[Hutnicks]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-mileage-mclaren-f1-2017-924077/?s=1

An interesting stat that essentially means nothing (baseball type analytics comes to F1)

FI leading the pack for the year. Really will be sad to see the name change for that team. I like a nationalistic spin on an F1 team for some reason.

Odd that Deadbull are the poorer of all the Renault users on this one. Even Toro Rosso outpacing them by a large margin. Max the new Kimi luckwise must be scratching his head, but truth be told I suspect only half seriously. If his people have not been talking to the SCUD they must be asleep. Horner may insist they are both on "junior" contracts and do not have a Vettel, performance escape clause but I would be shocked if there was not an exit ability in either Ric or Max's paperwork. Max taking Kimi's seat would somehow make sense to me as they share a lot of similarities all be it 10 years apart in their carreers The better fit though would be the Merc, but I suspect Bottas will be extended after this year.

Teflonso's comment that the seats are in a lot more of a fluid status than anyone may think might have some truth to it.

That in itself will bring more fun and games to this year. A season long silly season coupled with a knuckle busting fight for the title. Carey could not have asked for better PR even if I suspect he has engineered a fair share of it,

And yet more interesting. https://www.motorsportweek.com/news/id/15111

I think it would be more than appropriate to apply a Schumi style relieved of points penalty for that one.

 

[Hutnicks]

So, Ronbo is formally split from Mac pocketing some 275 megaquid in the process. Pity the pound is in the basement right now. Bad timing seems to have followed him since Stepneygate

With all the amicability flowing from both sides I wonder what the actual deal involved. Seems more like a "Swiss Divorce" going on here.

Now Ron working at the MoD? I do not know whether to be horrified or amused. Honda powered Challenger II's perhaps? If you thought the SA80 fiasco was a nightmare wait until his input comes to play in the next few years.

 

[Hutnicks]

Thus does the latest Vettelgate come to a close with an apology and a wrist slap.

Not wanting to distract from the championship by holding a tribunal really does not cut it for me. This decision is going to raise more questions than it offered answers. Personally I would welcome the tribunal for the added pressure on Vettel it would bring and therefore the other dimension to the championship it would allow. After all this is the sport that allowed a convicted murderer as a track physician while he was out on appeal

The other really big question that I have here which no one seems to want to raise is simply. How come you can penalize Kyvatt twice for the same infraction in one race and let Seb go with a much more dramatic infraction with an apology? That and of course why was he not Black Flagged the moment the Merc telemetry eliminated the "Brake Test" theory?

Love to be a fly on the wall for the Drivers Meeting in Austria.

 

[jimmers]

Thus does the latest Vettelgate come to a close with an apology and a wrist slap.

.. That and of course why was he not Black Flagged the moment the Merc telemetry eliminated the "Brake Test" theory?

As he wasn't black flagged in the race I think a minimum would have been a points loss, I bet if there was no threat there would have been no mea culpa or apology. Still a brat.

 

[oqvist]

He got a 10 second stop and hold that lost him points and a race victory. Sounds like you guys is trying to engineer a wc win for hamilton or something. He already got a points penalty it´s Mercedes fault they messed up ending up behind despite. Should wdc be decided on politics and gentlemanna manors? Neither Hamilton or Vettel could ever score a wdc with that and racing is as far from gentlemen code you can get tbh.

A small shunt under sc speeds that didn´t cause any damage because a driver get the rage why more then 10 second stop and hold and some points of the license and some slap and official apologue??? Consequences do matter when making rulings.

 

[gr8soundz]

A small shunt under sc speeds that didn´t cause any damage because a driver get the rage why more then 10 second stop and hold and some points of the license and some slap and official apologue??? Consequences do matter when making rulings.

The FIA loves to talk about the 'spirit' of regulations. Saying the non-ruling is ok because of no damage is like no harm no foul which disregards the regulations. Waiting until something bad happens is like the old days of racing where safety wasn't emphasized until after someone died.

