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Motorsport: F1 faces call for change after McLaren penalty

nzherald.co.nz — LONDON - Formula One's governing body faced calls to modify qualifying procedures for safety reasons after McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen were penalised in Malaysia at the weekend.

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  • Typhoon2009, on 03/25/2008, -35/+26DIGG ME DOWN
    • Fr00sh, on 03/25/2008, -13/+4I almost down-modded you for exploiting reverse psychology, but I can't resist... must... do... opposite... of what... told to do... upmodded!
    • digismack, on 03/25/2008, -11/+1DUGG!!!
    • nycmac247, on 03/25/2008, -11/+2I want to touch you!!!
    • C0MF0RTABLYnumb, on 03/25/2008, -2/+3iiiiiintersting... I predict that your comment will be close to zero since you will be dugg down when you have a positive amount of diggs and dugg when you have a negative amount of diggs.
      • rickcarson, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1Dugg down for trying to manipulate the meta-digging.
    • Slagtits, on 03/25/2008, -2/+0STOP IT....YOU LOT!!!!!!!...........You are ruining the space time continuum.
  • Clugenheim, on 03/25/2008, -21/+15How did this make front page?

    It's not anything pro-Obama, anti-Hillary, or something one's mother would send in a chain e-mail. WTF?
  • linkin2, on 03/25/2008, -19/+9Achievement Unlocked
    you have reached digg frontpage with the least number of diggs.
    • RATM4EVER, on 03/25/2008, -3/+1Speaking of xbox in an F1 story, i heard rumors EA signed some rights with Lewis Hamilton for a large chunk of GB pounds.

      F1 title with Lewis as the coverboy?
  • bencongdon, on 03/25/2008, -1/+24Yet another scar on what was once a beautiful face. Formula 1 has certainly lost it's charm over the years. One hopes, in the coming years, they will remember what it is that made the sport a good one.

    On a side note, what those two did was amateurish. They know better than to slow down, and remain in the racing line.
    • alex7575, on 03/25/2008, -5/+3F1 died to me with the greatest pilot to have driven a F1 car, Ayrton Senna
      • linkin2, on 03/25/2008, -9/+1stfu, schumacher is the best ever.
      • stan83, on 03/25/2008, -0/+4F1 died with the introduction of the narrower car design and the abolition of slick tires! Everything is about aerodynamics nowadays! But from 2009 on there will be new rules with curtailed aero and reintroduction of slick tires!
        • kidcodea, on 03/25/2008, -0/+3fans have been waiting for 2009 since late 80s...
        • Majhem, on 03/25/2008, -0/+3Word.
          Mosley and the FIA were fools to think they could solve the 'friction fraction' of mid-corner speeds by reducing the levels of Mechanical grip whilst increasing a car's dependence of Aerodynamical grip. (Mechanical grip = tyres, suspension, etc. and Aerodynamic grip refers to the grip/downforce generated by the car's Aerodynamic package)

          My understanding of the motivation of the FIA's rule changes to the sport at that time (post-Imola 94) was to eliminate the vast Aerodynamic-to-Mechanical grip diferentials, mid-corner, that F1 cars of the day were presenting them and which arguably lead to the deaths of both Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola in 1994.
          So by narrowing the cars and reducing their contact patch, the F1 cars were deprived of close to 25% of their Mechanical grip available, thus increasing the already unbalanced difference between Aerodynamic and Mechanical grip. GG FIA...

