2012 Belgian Grand Prix. ***SPOILERS***

I approve of the ban, but it just highlights how utterly ridiculous it was that Maldonado didn't get one for his deliberate and dangerous actions in Spa last year.

While Maldonado at Spa last year was stupid, he didn't cause a situation where cars were flying past drivers' heads.

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Good decisions by the stewards. Its not the first startline incident Grosjeans caused and he could have killed somone today.
Was it just me or did that bit in the interview with him refusing to accept blame and 'needing to see a replay' come after he was shown watching about 3 replays on the lotus pitwall video screens? Ok the interview could have been recorded earlier but if it wasnt then my opinion of him has just gone through the floor.

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Diax F1
Just wondering, when was the last time a driver was banned as a result of their antics on track? (I know BAR were banned for two races back in the mid 2000's for a fuel issue, but I can't recall when the last racing-related ban was?)

I'm thinking Irvine in 1994 (similar incident, visually, as well). Fairly sure there must have been others since then, but they've all gone over my head. There have been a few suspended bans, and of course Schumacher was thrown out of the championship in 1997 for his antics in Jerez too.

Edit: Dave Ellis pointed out elsewhere that Hakkinen was banned for causing the pile-up in Hockenheim in 1994 too.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2012 06:47PM by gav.

gav Wrote:
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> > Just wondering, when was the last time a driver
> was banned as a result of their antics on track?
> (I know BAR were banned for two races back in the
> mid 2000's for a fuel issue, but I can't recall
> when the last racing-related ban was?)
>
>
> I'm thinking Irvine in 1994 (similar incident,
> visually, as well). Fairly sure there must have
> been others since then, but they've all gone over
> my head. There have been a few suspended bans, and
> of course Schumacher was thrown out of the
> championship in 1997 for his antics in Jerez too.

hakkinen got one in 94 too, but if I recall he was already on a final warning.

On the other hand, Maldonado clearly intended to run Lewis off the road last year, whereas Grosjean's crash this year appeared to be carelessness more than anything.

Someone's just mentioned Massa being banned from the US GP for this in 2002.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2012 07:15PM by gav.

Aye, Grosjean was a little careless today and perhaps the punishment does fit the crime. If it teaches him some discipline at the starts, then it can only be a good thing.

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GPGSL: S6 - TafuroGP Tester (14th) /// S7 - ART Tester (6th) /// S8 - Demon Driver (13th) /// S9 - Demon/Snake Driver (13th) /// S10 - Snake Driver (???) ///]
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness" - Charles Bukowski

Justified ban.

Grosjean is a lovely guy but he's oblivious to how his driving around other cars can cause major accidents. Hopefully this ban serves as a wake up call and he'll learn from it. He's not a bad driver but he can be needlessly dangerous.

Maldonaldo too, could do with the same treatment, the FIA missed 2 justifiable opportunities Spa last year, and Monaco this. But his incidents this weekend are more normal racing incidents and they couldn't ban on the basis of them, nor apply a retrospective ban.

In some ways and this may come across as a stupid comment but sometimes these cars are too safe and the newer drivers have a complete lack of respect for the inherent dangers they are mostly protected from.

gav Wrote:
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> Someone's just mentioned Massa being banned from
> the US GP for this in 2002.
>
>




Massa was awarded one of the first ever "10 place grid drop" penalties for the next race (USGP '02), but Sauber elected to "rest" him for that 1 race instead.

Yeah... Didn't they draft in Frentzen?

I'm surprised the stewards haven't already banned Maldonado (particularly for Singapore) as a "precautionary measure" on "safety and entertainment grounds"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2012 08:08PM by alexf1man.

The ban is correct but I would love to know why that idiot in the williams has never received one, how many penalties has he had now?

I think though they are just making an example of him, any other track then the crash would not have been as bad. Spa needs its start line moved.

It would have been a race stoppage for sure on the old la source, almost 1998 style.

But I struggle to any part of the circuit less risky for a start.

J i m Wrote:
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> It would have been a race stoppage for sure on the
> old la source, almost 1998 style.
>
> But I struggle to any part of the circuit less
> risky for a start.

There's a second grid and pitlane just before Eau Rouge if I recall. Doubt it'd be any less risky, mind.

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Diax F1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> J i m Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It would have been a race stoppage for sure on
> the
> > old la source, almost 1998 style.
> >
> > But I struggle to any part of the circuit less
> > risky for a start.
>
> There's a second grid and pitlane just before Eau
> Rouge if I recall. Doubt it'd be any less risky,
> mind.

Yeah. As a useless bit of info, when the GP first moved back to Spa in 1983, the race start was in the current S/F area but the chequered flag for the finish was waved at the old S/F line. I'm not sure why they did that.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2012 09:01PM by EC83.

It's still in use today as well. They use it for the Spa 24 hours. Perhapps because of the longer pit-lane.

I'd love to see Williams try and pass Bottas on for a shot at Monza in the Lotus, over D'Ambrosio.

Or a call to Rubens!


Jenson drives it like he owns it; Lewis drives it like he stole it



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2012 12:50AM by danm.

Whoever Lotus choose, I hope they put in a stellar performance at Monza - then Eric Boullier would have to consider keeping them in the car for the rest of the season.

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J i m Wrote:
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> Yeah... Didn't they draft in Frentzen?


Yep, I'd imagine they'd already signed him for '03 by that point...

I'd like to see D'Ambrosio given a go. He surely deserves a go in a front running car...

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GPGSL: S6 - TafuroGP Tester (14th) /// S7 - ART Tester (6th) /// S8 - Demon Driver (13th) /// S9 - Demon/Snake Driver (13th) /// S10 - Snake Driver (???) ///]
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness" - Charles Bukowski