Now, drivers (in F1 or any other series) might intentionally take shots at others on track since the penalty appears to be so light.

 

[oqvist]

The FIA loves to talk about the 'spirit' of regulations. Saying the non-ruling is ok because of no damage is like no harm no foul which disregards the regulations. Waiting until something bad happens is like the old days of racing where safety wasn't emphasized until after someone died.

Now, drivers (in F1 or any other series) might intentionally take shots at others on track since the penalty appears to be so light.

What do you mean with non ruling? He did get a 10 second stop and go for that hit and it´s quite a severr penalty if you look at the past seasons of F1 the infractions and the consequences. He didn´t get it for the first contact

I don´t think this will lead to a lot of drivers bumping the lead car following the safety car or other retaliation moves. 10 second stop and hold is not something easilly afforded everybody knows that. Vettel was the big looser and correctly so in that accident in this race.

 

[Hutnicks]

The FIA loves to talk about the 'spirit' of regulations. Saying the non-ruling is ok because of no damage is like no harm no foul which disregards the regulations. Waiting until something bad happens is like the old days of racing where safety wasn't emphasized until after someone died.

Now, drivers (in F1 or any other series) might intentionally take shots at others on track since the penalty appears to be so light.

Yes all of a sudden when presented with overwhelming evidence "Oops I'm sorry" is the new free get out of jail card. FIA should be ashamed of themselves for not black flagging him immediately after that hit. Their whole policy of safe driving went out the window with this one. 10 seconds in the pits is in no way comparable to being retired from the race for deliberately hitting another car under the yellow.

 

[gr8soundz]

What do you mean with non ruling? He did get a 10 second stop and go for that hit and it´s quite a severr penalty if you look at the past seasons of F1 the infractions and the consequences. He didn´t get it for the first contact

I don´t think this will lead to a lot of drivers bumping the lead car following the safety car or other retaliation moves. 10 second stop and hold is not something easilly afforded everybody knows that. Vettel was the big looser and correctly so in that accident in this race.

Speed in the pits: 5 second penalty

Hit another driver 2x (once intentionally) during a safety car period: 10 second penalty

I'll never understand how some think 10 seconds is ok when the regulations suggest disqualification. Losing a race and finishing 4th is not the same as being black flagged (I don't even know who has authority to issue a black flag).

I'm not surprised though. Vettel somehow avoided further penalty after repeatedly cursing Charlie last season. Also can't overlook coincidence that Todt (former Ferrari boss) is now FIA President.

 

[Hutnicks]

The head steward can issue a black flag immediately and without consultation.

Oddly here that in most legal systems an inability to comprehend the act is considered an insanity plea and all steps are taken to make the individual aware of their actions. When they do admit awareness then the penalty is imposed. So in F1 as well as many other sports we are working with an inversion of accepted psychiatric and legal processes.

 

[jimmers]

What ....

What would you think if Hamilton drove into the back of the Safety car then pulled alongside and side-swiped it?
Ten second penalty?
?

 

[oqvist]

What would you think if Hamilton drove into the back of the Safety car then pulled alongside and side-swiped it?
Ten second penalty?
?

I would love to see that tbh. Don´t have to be Hamilton but if it happened I would have my jaws to the floor. It would be something never seen before.

 

[Hutnicks]

Continuing on the theme of odd behaviour in F1.

VW and Aston Martin along with has beens Cosworth sitting in on the engine technology steering group. I can half see the VW group thing with the Porshe designed TAG powerplant having a good run back in Turbo Era MKI. Aston however is moving toward AMG powerplants for all their new products. Is this Merc looking for a way to expand their customer engine programme?

 

[oqvist]

What is audi going to do now that they left WEC? DTM is not that big outside of Germany I believe?

 

[Hutnicks]

What is audi going to do now that they left WEC? DTM is not that big outside of Germany I believe?

Not to mention VW running screaming from WRC. I cannot see any part of the VW group gettting involved unless some wealthy organization comes along to foot the bill. Porsche basically came right out and said that over the winter.