Belgian Grand Prix 2012, Spa-Francorchamps - Race 12/20

I have to say to me the Grosjean penalty seems a little harsh!

To my mind it is a racing incident, its fair to say in the run down to the first corner there he would be concentrating on looking forward for gaps to move into rather than his mirrors! Yes he did move across into Hamilton but there was very little space, and it was a relatively minor movement towards the right. I just dont think he knew Hamilton was there.

It could have been a much more innocuous incident had Hamiltons car been controllable enough to slow down some more rather than plowing through the field - not that I would even think of blaming Hamilton though! For me its simple...the run down to La Source is always a dangerous one for the first time, and I don't think any driver today involved in the first corner accident did anything seriously wrong in order to warrant as severe a punishment as Grosjean got.
 
Will said:
I have to say to me the Grosjean penalty seems a little harsh!

To my mind it is a racing incident, its fair to say in the run down to the first corner there he would be concentrating on looking forward for gaps to move into rather than his mirrors! Yes he did move across into Hamilton but there was very little space, and it was a relatively minor movement towards the right. I just dont think he knew Hamilton was there.

I don't think any driver today involved in the first corner accident did anything seriously wrong in order to warrant as severe a punishment as Grosjean got.
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Are you blind or mad? He went from one extreme side of the track to the other!
 
Surprised by the penalties, not saying they are wrong, just surprised the FIA is seemingly being tough... I do feel Grosjean's penalty is quite harsh, but perhaps they have already warned him about it.
 
Guerrilla said:
Surprised by the penalties, not saying they are wrong, just surprised the FIA is seemingly being tough... I do feel Grosjean's penalty is quite harsh, but perhaps they have already warned him about it.
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The FIA will take into account previous misdemeanors though. It's a culmination of those preceding incidents and this one today which has resulted in the 1 race ban. imo.
 
smr said:
The FIA will take into account previous misdemeanors though. It's a culmination of those preceding incidents and this one today which has resulted in the 1 race ban. imo.
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Yup, you can't really overlook 7 first lap starting incidents in a season. At some point the FIA will tire of it, especially with him taking out a load of the championship contenders.
 
JHeaton said:
Can someone actually list those incidents? Because I can't think of seven. :/
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Glad it's not just me. I certainly don't have a photographic memory of every driver and track like some do but apart from Monaco (where I personally don't think he was at fault) I can't think of any, let alone 7. There may have been a couple of love taps but that's just racing, everyone does those.
 
Panzerbjorn said:
Are you blind or mad? He went from one extreme side of the track to the other!
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He did move across the track granted, but it was only a small twitch that caused contact with Hamilton, its not like he swung wildly into the side of someon, and basically T boned them with the front of his car...! His move across the track was only to look at lining up a move down the inside of the cars in front in my view.

To to me its seems the case that Grosjean was simply not aware that Hamilton was there, or if he was, then he was not aware he was quite so close to the Mclaren.

The accident can just about be blamed on Grosjean - if you seek to apportion blame - but to me its more an incident due to inattention (natural when focussing on the cars in front rather than behind) than a deliberate or reckless act.

How many times now do the FIA dish up penalties for incidents nowadays, and seek to apportion blame for any incident? In previous seasons it seemed drivers could go un-punished for collisions that happen in the heat of the moment or through misfortune rather than recklessness - frankly its racing, thats what happens from time to time, F1 seems to be far quicker to dish out penalties than for other forms of circuit racing, and far more keen to penalise drivers than in past seasons.

To think of the things Maldonado has done repeatedly and not been banned for, where they are far more obviously actions that are/were deliberate, makes it all the more strange to see Grosjean penalised so harshly.
 
Would love to see a replay again and see how much space Hamilton had to his right side, I know he didnt have much space but I recalled that there was a little bit of tarmac left...


Not quite the same but roles reversed, I.e. Hamilton squeezing Grosjean onto the white line... obviously not as dangerous since no other cars around but still I wonder..

Was the penalty handed based on the move or based on the fact that he caused a pileup?
 
Cavallino said:
Would love to see a replay again and see how much space Hamilton had to his right side, I know he didnt have much space but I recalled that there was a little bit of tarmac left...


Not quite the same but roles reversed, I.e. Hamilton squeezing Grosjean onto the white line... obviously not as dangerous since no other cars around but still I wonder..

Was the penalty handed based on the move or based on the fact that he caused a pileup?
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Just lol
 
What a great race that was! Action from the very first corner, so lucky with Alonso as it could have been much worse.

Lots of overtaking, different strategies and of course Button keeping his nose clean at the front gave him a clean run with Brawn like domination :) Looking good for Mclaren at Monza.

Just saw the penalties. Although I like Grosjean when he doesn't make the silly mistakes, I can see why the FIA did it. Maldonado once again made a **** of himself, cant be far off the ban either really.

Bad luck for Hamilton and Alonso being taken out. Just shows how quickly things can change.
 
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