Agreed, but the point is that Alonso managed to make the most of the situation, which is one of the reasons that he is "the most complete driver on the grid" and that so many people - who probably wish they were half as crafty - don't like him!
Aye, i agree, what a piece of biased nonsense. Theres a pretty good (neutral) article about all the stuff to find here (though in german). Very interesting details about Alonsos history with Monza & italian fans & Ferrari too. http://www.motorsport-magazin.com/f...sehbar-die-richtigen-konsequenzen-ziehen.html
Why is that. Vettel forced Alonso off the track in direct contravention of a rule introduced this year, comparisons with last year are useless. Plus it had a direct effect on Alonso's race if reports on damage to his car are true (hole in floor, broken rear damper, lost part of diffuser) which you could argue robbed him of the chance to push for the lead.
The stewards wouldn't have known about the damage or the affect on his race (if true?) so what bearing should that have on a stewards decision?
He is also allowed one move which you could argue he did given that he was on the racing line, it's not like he was jinking aka Schuey (monza 2011).
Just to clarify a couple of incidents, the driver steward for last weekend (Emanuele Pirro) said: On Vettel-Alonso: "After Bahrein, when Nico Rosberg forced Hamilton to complete a pass beyond the circuit boundaries and later Alonso to have to lift to avoid going off track, the FIA issued very clear guidelines. The leading driver can choose his line up until the driver behind brings any part of his car beside the leading car's rear wheels: at that moment the driver ahead is obliged to leave one car width of space. Vettel's penalty was correct as Alonso front wing was well beyond the Red Bull's rear tires." On Di Resta-Senna: "There was no double standard, TV pictures showed how Senna was already on the grass when he started the overtaking maneuver. As the Brazilian was beyond the white line it was he who was taking the extra risk and Di Resta was under no obligation to leave him room as he had the right to his line into the corner."
The rules are wrong if you ask me. If you can be penalized for holding your line and fighting for your position, we may as well stop calling it racing.
Vettel didn't hold his line, he deliberately moved OFF the racing line to push Alonso off the track and onto the grass.
If you watch Vettel's onboard (here), you can see that he looks in his mirror and immediately moves left to force Alonso off the track.
Not so sure about that... He's already starting to occupy that part of the track as he looks to his mirrors. He certainly wasn't going to leave the door open has he has to by the rules now... but as a racing driver he shouldn't have to yield IMO... That's racing. By the current rules, all a driver has to do is poke a piece of car along side and the leading car has to yield. It feels like we are now punishing (inconsistently) racing and I just don't like it.
Middle ground isn't it. I'd regard a corner as more turns which require a change in speed and an entry, apex, exit trajectory. Curva Grande, while not straight, requires none of this. It's flat out straight on through
Stefano pretty much backs me up what I say: Domenicali said, “It was a hard battle and I believe the Stewards’ decision was right, above all given the clarification that was given out by the FIA after the last Bahrain Grand Prix. I’m also sure that Sebastian didn’t have any intention of jeopardising Fernando’s race: the German is a driver who is firm but fair.” His direction was to repeat the situation of 2011, not to push Alonso off to make him crash.
I dont think anyone would disagree with the penalty based on the current rules and how they are interpreted. Its the fact that the rules are wrong and are affecting common sense that is the issue. In this case Vettle was always going to take the natural line and drift to the oustide of the track at atht point (I dont dispute that he was looking at Alonso and probably gave the car a little twitch in his direction) but Alono new that the space wasnt going to be there at the end of the move - any racing driver knows that!
Indeed, Stefano sounds here pretty reserved to attack Seb, he could of, but he didn't and yet in a way praised him? Or it's Seb's way of saying for future reference: "Don't think you can boss me around or I'll make your life hell!"
Depending on which scribe you believe, but he's meant to have in his (Vettel) contact a performance clause? If not met (by Redbull), he can leave Redbull at the end of the 2013 season... However, should Newey design a beast of a car for 2013 and he wins or comes close to winning another WDC, I can't see him leaving for Ferrari in 2014, he doesn't come across as the sentimetal sort!
