I think F1 should have the rookie rule that MotoGP has had. In MotoGP rookies have to spend at least a year in a satellite team (Gresini Honda, LCR Honda, Tech 3 etc.) before they could move to a factory team (Yamaha or Repsol Honda). In Formula 1, rookies could be prohibited from joining the top 5 (for example) teams as they finished in the constructors a year before.
You could argue that this is what Red Bull have done with Ricciardo, and he's turned out ok. I like it as an idea, and it also offers another way of getting money into backmarker teams, which is always good. There's only so many seats that would be available for this, so you'd end up with a kind of bidding war between big teams to offer lower teams enough money to run their up and coming hot shot for a season. On the other hand, it'll push out drivers who are perfectly good enough, but simply aren't linked to a big team, or don't have the money to pay their way. Force India are a team in trouble financially at the moment, so the likes of Di Resta (TGWBSIF3), who are there on talent not sponsorship, would quickly be pushed out out if Red Bull were offering to pay to place a decent driver with them. Equally though, you could argue that this system is almost already in place, without any regulation to enforce it. Before Grosjean, I can't think of anyone since Hamilton (although I'm probably forgetting someone) who has come into F1 and straight into a highly competitive car. Most spend a couple of seasons with midfield or lower teams, and then get poached by the big guys when they show some talent.
Check out the early F1 careers of Seb and Alonso. Littered with crashes. Alonso in Brazil (2003 i think) should have been banned for ignoring double waved yellows at 180 mph, Vettel taking out Webber in Fuji 2007 just for starters.
Don't think Seb would of crashed into Webber if a certain GP2 driver knew how to stay behind a safety car properly... After Fuji: Webber was particularly critical of Hamilton's driving that led to the accident, describing his antics as "****".
Bit hard when the spray Lewis chucked up by breaking and swerving like a **** caused the problem in the first place.
When new evidence was presented to the FIA, it began an investigation of Lewis Hamilton for dangerous driving and causing the collision himself. Hamilton was leading the race right in front of Webber, before suddenly braking and forcing Webber to follow suit lest he be penalised for overtaking behind the safety car; the collision occurred when Vettel's car ran into the back of Webber. Hamilton might have faced either disqualification or a grid penalty for the next race, but the FIA decided not to impose any penalty. ****ing GP2 rich boys.
What I am pointing out to you Silver, is that 3.5 drivers have just as many accidents/brain fades as GP2 drivers. Anyone can be selective in choosing the incidents they want to highlight.
It appears that your anger is somewhat misdirected given that a full-on FIA investigation found that Hamilton had not done something worthy of punishment.
Some pretty interesting replies so far, though we are in danger of straying into Hamilton Vs Vettel territory. (which never ends well for Vettel )
If you want another side to this argument though, some drivers barely need feeder series' before they're ready for F1. Take Kimi for example, Mosley was against granting him his super licencse in 2001, on the basis that he'd only been involved in 23 car races (of any series, winning 13) before joining F1. He did some off-season testing, came in, and in his first season scored 9 points to Heidfeld's 12, and didn't cause any collisions. I'm prepared to be proved wrong on this, but from what I can find on youtube, etc, I can only find evidence of Kimi making 2 race-ending mistakes in F1, he spun at Melbourne in 2008, and in the same season collided with Sutil, the only time he's ever taken someone else out. Every other crash video I can find of him has it's roots in mechanical failure, or someone hitting him.
So tell me, over the last 4-5 seasons which junior series has been in the most **** with crashes, penalties, conspiracies and pretty much pissing all over the rules the FIA place? I don't have to count because I'm pretty confident it will involve about 70-75% of GP2 drivers. May god have mercy on us all when Valsecchi, Razia, Gutierrez, GVDG and Chilton come into F1...
Current drivers in F1: FR 3.5 Alonso Karthikeyan Kovalainen Vettel Kobayashi Maldanado Ricciardo Vergne GP2 Rosberg Kovalainen Hamilton Glock Senna Grosjean Hulkenberg Petrov Kobayashi Maldonado Perez Pic Removing the doubles makes it 5 vs 9 or 36% vs 64% so 70-75% of crashes being GP2 drivers aint far off being average
If we want to throw another slant at it the worst crash has come from a world series by renault driver - although granted it wasn't in F1 (Kubica rally crash)
I read the result of the crash was because the safety car in front failed to notify the cars behind that there was a massive bump on the road of the cause of a massive tree root, that and there was a brick wall on his right that was curving further and further to the left which was never pointed out as threat to ones safety. Drives over bump - car lifts up - car hits brick wall - brick wall pushes car straight into a metal road barrier.
So all new F1 drivers must come from 3.5 for the safety of the sport and mercy on our souls. I'm pretty sure its not a full moon at the moment, so what has got into you Silver? You're back to irrational hate/mob/burn witches/they must all die mentality again.
Hay I did say I was taking a month out out of respect for Lewis' aunt and his family, that time has passed now! And anyway this place has become quiet all of a sudden because of that...
