay!

As DC said during his criticism, "I suppose its all to do with safety" Quite right the mechanics are not cuckooned in a safety cell like the drivers, and if any team is prepared to let its staff get into un-necessary danger than they deserve all they get.

[Gerard]

Yes, it has everything to with safety.
Remember the Belgian Grand Prix of 1981?
Mechanics were still working on Riccardo Patrese's car when his team mate Siegfried Stohr ran into the back of it, severely injuring one of the mechanics.

What makes me wonder is why the guy who's responsible for the starting procedure starts the process when there are still people on the grid.
It's not as if they were jumping down from the pit wall onto the track again, they were there all the time.

I think the rules should say the starting procedure may only begin when everybody, except the drivers in their cars, have left the track.

[Crunch5725]

New to this forum so excuse me if I inadvertantly screw up.

The DC penalty generated a bit of discussion in the office today about the origins of the rule he transgressed. I seem to recall a race many years ago (1980ish?) where a mechanic was seriously injured when he leapt over the wall to try and start a stalled car on the grid and was hit by a following car. I wonder if this was the start of it?

So your starter for 10 - which Grand Prix was it? I've tried all the sites I know to no avail. Anyone remember?

My memory is not so good!

[Gerard]

Hi Crunch, welcome to 10 Tenths.

I think you posted this almost at the same time as I posted mine.
I was just referring to this accident in my previous post.
It was the Belgian GP of 1981.

[KC]

One of the things I noticed and was curious about was the implementation of black flags for penalties. A race last year or the year before saw MS win under a cloud because he had been black-flagged for a yellow flag violation. He was awarded the win by virtue that the penalty was not issued before ten laps had passed. If DC committed a foul on lap zero, he should have been able to ignore a black flag given to him on lap 13 as did MS for said penalty. Has the FIA changed this rule once more?

[AL Racing]

well FIA changed the rules after Schuey's win in GB.

About the DC penaulty, I think it's sensible rule not to have mechanics working on the car 15 sec before the formation lap. But I agree that it spoiled the race a bit. Rules are rules, but I know how it feels when it hits one of your favourite drivers. I know when Schuey got a black flag for overtaking Hill on the formation lap, I was upset. But that was clearly a ridiculious rule, and it's gone now.

[TimD]

Re the 1981 Belgian GP - I recently got a copy of the live broadcast of the race, and I had forgotten how sickening that footage is.

It is only slightly lessened by the knowledge that the Arrows crewman made a full recovery. But the sight of the paramedics sprinting to the stricken man, and Siegfried Stohr looking down at the aftermath of what he has become involved in is one of the most haunting I have ever witnessed.

Does anyone remember why it was that there was startline chaos that day? Because certain drivers and team members went on strike at the moment the TV coverage started. They decided to make their point by delaying the race so that the live feed would be disrupted. Their protest? The narrow pitlane at Zolder, after a mechanic fell off the pit wall in practice, and was killed by a car coming down pitlane...

[Crunch5725]

Thanks Gerard.

I can sleep easy now. I was convinced it was Belgium, but I couldn't find a report that mentioned the incident. Sadly motorsport does occasionally suffer a form of Nelsonesque blindness where the unpalatable is concerned.

Someone suggested that the starting procedure shouldn't be started until the grid is clear. Two things spring to mind immediately (a) do you think the grid would ever clear if it was left to the teams? imagine the opportunity for gamesmanship, and (b) TV schedules!

[Red]

KC, at Silverstone '98 Schumacher did not ignore his penalty. The penalty arrived with 3 laps to go, so he served it in last lap and crossed the Line in pits, everything according to former regulations. However, if I remember correctly, after the race FIA withdrew their penalty (useless anyway, Schumacher already won), because they did not give written notification in 15 minutes (?? or so, I'm not sure if no. of laps or minutes. I can't find a similar article anymore) after the incident. Okay-okay, why Jean Todt did not receive the notification is another story...

Regarding to DC/Montreal, normally he should remain on grid and start the race in last position. I repeat, he was very-very lucky.

[R]

Yes, he should have started from the back of the grid, and nearly scored points because he "only" received a stop-and-go penalty.

Of course he should be penalized for what happened at the start of the formation lap. It was a potentially very dangerous situation, the mechanics were still running around DC's car when the other cars took off.