Official 2012 formula 1 grand prix of europe

[wiredvw]

Moldonado like to retaliate using his car like a weapon, this has been a few times now. Seems he's got an uncontrollable temper.

Schumacher better savour this as he won't see the podium again, he really lucked out having waved yellows till the end to keep Webber from eating him alive... on top of everything else that happened to get him in that position in the first place.

Agree.

I can't figure out Mercedes this season, sometimes they fly and others they are stuck mid pack at best. Is their car really that inconsistent this far into the season?

[kfzmeister]

he really lucked out having waved yellows till the end to keep Webber from eating him alive... .

Matter of perspective.

[dubsix]

oh this whole race was a lot of luck for many players, but some can get there by themselves

[nickthaskater]

I'm not sure where people are getting the impression that Webber would have sailed by had there not been yellows; they were having a great battle for many laps prior to that and Schumacher was able to fend off the Red Bull without any real close calls.

[gizmopop]

Maldonado received a 20 second penalty for causing the accident.

Williams’ Pastor Maldonado has had 20 seconds added to his race time by the European Grand Prix stewards after colliding with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap in Valencia. As a result of the penalty, Maldonado drops from 10th to 12th in the final classification.

The Venezuelan was penalised for ‘failing to rejoin the track in a safe manner’ after he ran off the circuit while attempting to pass Hamilton for third place. Their subsequent coming together put the Briton into the wall and out of the race.

Maldonado’s penalty promotes team mate Bruno Senna to 10th in the race results, handing the Brazilian a championship point, while Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo moves up from 12th to 11th.

[nickthaskater]

"The Venezuelan was penalised for ‘failing to rejoin the track in a safe manner’ after he ran off the circuit while attempting to pass Hamilton for third place."

And there's the point some people seem to be having such a hard time to grasp for some reason. Forced off or not, he was off, and is required to rejoin in a safe manner.

[chaugner]

And there's the point some people seem to be having such a hard time to grasp for some reason. Forced off or not, he was off, and is required to rejoin in a safe manner.

but since its hamilton it must somehow be his fault ... if maldenado would have pulled this on any other driver all would be screaming on how horrible and sad it was ... but unfortunately many hate hamilton (heck my office was reaming me a new one all morning since they know I am a big hammi fan) ... I had to hand out written warnings to get them to back down !!!!

[kfzmeister]

"Plz let Alonso's car break down, plz,plz,plz...."!

[kfzmeister]

but since its hamilton it must somehow be his fault ... if maldenado would have pulled this on any other driver all would be screaming on how horrible and sad it was ... but unfortunately many hate hamilton (heck my office was reaming me a new one all morning since they know I am a big hammi fan) ... I had to hand out written warnings to get them to back down !!!!

I saw it as Pastor's fault, but Hammie should have conceded that position. Was he really gonna fend him off for another couple of laps? Lewis hurt himself in his bid to win the Championship this year. Can you imagine if he looses the Championship by just the points that he didn't collect at the European GP??

Edit* Looks like Whitmarsh is saying the exact thing here. Note: i would not say that your own boss talking like this is a good indication that Hamilton would want to continue to be at that team!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...com+F1+news%29

[kfzmeister]

Schumacher when asked to say a few words in his native German language!

[tbvvw]

Schumacher better savour this as he won't see the podium again, he really lucked out having waved yellows till the end to keep Webber from eating him alive... on top of everything else that happened to get him in that position in the first place.

Disagree. Thanks to the tires and any number of possible situations...there are ~10 drivers that are podium worthy on any given day. 8 races in we've already seen 11 different podium drivers...when was the last time there's been this much parity??

[chaugner]

I saw it as Pastor's fault, but Hammie should have conceded that position. Was he really gonna fend him off for another couple of laps? Lewis hurt himself in his bid to win the Championship this year. Can you imagine if he looses the Championship by just the points that he didn't collect at the European GP??

Edit* Looks like Whitmarsh is saying the exact thing here. Note: i would not say that your own boss talking like this is a good indication that Hamilton would want to continue to be at that team!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...com+F1+news%29

nice find on the whitmarsh comments ... and I was not talking about you specifically in regards to "hamilton" ok ok maybe a little bit

[chaugner]

I had a good argument with one of my co-workers. I was taking the stance of saying that if you are racing against someone who is a real contender for championship at the moment (marginally ahead in standings and in the top 2-3 positions just a few points away from one another). IF you are going to pass, and as you said, it was inevitable on the next lap, give the guy ahead a bit of respect and make sure that if you end up passing you make it a clean and fair attempt, none of this borderline stuff. Didn't maldenado try it in china once and had to back off after? (forgot the race it was, maybe it was kimi on alonso).

