He should have lost the points from this race as he was ahead. That's a bigger punishment than a race ban because Hamilton could then easily DNF anyway. Either I would have been happy with, even both.
Poll: European Grand Prix 2017, Baku - Race 8/20
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
He should have lost the points from this race as he was ahead. That's a bigger punishment than a race ban because Hamilton could then easily DNF anyway. Either I would have been happy with, even both.
Soldato
Next time I get cut up out on the public highway I'm going to sideswipe the culprit to teach them a lesson. Oh wait, I'd get charged with dangerous driving 
Soldato
I can't believe how many online are justifying Vettel's actions. People despise Hamilton that much that they cannot see fault with deliberately ramming a car or are stating that Hamilton deserved it.
F1 fans are clearly getting worse !
Very enjoyable race for me. Unhappy for Perez and Raikonen's misfortune and Hamilton's headrest incident.
Ricciardo made some excellent passes, made the most of some really good fortune in his favour!
F1 fans are clearly getting worse !
Very enjoyable race for me. Unhappy for Perez and Raikonen's misfortune and Hamilton's headrest incident.
Ricciardo made some excellent passes, made the most of some really good fortune in his favour!
Epic, love Kimi!
Soldato
I really don't understand everyone calling for Vettel to be disqualified. I can only recall two drivers being given a DQ/ban for causing any kind of collision in semi-recent times and that was Irvine for Interlagos 1994 and Grosjean for the Spa pile-up. Even though they weren't deliberate, anyone expecting Vettel to be black flagged for a 25mph clash is deluded judging by past incidents (see Maldonado).
What Vettel did in retaliation was childish and frankly stupid, but it was never deserving of an on-the-spot black flag, especially now with the more relaxed punishments.
A 30 second penalty and points on his license (now 3 away from a ban in a 12 month period, but he loses 2 of those points after Silverstone) were quite sufficient punishments in my opinion.
What Vettel did in retaliation was childish and frankly stupid, but it was never deserving of an on-the-spot black flag, especially now with the more relaxed punishments.
A 30 second penalty and points on his license (now 3 away from a ban in a 12 month period, but he loses 2 of those points after Silverstone) were quite sufficient punishments in my opinion.
That's the thing - he's not trying to justify his road-rage, he's in total denial that it even happened or that he did anything wrong. That's what's really worrying.
Won't happen as he'd need to accrue three more points in Austria which is seriously unlikely as only this deliberate crash has thus far warranted that many. Come Silverstone he'll drop two points so will then be five short of the limit.
The fact he's accrued nine points shows just what a nutcase he is. That you can deliberately crash into another driver and hurl abuse at Charlie over the radio yet still not get enough points for a ban demonstrates that the system is broken and just a token gesture.
If you want some entertaining reading you should check out Crash.net. The commentators there hate Hamilton with a pasion and some of the users are jumping through hoops justifying Vettels actions
Man of Honour
Almost reads like a satire site.
Deleted member 651465
D
Deleted member 651465
A diagonally divided black-and-white flag is displayed with a car number to indicate a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. This flag can be displayed if a car tries to intentionally drive another car off the course, or if a driver gets out of his or her car and initiates an altercation with another driver
You could make the argument that the red flag took precedent but why didn't they show him the black/white flag?
You could make the argument that the red flag took precedent but why didn't they show him the black/white flag?
Vettel did deserve a black flag and/or a ban but in honesty drivers have moved over erratically for years in the hope that the other car takes avoiding action. Hamilton has done it many times himself and lucky for him the other car has moved out of the way. I have argued for years that the other driver shouldn't have to move or leave the circuit to avoid an accident.
Anyway I think this will work in Hamiltons favour, Vettel doesn't like the crtitism and will fall apart under the pressure. Vettel did him a favour in the same way MS did JV, let them take the morale high ground even though they are no angels themselves.
Anyway I think this will work in Hamiltons favour, Vettel doesn't like the crtitism and will fall apart under the pressure. Vettel did him a favour in the same way MS did JV, let them take the morale high ground even though they are no angels themselves.
It's pathetic crap from fanboys who are just as delusional as their hero, both on that site and here. Every single reporter, pundit and analyst agrees Vettel was totally in the wrong and many also believe he should have been disqualified, including some team bosses by all accounts. The only people defending Vettel are his blinkered fans or, more specifically, Hamilton haters.