          On the up-side. The FIA have apparently given into reason and common sense by tentatively backflipping on their rulings of some 10 years ago. We are already seeing more overtaking and sliding now in F1 with the ban of traction control... I think we may see F1 back on track, soon, as the worlds greatest spectacle.
          Here's hoping.
    • over900000, on 03/25/2008, -1/+9Racing line changes all the time. Once it's on the outside (braking point) and another it's on the inside (apex). The close you get to a corner, the more likely you will mess up the driver behind you whatever you do. Exactly what happened to McLaren drivers. The rules definitely need changing.
      • poploserdigg, on 03/25/2008, -3/+0in F1 the racing line rarely changes. at least if its dry. and the longer the weekend goes, the harder it gets to race off that line. by the end of qualifying, if its been dry for the prior practice and Q1 and Q2 sessions, there's an obvious line. the McLarens, from the limited we we saw on Speed, we clearly on the line, while others we not.
      • Majhem, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1Racing line in dry conditions never changes! Every driver knows it. Seeing the Macs literally rolling down it whilst hot-lappers were steaming up behind them was so scary to watch!
        I'm glad they were penalised, someone at McLaren should have been barking at them on the radio to GET THE ***** OFF THE RACING LINE!
        Unless, of course, someone at McLaren was barking at them to stay on the ***** racing line so as to hinder Heidfeld's(BMW) hotlap.
        I wonder...
    • Pake, on 03/25/2008, -5/+4The day F1 becomes a joy to watch again is the day they remove a quarter or more downforce off the cars. The engineers are driving the carts far more than the drivers are driving them and I don't know about you, but to me, it's really getting boring to know that pretty much the top 3 positions are set in stone after lap 5.
      • poploserdigg, on 03/25/2008, -2/+0sometimes i wish i could spell and speak normal english.
  • TiMMY8765, on 03/25/2008, -3/+11I don't get why it was just McLaren that was penalized, several others were out on the track at the same time. Also, what's with the FIA's crazy rules about fuel and tires? wasn't it enough that they qualify with the amount of fuel they will start the race with?
    • mcc123, on 03/25/2008, -1/+12The two McLarens were on the racing line, whereas everyone else had the sense to be on the other side of the track. The rules need changed soon though - cars on a fuel saving lap will always need to cross the racing line at some point. It's an accident waiting to happen...
      • TiMMY8765, on 03/25/2008, -1/+4I just caught the end of qualifying, but it seemed like Alonso and Heidfeld were weaving around more cars than just the McLarens. Maybe they were just the biggest offenders.
        • dan222555, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1They were the only ones at the racing line when Heidfeld and Alonso got to that area of the track.
    • Salomas, on 03/25/2008, -0/+5The FIA did away with last year's method of starting the race with the same amount of fuel you start Q3 with, because that meant that most of the third qualifying session was spent burning fuel to shed weight instead of racing.
  • CaviMike, on 03/25/2008, -1/+26Why does the FIA have to change the rules every season? If things worked fine the year before and there weren't any safety issues, just leave everything alone. Every year there's some ***** that they change and this qualifying ***** is annoying.
    • bluepass, on 03/25/2008, -0/+7It makes the races more interesting. It pushes the driver to the max. Look at the traction control being removed -- all of a sudden you get a lot of drivers would wouldn't ever dream of scoring more than a couple of points score 5-6 points. It's putting the hard work on the drivers rather than on the constructors. In a motorsport so expensive, the team that has the most money will have the best technology and therefore have higher chances of winning the championship. I don't agree with the new qualification rule -- they should at least let them add a lap's worth of fuel at the end of qualifying for the pit-in lap -- but I am glad that they removed traction control. These new rules will separate the good drivers from the not so good drivers, and at the same time make Formula One that much more interesting and unpredictable.
    • RATM4EVER, on 03/25/2008, -6/+2This is what happens when you start to make ridiculous rules to prevent a good driver from winning all the time (Schumi). They begin to snowball....ridiculous rules overlapping last years ridiculous rule because of the year before's ridiculous rule.

      Ill stop saying ridiculous rule now.
    • charlesray, on 03/25/2008, -0/+6They shortened Q3 because there was a five minute period at the beginning where teams would just burn fuel for awhile, then they would go in to the pits, change tires and go on race fuel, and then set fast laps. Now they start that immediately. There's no point to a five minute fuel-wasting session.
    • dan222555, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1Their intent with the rule changes is usually good. In this example their intent was to circumvent the boring fuel burn period at the end of Q3---which was a good idea...I know when I watched qualifying on my tivo last year when it got to Q3 I'd always fast forward until there were only a few minutes left because that's the only part that really mattered. What happened here was just an unexpected consequence of the rule change that's going to require another rule change to be fixed.
  • woodydx, on 03/25/2008, -7/+2They changed it this year because cars would go through a fuel burn phase last year as they could top up. This year they can't. And it wasn't only McLaren that got the penalty. IIRC Alonso and one other driver recieve -5 grid placings as well as Hamilton and Heike
    • hutchy, on 03/25/2008, -0/+8what sport were you watching? Alonso was the one who the mclaren's impeded, along with nick heidfeld.
    • johnoneal, on 03/25/2008, -2/+1Lewis and Heikki got a bogus call. Alonso didn't have a chance in hell of placing higher than he did and Heidfeld wasn't really slowed by the McLarens
      • poploserdigg, on 03/25/2008, -0/+4Heidfeld qualified at 1:36.753...Kubica was in front at 1:36.727 (.026) and Trulli was 2 spots up at 1:36.711 (.042). He could easily have lost that .04 by having to swerve, lift, and get back online.
      • Majhem, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1Yah, makes me think there were team orders to stay on the racing line. =(
      • dan222555, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1Whether Alonso had a chance or not is irrelevant. Had it been a Force India car that had to swerve around the McLaren's while on it's hot lap the same penalty would of been imposed. The point is you can't impede another driver on the track like that. When you're on the racing line going significantly slower than full speed and a driver behind you has to swerve around you, you're impeding them. It's ridiculous to think "Heidfeld wasn't really slowed". Combined with the swerving there are all kinds of aerodynamic effects that come into play in that situation that would definitely have an effect.
  • sire021, on 03/25/2008, -0/+8McLaren got the penalty since they were the only 2 cars impeding the oncoming traffic by NOT getting away from the racing line.. and yeah, this rule definitely needs changing...once there is a set time for the out lap, all the teams can just slightly modify their existing strategies by a kilo or two of fuel and the problem is solved...

