I apologize, but the whole Hurricane Irene thing got in the way this week end, I'll have our usual summary later in the week.
Meanwhile, here was a key incident of the Belgian GP, discuss....
There was no way in hell he was making the corner. He wasn't even set up outside enough to make the apex at that speed. Also, could he have saved the car and limped it back to the pits? I feel like running it into the barrier like that was a little silly...
He took responsability for the crash after the race. TBH I dont think he even remotely thought Kobi was going to be that close to him and never checked his mirrors.
Lewis had his DRS opened and SHOULD have been way way clear of him by the time they got to the end of the straight, but somehow Kobi pulled back on him and was still hanging on the outside.
I don't think that this is such a big deal (but i was still impressed how hamilton didn't flip out just cuz I am black comments.) This is 2 of the most aggressive drivers on the grid getting together, it happens. Kobayashi always gives everybody a hard time it just didn't work out the way he planed this ones. But I just don't get one thing, why not penalty? If it was the other way around I would bet all the money i have hamilton would get a drive through.
to the second coment, he didnt need to be on the ouside of the corner to make it. That corner had plenty of overtakes and a lot of them where from the inside. This suspension was broken so getting to the pits was not an option or more like no point.
I feel like running it into the barrier like that was a little silly...
Is it possible that he was knocked out from the impact? He was clearly on the brakes before he hit the barrier, after the bounce his hands were off the steering wheel and it was just fortunate that he rolled into the barrier. The footage shown on Australian TV (probably the same for most viewers globally) showed that he didn't move for several seconds and then all of a sudden moved and got out of the car. I don't think he was conscious after the initial impact into the barrier.
btw i think Lewis made a fundamental error in overtaking Kob at La Source, since it would have been much much easier and safer to pass him on Kemmel like everyone else did all race long.
The crash to me isn't his main mistake, the real one was taking Kob way too soon giving him the chance to strike back on Kemmel.
Right, Lewis could not use DRS since he passed Kobi before Eau Rouge. It would be inderesting do dig up the top speed delta between Hamilton and Button and see if one had more wing on. Lewis complained his car was slow on the straights, though supposedly he had a hand in the setup...
Weber fluffs the start AGAIN, he won't ever win a championships like that...
Button continues to show a maturity and racecraft that we hoped Hamilton had started to develop, another great drive, probably drive of the day.
Likewise Alonso one of the select few on the grid who really is the finished article, driver's who can conjure a win from the meanest ingredients - and crucially when they cannot they bag championship points.
...was Rosberg's message to turn the wick down code for 'let the old man past'? It would be a shame for both drivers if that was the impression fans were left with.
Well seeing as Lewis qualified right behind Seb, this was, in many ways, the key event in the race. The headline is a valid one.
What is interesting to me is that Button in ahead of Hamilton on points, and if you took away Button's two DNF which were not his fault, he'd be WELL ahead.
Although one has to wonder that the presence of Kobayashi and Hamilton on the same bit of racetrack probably has marshals reaching for the yellow flag as a habit...
Dont know SPA that well to know if Hamilton would have made the corner, but this was a clear lack of awareness of other's track position. One thing is to be confident, another is to never use your mirrors.
Unfortunately for Lewis, like it or not, he has built (a bad) reputation on the grid, so I can only expect more of this to happen going forward as almost no one will cede 1/8 of an inch on any move he tires.
Chris mentioned it above, but what the hell is up with Webber and his poor starts? AC and I have joked in the past about Red Bull having a special start line "clutch setting" for reserved just for him. Could this really be true? Or are his nerves getting the better of him? One would think he'd practice like mad, maybe even forced by Red Bull to practice.
Hamilton was clearly knocked unconscious from the impact. The video above does not show this but he was laying there for quite a while(he was still not moving even when the safety crews reached his car. He didn't even apply the brake before the barrier and then proceeded to roll back a few feet. It took him quite a while to get out of the car and remove his steering wheel.
Nah, he was probably just sitting there thinking about how he was now out how he was going spin his crash. Obviously he chose wrong (saying he did not even know who hit him" but then his PR people tweeted a politically correct apology :)
I've been an LH fan for a while now, and even I find myself wondering WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT BOY (best Hank Hill impression).
After the last few races I had thought there was a glimmer of hope buried under the mistakes and unforced errors. But once again I find myself losing the desire to watch the rest of the race because I'm simply dumbfounded that my hero has once again given me reason to examine my palm at close proximity to my face ('whoa, man...look at my hand, yo!').
