Well said. I think we need to have it confirmed that it was deliberate, he might have hit a puddle and swerved for all we know, a complete accident. The BBC jumped to it being deliberate revenge, and went on about the bad feeling between them, etc, after Monaco, which was completely unsubstantiated. I'd like an onboard shot from Maldonaldo for a start, and any team radio would be interesting.
what was maldonado doing so close to lewis when he had masses of space to get past?plus q2 had finished. maldonados fault.
On the 2nd video on the list, you can clearly see Hamilton going right at 4 seconds into the video. I think it was nothing more but 2 diagonal lines going towards one another. Hamilton could have slowed down or not even let him pass in the first case.
Remind me why Williams has this bloke? Would Hulkenberg have ever done that? No. Completely unsportsmanlike move and totally agree should be banned for a race or some other major penalty. At least all the crashing Hamilton did at the start of the season was just him being stupid not malicious.
Rumour on twitter say that the video shows Lewis swerve to the right and then Pastor makes contact in his own unique way with another swerve.
I am sure the stewards will make the correct verdict because they will be able to see inboard footage to look at where they are looking and also the wheel movement.
That was brilliant. Should get banned for the rest of the weekend though. I don't think Lewis covered himself in glory though, clearly had a little nibble at Maldonado as he went by, but deliberately crashing into someone goes way beyond what's acceptable and a ban for Pastor is appropriate.
If McNish was the steward, he would DSQ Hamilton and put Maldonado on pole. Then again, Mansell would not appear to be a great Lewis fan judging by recent comments. But of course, the stewards are completely impartial to all that......................
Anyone trying a Mackem-style derby day tackle on a race track, or anyone seriously trying to defend it, deserves a lynching. It's dangerous, potentially lethal. To spark it out of anger is ridiculous. These guys put there life in danger when they race, it does not need an idiot intentionally causing crashes (and unless you are of anti-Hamilton persausion, you'll find it as detestable as I do that someone should compare this spite and any racing incidents Hamilton has been involved in)... Imagine young drivers on the road taking the lead on this having seen it on F1? As Sean Lock says, we need to protect the stupid! Ban Maldonado. Ban him for the season if this behaviour is to be stamped out. A grid-drop for the race is a conceivable punishment for minor blocking in qualifying, this is actually a serious incident!
Does he deserve to be disqualified? Quite possibly yes. He caused a collision on purpose on a part of the racetrack where it's most dangerous. Could I understand it in a heat of the moment, high pressure moment of the race? Yes but I still wouldn't condone it. Can I understand it on an in lap between two drivers? Absolutely not. Terrible behaviour from someone who has shown us to be nothing but a driver of mid order mediocrity. All because of Hamilton legally passing him in the last corner. The least he deserves is a demotion to the very back but there's a very strong argument for a disqualification. That said I think stewards will take a look at the quick jerk to the left by Hamilton just before Maldonado's moronic move. Regardless he shouldn't be penalised.
I think the last person to have been disqualified from an event before race day for driving standards, as oppsoed to a technical infringemnent, was Christian Danner at Monaco in 1987. Useless fact, but hey-ho!
Ant Davidson also said he did not think Hamilton was completely innocent. There is obviously ill feeling between the two. Hey maybe Maldonado is Hamilton's new 'Prost'.
It doesn't get more high pressure than the end of a qualifying session and that happened seconds after they crossed the line. Not condoning it, but the timing makes it more understandable rather than worse in my opinion.
You can interpret that how you like though. Was Hamilton angry and trying to show it to Maldonaldo for being held up? Or was Maldonaldo trying to run Hamilton out of track, so Hamilton swerved to try and force Maldonaldo to move across and give him space? Did Maldonaldo then feel that trying to run Hamilton off the road wasn't enough, and so collided with him? I'd love to see how the stewards justify their decision, whatever it is. Can anyone remember where the stewards reports on incidents were available online?
Let's remember it was the end of quali 2 where both drivers knew whether they had made it to the top 10 shoot out. Genuinely see no reason why it's more understandable.
Lewis went right because that's where you go for the entry to Eau Rouge and he assumed Maldonado had either gone past or would move right. Maldonado went left much more quickly.
Maybe this will be a warning to Alonso the next time he is in a WDC fight and Pastor cost him the title.
[video=youtube;Wzixd6oewTw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzixd6oewTw[/video] I've watched the incident numerous times, and Hamilton appears to make the first move. His car was already drifting to the right, towards Maldonado's williams, before maldonado's car made contact. I think both are to blame, and the pair of them should grow up, and act like adults. If Maldonado is not allowed to start, i think it's extremely unfair on him.
