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Renault banned from europen GP......
prawnabie - 26/7/09 at 07:06 PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jul/26/renault-european-grand-prix-valencia

[Edited on 26/7/09 by prawnabie]

omega0684 - 26/7/09 at 07:12 PM

bit more detail on the sky sports website

linky

looks like it was several things that the stewards took into consideration before deciding to suspend them

prawnabie - 26/7/09 at 07:14 PM

wonder if brawn will get same treatment.....

JoelP - 26/7/09 at 07:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by prawnabie
wonder if brawn will get same treatment.....


according to the second link, renault knew as they released him from the pits that the wheel might not be on properly. The cause of the brawn gp failure isnt yet know AFAIK.

Jon Ison - 26/7/09 at 07:28 PM

I'm no Renault fan but that's harsh, they wouldn't knowingly let him go, mistakenly yes, knowingly surly not ?

mackei23b - 26/7/09 at 07:47 PM

Seems a bit harsh, I'm no Alonso fan, but if he was not aware, he's getting part of the penalty as well.

Yes, penalty to the team, but not the driver?

mark chandler - 26/7/09 at 08:09 PM

When I watched him trundling around, air duct thing flying off then wheel shaking badly before it parted company I did think he should have stopped.

Not surprised really, he should have pulled over not forced his car around a whole lap.

Jon Ison - 26/7/09 at 08:15 PM

Have to agree to disagree on that one, his job is to race, get the car back to the pits, fixed and back out in the mix ?

JoelP - 26/7/09 at 08:35 PM

apparently team radio recordings stuck them in. Im sure the details will come out at the appeal.

balidey - 27/7/09 at 06:56 AM

A lost wheel is one of the most dangerous things to happen in racing, which was unfortunatly highlighted a couple of weeks ago at Brands. So if there is any possibility of a wheel coming off (with no tether) then the rule should be pull over. Whether its their job to race or not.

If the BBC commentary guy spotted the problem, then so must loads of others, so the team radio should have been telling him to stop before the end of the pits.

And as for the comment of 'Penalty for the team, not the driver', well he IS part of the team.

Yes it was an accident he was let out the pits like that, but it was NOT an accident he went round a full lap dropping debris and losing a wheel.

britishtrident - 27/7/09 at 07:18 AM

To my cynical mind the Renault ban is more about the Mosley coven sending a message to Flavio and the more more hard line FOTA members.

No lollipopman would release a car that he knew had a wheel ready to fall off.

While it is time the all too common practice of drivers driving cars that are are in a very dangerous condition back to the pits was stamped out but this is not the way to do it.
A ban on the ridiculous frissbee wheel covers now used by all teams is also overdue, these matters are the sort of issue that could easily be dealt with by the Technical Working Group if it was allowed to function

In the past race officials have allowed cars to continue racing which dngerously loose body work ---- when imfamous incident from the last days of Ferrari International Assistance springs to mind.

It is time the FIA Stewards showed some consistency in the way they apply rulls and hand down punishments, as evidence just consider the difference in the way the first corner incidents have been dealt with in the last two races.

[Edited on 27/7/09 by britishtrident]

Jon Ison - 27/7/09 at 07:22 AM

No need to shout.

As above we have to agree to disagree, show me a racer who would rather park his car than get it back to pits for repair and back out to rejoin the race and I'll show you an unemployed one.

I personally imho think its a harsh decision taken as a knee jerk reaction due to recent events and a bit of Flav bashing now RD is not around, Flav as been pretty critical just lately.

foes - 27/7/09 at 09:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Jon Ison
Have to agree to disagree on that one, his job is to race, get the car back to the pits, fixed and back out in the mix ?


Yes i agree with you jon, it is a race, he is a racing driver, his only thought running through his head at that point would be to get back to the pits.
Maybe he should of pulled up, easy to say with hindsight, but what is banning renault from the next gp going to achieve apart from take 2 more cars from a grid that is already low in numbers, f1 needs more teams not less.
Pathetic and inconsistent is what it is, just like webbers drive through penalty in the previous race, are the drivers not allowed to race properly anymore?! I'm sure they're trying to eliminate any kind of wheel to wheel action.
I've watched formula 1 for about 15 years now and no wonder i've started to watch more and more moto gp instead of it.

speedyxjs - 27/7/09 at 11:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by foes
just like webbers drive through penalty in the previous race


Webber almost took out another car. I dont see how that can be deemed as fair, i think he deserved that penalty and the win.

Not sure i agree with the renault ban though. Maybe a fine would have been better.

I do find it strange how its almost identicle to what happened last year.

eccsmk - 27/7/09 at 11:34 AM

sorry for being a little off topic

but why are the wheel nuts on the right hand side of the car NOT left hand threaded??

craig1410 - 27/7/09 at 12:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by eccsmk
sorry for being a little off topic

but why are the wheel nuts on the right hand side of the car NOT left hand threaded??


Actually, I don't understand why the wheel fell off because, assuming it is a standard right hand thread on the front right then forward motion should tighten the nut, not loosen it.

In my opinion a driver should continue to race until either his team tells him to retire or until the race control black flags him. I think there is also a black and orange flag which means go back to pits because car is in dangerous condition. I don't believe there were any black or black/orange flags waved at Alonso and I think he drove as carefully as possible back to the pits - I don't think he did anything wrong.

The race ban has come about more due to recent tragic events and is clearly a knee-jerk reaction. The ban should be overturned in favour of a team fine or reprimand. If any lessons can be learned from the Surtees and Massa incidents then these should be converted into new rules & regulations and made clear to all teams for future races.

Cheers,
Craig.

MautoK - 27/7/09 at 01:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mackei23b
Yes, penalty to the team, but not the driver?


Can just see it now, Alonso comes into empty pit, hops out, winds up a scissor jack to change each wheel in turn, sloshes a bit of petrol from a Jerry can, hops back in, and twenty minutes later, off he goes....

JoelP - 27/7/09 at 08:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MautoK
quote:
Originally posted by mackei23b
Yes, penalty to the team, but not the driver?


Can just see it now, Alonso comes into empty pit, hops out, winds up a scissor jack to change each wheel in turn, sloshes a bit of petrol from a Jerry can, hops back in, and twenty minutes later, off he goes....


the sponsors would love it though, imagine how much attention the car would get whilst he did it!