    and regarding further regulations changes in 2008 and how it affects the quality of racing... well, I actually believe the quali is better like this (short of that one glitch) ... it feels more dynamic.... also, the lack of traction control this year has stirred up the grid essentially, which is great (I don't think the TC should of have ever been allowed)! ... there is definitely going to be more skills required, and more passes are to be expected.... next year there will be slicks again, which is really exciting.... if they could only fix the issue with dirty air, and lift the 2/4 engine/gearboxes rule it would be close to perfect
    • mcc123, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1I think the 2009 aero changes are going to sort out the "dirty air" problem.
    • Majhem, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1There's research being conducted by the FIA and Teams at the moment into the possibility of F1 aeros making it slightly advantageous for the following car. Watch for radical changes to the front and rear wings in the future.
  • mieroc, on 03/25/2008, -7/+0hoah
  • 2fuct, on 03/25/2008, -3/+5Bring back the 1 hour qualifying with no fuel and engines that will only last the hour.
    • EarlOfLade, on 03/25/2008, -1/+2With no fuel, huh?
      Let's just leave the empty cars sitting around for an hour or so, makes for good TV.
      • 2fuct, on 03/25/2008, -0/+3With no fuel I mean just enough for an out lap, flying lap and then in lap
    • salinemist, on 03/25/2008, -3/+1The old format was so much fun, almost more so than the races themselves.

      Wait, that's probably why they changed it.
  • bigbill780, on 03/25/2008, -1/+5I agree, for the sake of the greatest racing sport in the world they need to stop changing regulations.
  • HRF1, on 03/25/2008, -0/+3Before changing qualifying procedures, they need to fix the pit lane closure during safety car deployment. Too many drivers have been screwed over because of that mess after two races this year.
    • charlesray, on 03/25/2008, -0/+5When the pit lane is open during the safety car it turns into NASCAR and everyone rushed into the pits. Then it's...not safe.
  • SteveTheSultan, on 03/25/2008, -3/+1Not this again. Lets race on the track. The first two races this year have been great. The the reds and the silver arrows fight it out on the track. (But lets hope BMW wins the whole thing)
  • liquilife, on 03/25/2008, -0/+4Wow, I gotta hand it to you digg. You have become quite diverse with your stories lately. First a story about the MLB pre-rankings and now this...
  • kratsnitram, on 03/25/2008, -8/+3This is just the first of many Ferrari ***** complaints that will transpire this year. For the sake of all things holy, can we declare Ferrari enemy combatants and have the whole team sent to Gitmo for "interrogations"?
    Please?
    • kuronai, on 03/25/2008, -0/+5Did you even read the article? Ferrari wasn't even mentioned. It was BMW and Renault that got held up.
  • hatryk, on 03/25/2008, -7/+1And now lets turn our attention to fantasy baseball, YEAH!!!
  • seinkonnen, on 03/25/2008, -3/+1I love Formula 1.

    But this is terribly uninteresting to me.
  • Number23, on 03/25/2008, -0/+6There was still hot laps being taken and he was on the racing line. Kovalainen admitted as much.

    The same thing happed to Schumacher in '06 at Monaco when he parked it (He Parka da car!) off Rascasse, keeping Alanso from getting pole.
    • damawa42, on 03/25/2008, -1/+0Not quite the same thing, I think you'll find...
  • molochi, on 03/25/2008, -6/+1Mommy! He's in my way! Waaaaaaaggghhhhh!

    It's OK dear, here take this pink hanky. Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen to the back of the line, we won't have any of that lolygaging! That's enough from you two. Rules!? What what what!? Yes you should have just read my mind!
    • mykalimba, on 03/25/2008, -2/+0Child. Isn't there a NASCAR race on that you should be watching?
  • Number23, on 03/25/2008, -2/+10And another thing: Will you euros get with the HD adoption so Bernie will broadcast in HD! I'm hating the upcasted PAL Speed Channel is showing.
    • Owwmykneecap, on 03/25/2008, -3/+91. It's Europeans not Euros, that's our currency.
      2. HD is getting adopted, there are over 30 countries here, things get diverse, makes some things harder to do.
  • encrypteduser, on 03/25/2008, -3/+2F1 is going down the tubes every year with new ***** up regulations. I almost don't care anymore.
  • kenvsryu, on 03/25/2008, -0/+8As long as Alonso doesn't win.
  • mousky, on 03/25/2008, -1/+4If safety is really an issue, then have one qualifying session with one car on the track at a time.
    • dan222555, on 03/25/2008, -1/+1There's nothing unsafe about having multiple cars on the track at a time. What's unsafe is when cars are traveling at a significantly lower speed than full speed on the racing line.
  • Majhem, on 03/25/2008, -1/+3110% rule anyone?
    They will need to introduce this for Q3 where all drivers slow laps must be completed within 110% of their fast lap.
    Problem solved. I should work for the FIA.
    • dan222555, on 03/25/2008, -0/+1The problem there is their slow laps are in-laps, so you can't really compare in-laps to hot laps.
  • nascapper, on 03/29/2008, -0/+1I totally like the idea of no TC. Puts it back in the drivers hands. Good on F1
  • P5ycHo, on 03/29/2008, -0/+1They should go back to the old ways of qualifying. Just one big session with 12 allowed laps per driver. Those were the exiting days.
    The MF media forced the 3 stages of qualifying to appeal to their sponsors. They wanted set times for their commercials.
    I think the sport must be @ #1, not the commercials.
  •  

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