And I'm starting to wonder if there is something to the idea that RBR has somehow managed to program Webber's starting clutch levels and whatnot to purposely screw him on the starts. As the only obvious threat the Vettel (dare I say it) domination stats it could appear to an outside spectator that, over the course of the year, Webber hasn't had a single decent start, and the cause seems to be the same each time (anti-stall/low revs). Webber has the experience and knowledge to practice and focus on the starts and yet we're still talking about his horrible starts. Imagine if the ol MW hadn't had to regain a handful of places EVERY SINGLE RACE - he'd clearly be on Vettels tail if not leading the little twerp at the end of the 1st lap. Given the average difference at the checkered, one could easily speculate that Webber would be beating the finger-monster come finish time with not much more than a decent start. Same car and all...(or are they?)
There's no need to sabotage it. Mark flubs it all by himself. There's a narrow window between bog and stall, and Mark seems to find himself going for a little too many revs about half the time.
The fact that so many other drivers got such fantastic hole shots (most noticeably Rosberg) this time just made it that much more painful.
Hamilton had a terrific qualifying... qualifying second despite the damage to his car from the Maldonado incident. He fell back at the start but maintained his composure, watched the tires and took Felipe and Rosberg when the time came.
He made his front tires last longer than any of the other front-runners. He stayed out of trouble.
Then he overtakes Kobayashi fair and square right before the DRS activation zone, and gets on DRS and KERS to pull out a lead on Kamui. He THINKS he has it, then merges back onto the racing line... and bam. He's out.
It's mostly Lewis's fault, but it's not the "I'm the only man on the track" arrogant dick move some people make it out to be. He was genuinely surprised the Williams was still hanging with him.
That was a fast car Kobayashi had. Other front-runners were having trouble with Kobayashi on the faster sections of track. It had some amazing straightline speed, sacrificing downforce for top end. Normally, that car wouldn't be able to hang with a front-runner, but the McLaren was set up for more downforce, and had lousy top-end... and Kamui got a good tow.
The stewards judged it as a racing incident, Kamui had every right to take that line. But if it was Kobayashi who went out, they might have chosen to have some words with Hamilton, as he was very clearly in the wrong here... which is why he apologized later on (whether it was sincere or not, he recognized that he was at fault, so, anti-Hamiltonians, let's leave it at that).
I have a feeling it's not just Pastor who is smiling...
ReplyDeleteThere was no way in hell he was making the corner. He wasn't even set up outside enough to make the apex at that speed. Also, could he have saved the car and limped it back to the pits? I feel like running it into the barrier like that was a little silly...
ReplyDeleteHe took responsability for the crash after the race. TBH I dont think he even remotely thought Kobi was going to be that close to him and never checked his mirrors.
ReplyDeleteLewis had his DRS opened and SHOULD have been way way clear of him by the time they got to the end of the straight, but somehow Kobi pulled back on him and was still hanging on the outside.
I don't think that this is such a big deal (but i was still impressed how hamilton didn't flip out just cuz I am black comments.) This is 2 of the most aggressive drivers on the grid getting together, it happens. Kobayashi always gives everybody a hard time it just didn't work out the way he planed this ones. But I just don't get one thing, why not penalty? If it was the other way around I would bet all the money i have hamilton would get a drive through.
ReplyDeleteto the second coment, he didnt need to be on the ouside of the corner to make it. That corner had plenty of overtakes and a lot of them where from the inside. This suspension was broken so getting to the pits was not an option or more like no point.
ReplyDeleteI feel like running it into the barrier like that was a little silly...
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that he was knocked out from the impact? He was clearly on the brakes before he hit the barrier, after the bounce his hands were off the steering wheel and it was just fortunate that he rolled into the barrier. The footage shown on Australian TV (probably the same for most viewers globally) showed that he didn't move for several seconds and then all of a sudden moved and got out of the car. I don't think he was conscious after the initial impact into the barrier.
I think he blacked out due to the first hit, wich was a serious one since it was a 90° hit into the armco.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Ham's mistake here, no point arguing...He did move into Kob, not much tbh but, unfortunately, enough for a game-over
btw i think Lewis made a fundamental error in overtaking Kob at La Source, since it would have been much much easier and safer to pass him on Kemmel like everyone else did all race long.
ReplyDeleteThe crash to me isn't his main mistake, the real one was taking Kob way too soon giving him the chance to strike back on Kemmel.
dumb move, brain wasn't working there...
Key incident of the Belgian GP?
ReplyDeleteReally?
Is this a cynical attempt to drive comment traffic or are you just obsessed with Lewis? Jeez get a room.
Right, Lewis could not use DRS since he passed Kobi before Eau Rouge. It would be inderesting do dig up the top speed delta between Hamilton and Button and see if one had more wing on. Lewis complained his car was slow on the straights, though supposedly he had a hand in the setup...
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me Chris, Axis needs more views, please do what you can to spread the word about it, much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteHow fast was the yellow flag waving after the accident started? The man has lightning reflexes!
ReplyDeleteKey moments...
ReplyDeleteWeber fluffs the start AGAIN, he won't ever win a championships like that...
