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Fisichella to Ferrari!

Giancarlo is finally getting his chance to driver for Ferrari.  He will drive for the remainder of the 2009 season and it is also believed that he has secured a long term testing role as well.

Good luck Fisi!

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O, Canada (we don't need you)

So the FIA has released the 18 race 2009 schedule and the Canadian GP in Montreal is nowhere to be found. This only a couple of years after they punted the U.S. GP. I guess F1 doesn't need North America. We only buy most of the cars made by the manufacturers. I'm sure Honda, Toyota and BMW love this decision, to name a few.

By all means, let's give Spain two races but none in the U.S. or Canada. This is not a great way to build a fan base. I suspect it has to do with revenues and the new overseas tracks being more willing and able to line Bernie's pockets.

This is truly sad, because Montreal provided Americans the chance to get the feel of a European GP without the expense. It was also a great track that has produced some memorable results over the years.

At least we still have Spa, Silverstone and Monza, but with the loss of the Nurburgring, the neutering of Hockenheim, and the constant threats against Silverstone, trends are headed a direction I don't like, and it goes far beyond Canada. This is just the latest symptom of the disease. I fear for my favorite sport.

McLaren Appeal Found Inadmissible

McLaren should think about staying out of the courts.  This is their second time to lose an appeal in as many years.  In this case, they were allowed to make a full argument and yet they threw out the appeal on grounds that it's inadmissible regardless of their statements.  It seems that the FIA are wanting to set a precedence  in this matter and by not allowing the argument to even be considered, have stamped their authority on the previous ruling.

During the hearing, Hamilton snapped and made this ridiculous statement when he was questioned about his comments regarding the hearing.

"Are you a racing driver? No. I have been a racing driver since I was eight years old and I know pretty much every single maneuver in the book, and that's why I'm the best at my job.
We're talking about a skilled driver under intense pressure making a split-second decision which no one, unless they are in F1, can comprehend."

It appears that the media hype is finally starting to go to his head.  If Lewis makes it to the end of the season without making even more boneheaded mistakes, I'll be surprised.

Read On

Lewis Hamilton "Deserves" to Win?

Somebody should tell Lewis that the season isn't quite over.  He's already stating that he "morally" deserves to win the 2008 WDC title.  If he doesn't snap before the end of the year, I'll be surprised.  Normally when a driver talks like this, it comes back to bite him.

Read for yourself...

Lewis Hamilton Bias – The First Black WDC?

The latest scandal is yet another example of the uncompromising bias in the media for Lewis Hamilton.  Many people are chomping at the bit to have the first black world champion.  This is a very worthy desire, but I believe it is a bit dishonest to the sport that is Formula One, to push a driver for the WDC title in an attempt for racial parity.  Yes, I know…you’re above all that and you are just supporting Lewis because he is a superb driver and a great racer.  Well, then you’ll appreciate the honest look at the events that took place during the closing laps of the Belgian Grand Prix.

First we'll look at the actual ruling by the stewards and then we'll look at the International Sporting Code.

 

 

This is the text for Article 30.3 out of the 2008 Formula One Regulations:
30.3   a) During practice and the race, drivers may use only the track and must at all times observe the
provisions of the Code relating to driving behavior on circuits.

