I guess it's usually quoted as "led each lap", which he did, even if Rosberg had it briefly. That's rather than "led every second".
So who do you guys think was right out of Rosberg and his team? I kind of think maybe Rosberg was right to conserve the tyres till the end for a final push rather than push and fall of the cliff at the end. Also do you think team orders were at play to keep Lewis behind?
hard to say, he may have been able to catch up but I doubt he would've got passed Kimi, as to team orders, I don't think so, Hamilton looked like he tried a couple of times, but singapore is only slightly more overtaking friendly than Monaco, but only just. The only 'controversial' order was the stewards order for Hulk to give his place up to Perez, what was he supposed to do, smash into Maldonado or Perez? Joke of a decision
My personal and no doubt controversial opinion on Hulk is that according to the letter of the law, he did gain an advantage by going off the track. When they went through...turn 5 I think it was Perez was all over him, Hulk got a better run out of the corner because he was off the track and thereby got a chance to pull away from Perez he wouldn't have got otherwise. You could see it in the fact that Perez went from alongside him to a car length back by the very next corner, which isn't a particularly long straight. It's important to remember the rule applies to both maintaining and gaining positions by running outside the track boundaries. Perez squeezing Hulk out of track on the corner's exit is a standard overtaking manoeuvre, we saw similar happen at other stages of the race and I really hope that's not a rule people want rid of because it's one of the only ways people overtake any more. If Hulk had been alongside Perez at the next corner and held his position that way I think the stewards would have allowed it, but he wasn't. (I'd have to look at it again, but I also can't remember how much track Perez left him) I think the real problem is the run-off area at that corner though - it's way too close to the track, give the drivers a bit more room and you'll open the corner up for more overtaking and you'll eliminate the chances of this happening. To bring up another old chestnut, it's also not helped by the fact that the run-off area is made of tarmac and hence there is actually a potential advantage for driving on it because it actually gives you a better run down to the next corner. All it would take is for them to lay down some astro turf, really. EDIT: To clarify, I think Hulk was very unlucky, but I think the stewards did have a right to impose a penalty.
From what I recall without refreshing my memory with a video clip. It looked like some slight contact or a mistake (maybe marbles) because Hulkenberg wiggled a bit. But you are right it was tight in the fight with the crash kids perez and maldo involved... Grosjean Lurking
Rules are simple. If you go off the track and gain an advantage you have to give it back. We have seen in the past the decision may be inequitbale due to other reasons i.e. avoiding contact, but it is the one rule that is consistently applied........... or is it? See Hamilton's overtake on Massa going into turn 4. Hamilton had all four wheels outside the white line when he tried to go around Massa, which then gave him extra speed to get alongside Massa into the next corner. I'm not aware that he had to give that place back, unless I missed something on the highlights. Surely after Spa 08, Hamilton would have had to wait until after the next corner before getting past, to show that he had no advantage by going off line?
I think he did get asked to give it back and did so. As for hulk he wasn't cutting a corner. Something caused him to go wide and he maintained his position. He wasn't going to do a right angle to go back on the track was he. I wouldn't be surprised if perez had a moan. He seems to have a tactic of squeezing people and then unfairly gaining the position by the FIA.
yep, and by the letter of the law crowding someone off the track is also illegal, so really each driver should have been penalised, Hulk forced to give the place back and then Perez should have got a drive through, it's not like he took to the sand a la Alonso and Hamilton at Bahrain, the fact is Perez didn't have the lead or the right to the corner going in, hit his opponent off track and then got rewarded for it