Button continues to show a maturity and racecraft that we hoped Hamilton had started to develop, another great drive, probably drive of the day.
Likewise Alonso one of the select few on the grid who really is the finished article, driver's who can conjure a win from the meanest ingredients - and crucially when they cannot they bag championship points.
...was Rosberg's message to turn the wick down code for 'let the old man past'? It would be a shame for both drivers if that was the impression fans were left with.
@ts I thought exactly the same thing the first time I saw the slo mo clip! Impressive..
ReplyDeleteWell seeing as Lewis qualified right behind Seb, this was, in many ways, the key event in the race. The headline is a valid one.
ReplyDeleteWhat is interesting to me is that Button in ahead of Hamilton on points, and if you took away Button's two DNF which were not his fault, he'd be WELL ahead.
Although one has to wonder that the presence of Kobayashi and Hamilton on the same bit of racetrack probably has marshals reaching for the yellow flag as a habit...
ReplyDeleteDont know SPA that well to know if Hamilton would have made the corner, but this was a clear lack of awareness of other's track position.
ReplyDeleteOne thing is to be confident, another is to never use your mirrors.
Unfortunately for Lewis, like it or not, he has built (a bad) reputation on the grid, so I can only expect more of this to happen going forward as almost no one will cede 1/8 of an inch on any move he tires.
Chris mentioned it above, but what the hell is up with Webber and his poor starts? AC and I have joked in the past about Red Bull having a special start line "clutch setting" for reserved just for him. Could this really be true? Or are his nerves getting the better of him? One would think he'd practice like mad, maybe even forced by Red Bull to practice.
ReplyDeleteHamilton was clearly knocked unconscious from the impact. The video above does not show this but he was laying there for quite a while(he was still not moving even when the safety crews reached his car. He didn't even apply the brake before the barrier and then proceeded to roll back a few feet. It took him quite a while to get out of the car and remove his steering wheel.
ReplyDeleteNah, he was probably just sitting there thinking about how he was now out how he was going spin his crash. Obviously he chose wrong (saying he did not even know who hit him" but then his PR people tweeted a politically correct apology :)
ReplyDeleteI've been an LH fan for a while now, and even I find myself wondering WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT BOY (best Hank Hill impression).
ReplyDeleteAfter the last few races I had thought there was a glimmer of hope buried under the mistakes and unforced errors. But once again I find myself losing the desire to watch the rest of the race because I'm simply dumbfounded that my hero has once again given me reason to examine my palm at close proximity to my face ('whoa, man...look at my hand, yo!').
And I'm starting to wonder if there is something to the idea that RBR has somehow managed to program Webber's starting clutch levels and whatnot to purposely screw him on the starts. As the only obvious threat the Vettel (dare I say it) domination stats it could appear to an outside spectator that, over the course of the year, Webber hasn't had a single decent start, and the cause seems to be the same each time (anti-stall/low revs). Webber has the experience and knowledge to practice and focus on the starts and yet we're still talking about his horrible starts. Imagine if the ol MW hadn't had to regain a handful of places EVERY SINGLE RACE - he'd clearly be on Vettels tail if not leading the little twerp at the end of the 1st lap. Given the average difference at the checkered, one could easily speculate that Webber would be beating the finger-monster come finish time with not much more than a decent start. Same car and all...(or are they?)
There's no need to sabotage it. Mark flubs it all by himself. There's a narrow window between bog and stall, and Mark seems to find himself going for a little too many revs about half the time.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that so many other drivers got such fantastic hole shots (most noticeably Rosberg) this time just made it that much more painful.
Hamilton had a terrific qualifying... qualifying second despite the damage to his car from the Maldonado incident. He fell back at the start but maintained his composure, watched the tires and took Felipe and Rosberg when the time came.
He made his front tires last longer than any of the other front-runners. He stayed out of trouble.
Then he overtakes Kobayashi fair and square right before the DRS activation zone, and gets on DRS and KERS to pull out a lead on Kamui. He THINKS he has it, then merges back onto the racing line... and bam. He's out.
It's mostly Lewis's fault, but it's not the "I'm the only man on the track" arrogant dick move some people make it out to be. He was genuinely surprised the Williams was still hanging with him.
That was a fast car Kobayashi had. Other front-runners were having trouble with Kobayashi on the faster sections of track. It had some amazing straightline speed, sacrificing downforce for top end. Normally, that car wouldn't be able to hang with a front-runner, but the McLaren was set up for more downforce, and had lousy top-end... and Kamui got a good tow.
The stewards judged it as a racing incident, Kamui had every right to take that line. But if it was Kobayashi who went out, they might have chosen to have some words with Hamilton, as he was very clearly in the wrong here... which is why he apologized later on (whether it was sincere or not, he recognized that he was at fault, so, anti-Hamiltonians, let's leave it at that).