I think even in Touring Car racing dont they pull you off the track if you "intentionally" drive into another driver? Ive seen that enforced fully a few times and they told them to get off track, and thats one of the most "touch friendly" racing we have.
Don
I think the punishment was fine - whatever they do it's a fine line as to whether it interferes with the WDC or not. Had Hamilton not had the issue with his headrest then I think Vettels resulting drop in position and points would have been fine - not impacted the championship too much but made it clear it, it was unacceptable.
you seem to be forgetting that, that punishment was only applied due to Hamilton issues and this is by far the biggest issue. Which essentially no one is talking about. The penalty was manufactured and selected at such a point that it kept them close together on track. This is not how penalties should be handled and makes a complete mockery of the sport.
and your last sentence omg wow, penalties should not be impacted by the championship at all, if someone does something that requires a DQ it requires a DQ
Don
No but imagine the backlash if the WDC is decided due to someone being DQ?
Would it have benefited "the sport" to DQ Vettel and potentially hand another WDC to Mercedes, or is it in the interest of the sport to keep things interesting and entertaining? Yes it was a douche move by Vettel, but between his 30 seconds effective penalty (that Mercedes failed to capitalise on due to Hamiltons problem), and the negative press that Vettel has received for the incident, is that not enough?
When people already complain that F1 isn't "entertaining" enough, then keeping it interesting by keeping other drivers in contention at this early stage of the season is acceptable imho.
Might have been wrong but don't think the penalty was manufactured - thought it was decided before Hamilton's issue was even noticed - just a case that Vettel waiting until the last of his 3 allowed laps to take the penalty, which more or less coincided with Hamilton pitting.
Man of Honour
There would be no backlash. It would have been a justified disqualification.
Schumacher got DSQ from a whole season for trying to hit his rival. Vettel gets a slap on the wrist because it makes good TV when they come out of the pit together. It was a farce.
this is not WWE, penalties should be and are needed to be championship agnostic.
would you say the same for football or any other sport, don't give the penalty they're likely to win/lose this game.
it was absolutely manufactured, it was to be investigated after the race, Hamilton had the issue and was told to pit by race control, then within seconds, they change their mind and give Vet a 10 sec stop/go, they knew it was an easy way out to keep them next to each other on track and it was utter bs.
would you say the same for football or any other sport, don't give the penalty they're likely to win/lose this game.
it was absolutely manufactured, it was to be investigated after the race, Hamilton had the issue and was told to pit by race control, then within seconds, they change their mind and give Vet a 10 sec stop/go, they knew it was an easy way out to keep them next to each other on track and it was utter bs.
Imagine the backlash if the WDC is decided by someone not getting a DQ when they so obviously should have had one? A driver's position in the championship table should have no relevance on what kind of punishment he gets for an offence. FIA are setting the precedent that you can be guilty of one of the most serious offences in F1, and as long as you are in with a shout at the title, you get a stop-go instead of being black-flagged. That's outrageous. Will it be okay now if Hamilton angrily smashes his car into Vettel, and he only gets a stop-go instead of a DQ? FIA says yes.
Soldato
Am I the only one that thinks Vettel didn't mean to hit Hamilton?
I think as he tried to move up inside the car to complain he pulled the wheel too much and they collided.
I also don't think Hamilton deliberately brake tested Vettel. It's an odd corner and a little unsighted at the height of the drivers - its oddly cambered - Hamilton was trying to give the safety car enough of a gap to get out of the way, Vettel is under pressure from the Force India so looking back rather than forward. Vettel's fault for hitting Hamilton but I don't think either of them meant to do these things deliberately.
Anyway, that's my take on it.
I think as he tried to move up inside the car to complain he pulled the wheel too much and they collided.
I also don't think Hamilton deliberately brake tested Vettel. It's an odd corner and a little unsighted at the height of the drivers - its oddly cambered - Hamilton was trying to give the safety car enough of a gap to get out of the way, Vettel is under pressure from the Force India so looking back rather than forward. Vettel's fault for hitting Hamilton but I don't think either of them meant to do these things deliberately.
Anyway, that's my take on it.