This is the text for Appendix L Chapter 4 Article 2:
2. Overtaking
a) During a race, a car alone on the track may use the full width of
the said track. However, as soon as it is caught up on a straight
by a car which is either temporarily or constantly faster, the driver
shall give the other vehicle the right of way by pulling over to one
side in order to allow for passing on the other side.
b) If the driver who has been caught does not seem to make full use
of his rear-view mirror the flag marshal(s) will give a warning by
waving the blue flag to indicate that another competitor wants to
overtake.
Any driver who does not take notice of the blue flag may be
penalized by the Sporting Stewards.
Systematic or repeated offences may result in the exclusion of
the offender from the race.
c) Curves, as well as the approach and exit zones thereof, may be
negotiated by the drivers in any way they wish, within the limits of the track. Overtaking, according to the circumstances, may be done either on the right or on the left.
However, maneuvers liable to hinder other drivers such as
premature changes of direction, more than one change of
direction, deliberate crowding of cars towards the inside or the
outside of the curve or any other abnormal change of direction,
are strictly prohibited and shall be penalized, according to the
importance and repetition of the offences, by penalties ranging
from a fine to the exclusion from the race. The repetition of
dangerous driving, even involuntary, may result in the exclusion
from the race.
d) Any obstructive maneuver carried out by one or several
drivers, either having common interests or not, is prohibited.
The persistent driving abreast of several vehicles, as well as fanshaped arrangement, is authorized only if there is not another car trying to overtake. Otherwise the blue flag will be waved.
e) The penalty inflicted for ignoring the blue flag will also be applied to the drivers who obstruct part of the track and shall be more severe in the case of systematic obstruction, thus ranging from a fine to the exclusion from the race. The same penalty shall be applied to drivers who swing from one side of the track to the
other in order to prevent other competitors from overtaking.
f) The repetition of serious mistakes or the appearance of a lack
of control over the car (such as leaving the track) may entail the
exclusion of the drivers concerned.
g) The race track alone shall be used by the drivers during the
race.

 

After reading the sporting code, it is pretty clear that Lewis Hamilton was in error.  The question that remains for many though is whether or not he gave back the "advantage" that he gained from cutting the chicane.

Well, lets look at an example...

Two race drivers are on track at Spa.  We shall call them Racer A and Racer B.  On the current lap, Racer A is two seconds ahead of Racer B.  There is a chicane approaching and Racer A negotiates the chicane on the normal racing line.  Racer B approaches the chicane and instead "straight lines" the chicane and continues on so he can get closer to Racer A.  Now the two cars are only one second apart with Racer A still in the lead.

In that example it's easy to see where the advantage is obtained and if it was obvious that the driver cut the chicane on purpose he would be given a drive thru penalty.   What are the differences between this example and what happened at the race in Belgium?  One difference is that Lewis was in the middle of trying a pass on Kimi at the entry to the chicane.  Given the normal racing line, he wasn't going to make it so he had three possible variables to choose from. 

1. He could maintain his line and risk taking them both out.
2. He could lift and let Kimi maintain the lead.
3. He could cut the chicane and take the lead.

If he had lifted and let Kimi maintain the lead he would not have been in a position to pass him on the very short straight that followed and would have to try and pass him later.  Instead, he chose to cut the chicane and take the lead.  After he did this he realized that he needed to let Kimi by.  He did so briefly, but since it was just before a braking zone he took the lead right back and never gave up his advantage.  He knew this would not hold up.  He's been part of the driver meetings where they have discussed the fact that you should wait until the next corner after "giving back" an advantage.  Instead, Lewis plays the victim and acts like the world is out to get him.  This is turning into a common reaction for him and it's not very becoming.

McLaren and Lewis thought they could skirt the regulations this time since they've done so in the past and almost got away with it.  Working in a culture of cheating at McLaren like Lewis has for the past season and a half, I'm not surprised that he doesn't see this as that big of a deal.  Cheating is cheating though, whether it's done by an engineer using a stolen technical manual from Ferrari or if it's done on track by a driver.  Both should be punished.

Now, back to our media bias.  I assure you that if it was another driver that had passed Lewis Hamilton in the same fashion they would be in full support of my analysis above.  But sadly, they want racial parity more than they want a real world champion and will push to a fault to obtain that goal.  Instead, let Lewis Hamilton be the brilliant driver that he is and let him get there on his own merits.  He and the world will be much better off if we can let that happen.

Felipe Massa Wins Grand Prix of Europe

Massa dominated the 2008 European Grand Prix much like he did in Hungary.  Unlike Hungary, he had no troubles at all with his car and sailed into the distance leaving a distraught Lewis Hamilton in his wake.