Regardless, I was taking the stance of saying to give some respect and be careful. My bud had a great point, everyone is out there fighting their own races, for their own survival in a team or just to show progress. So its a tight balance, an up and coming driver having a chance to battle it out with a world champ. I have to admit, would have probably tried the same even if it may have resulted in drama, that in the chance it would have stuck, you'd come out as a star (think vettel passing on the grass) - and if not, I can always blame myself for being overly eager or trying to show my team that I can pull my own weight.

I still think its wrong, and maldenado pushed to much but thats obvious being a hamilton fan - the comments from whitmarsh do seem harsh ... "push, you can beat alsono and take a win" was just said a few laps earlier to now "you should have given up the position" - its easy in hindsight to make those statements but for him to publicly throw his driver under the bus, a tad too much.

[wiredvw]

I saw it as Pastor's fault, but Hammie should have conceded that position. Was he really gonna fend him off for another couple of laps? Lewis hurt himself in his bid to win the Championship this year. Can you imagine if he looses the Championship by just the points that he didn't collect at the European GP??

Edit* Looks like Whitmarsh is saying the exact thing here. Note: i would not say that your own boss talking like this is a good indication that Hamilton would want to continue to be at that team!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...com+F1+news%29

You're kidding right?

Sure Whitmasrch started by saying this:

When asked if he thought Hamilton should have defended so hard, Whitmarsh said: "Clearly not, but you are dragging me into the conversation.

He followed it up with this:

"My own view is that it was Maldonado's fault, and it is deeply frustrating – but he is a racing driver and that is it. I am sure in hindsight you have to say that dealing with someone like that you have to take a different approach, but you cannot anticipate it."

In the middle he said that Hammie defended the exact same way with both Lotus drivers and they seemed to understand the rules of racing.

[gizmopop]

It didn't sound like he threw him under the bus...

When asked if he thought Hamilton should have defended so hard, Whitmarsh said: "Clearly not, but you are dragging me into the conversation.

Ie he was being led into this response by the question asked.

He further stated the following...

"In my mind, you saw him defend with [Romain] Grosjean and with [Kimi] Raikkonen, and he didn't do anything different with Maldonado. It was a different outcome, but he didn't do anything different with those drivers.

"My own view is that it was Maldonado's fault, and it is deeply frustrating – but he is a racing driver and that is it. I am sure in hindsight you have to say that dealing with someone like that you have to take a different approach, but you cannot anticipate it.

It seems to me like Maldonado is getting a rep around the paddocks.

[GTIVRSEX2]

Pastor Maldonado is the next Juan Pablo Montoya! Latin drivers with temper...... Make it or break it....

Cant wait for the next race.....

[24vEngineer]

Pastor Maldonado is the next Juan Pablo Montoya! Latin drivers with temper...... Make it or break it....

Cant wait for the next race.....

Somebody should bring Montoya back just to phuck with everyone's head next season!

[Double-V]

Moldonado like to retaliate using his car like a weapon, this has been a few times now. Seems he's got an uncontrollable temper.

Schumacher better savour this as he won't see the podium again, he really lucked out having waved yellows till the end to keep Webber from eating him alive... on top of everything else that happened to get him in that position in the first place.

Wow, two totally incorrect statements in one post - amazing!

[dubsix]

Hey if you paid any attention to moldonado's earlier career including a lifetime ban in Monaco that was lifted from big $$ coming from Venezuela and then this year during the lead up to Monaco his retaliative chop on Perez.. but wtf that's just my view right lol.

lol... in my "opinion" webber had completely closed up and was read to seal the deal at that point in the race but hey you view it as you want and I'll have my opinion... and I don't think we will see much more from Schumacher imo.

[kfzmeister]

...McLaren will have to restructure its pit crew for the British Grand Prix after the right-hand rear gunner cut himself on a wing endplate during the Valencia stops. He will be replaced for the Silverstone weekend.

When you set the benchmark for fastest time in a pitstop (2.32 seconds), milliseconds make the difference!

[dubsix]

too bad they backed up the fastest stop with one of the slowest

[vdubjb]

I was actually at this race. Valencia, apart from the area near the track, is very beautiful. We actually ran into Anthony Edwards in a restaurant after quali. He said Frank Williams is a huge Top Gun fan and was going to be having dinner w/ Mark Webber that evening. The race was actually eventful, and hot as hell. A woman heat stroked next to my mate. I had to wear a wet towel over my head the entire time. It's pretty nuts how much the Spaniards hate Hamilton. I have a pic of a ceramic Hammie taking a dump, that a store was selling. Couldn't have scripted the race better w/ Alonso actually winning while Spain advanced to the Euro final.