ALONSO'S Pass Of Kubica An ENTIRELY Different Perspective

So, no definitive decision at the time of the "infraction", let time pass, then issue the penalty? Ferrari may be a team in confusion, but the FIA is worse.

 

That's all fine and well, but Ferrari have been in this business since day 1. They, of all people, should know that when a driver gains advantage by cutting a corner with all 4 wheels over the white stripe, he should give back the position. Easy as.

It doesn't excuse the mess that FIA is, but it shouldn't even have been asked.

 

If true this is further evidence that whiting needs to follow mosley out the door as FIA incompetence permeates all levels....

 

That's right. In their argument, Ferrari includes the fact that following the pass Kubica began to drop back. Obviously this makes a delayed give-back difficult to execute, but it also should indicate that Alonso could have/should have legally passed him on the track. Everyone knows the rules of play, and I don't like when teams play "Catch me if you can" with situations that are very clear. This was far from a 'toes on the line' situation. Initiating contact with the FIA was probably as much a ploy on the part of Ferrari to muddle conversations and articles just like these as it was a legitimate petition for an instant ruling by the FIA. The fact that Ferrari even made contact with Whiting is somewhat incriminating.

 

This makes things very interesting. I will say that I still think he should have given back the position right away as it was suspect at best.

Either way, this situation should be pretty black and white, the fact that there's a lot of "grey" means F1 management continues to dissapoint and confuse.

 

It seems to me to be a *REALLY* bad idea to be calling out the FIA and Charlie specifically on this. I don't see what they can possibly hope to gain.

The FIA and Charlie's job is not to coach the teams on what to do or not do to stay clear of penalties. They can ask for an opinion, he can give it - but that's about it. To suggest they are right because Charlie didn't tell them to give it back right away is beyond reaching. Sort of like blaming the police for your getting a speeding ticket because they never told you to slow down.

I think Alonso, and Ferrari, and Luca and Domenicali and everyone knows that if you gain advantage by going off track, you much give the spot back. That Alonso and Ferrari waited and waited to give it back - and during this time gained more and more from the move - isn't any kind of mitigator for what they did.

IMO.

 

Its beyond me how they thought that they could escape penalty for what was such a clear violation.
When will people learn that the quicker you fess up and the sooner you take your medicine the better it will be for you?
Didn't Bill Clinton teach us anything?

 

Bill Clinton fessed up but Monica took the medicine

 

I wasn't familiar with that part of the White House health care plan.

 

That is not the issue. The issue is that Whiting suggested earlier he immediatly told Ferrari to let Kubica regain his position. Which turned out to be a blatant lie. Gotta love modern communication.

also from autosport.com

 

Whiting DOES NEED a faster way to make this determination.

I'm not saying Alonso or Ferrari were right but how are the team really to figure out what to do if the stewards take forever to decide?

 

I don't see how it's relevant.

So Ferrari is, in essence, saying "ahhh, well, we may have broken the rules, but Charlie didn't tell us as quickly as he said he did!".

Isn't that like arguing a reckless driving ticket in court because the cop wrote that your car is black and it's actually midnight blue?

I mean - does it really matter?

Let's say Charlie said immediately and it turns out it was a minute or two...to call it a "blatant lie" is a bit harsh, no? Charlie has a lot going on... maybe it was immediate to him at the time, but by the time it got back, Alonso had made more passes. But still, Ferrari shouldn't need to ask about this.

And on top of it all, even if we agree with Ferrari (and it seems most don't), what do they hope to gain by airing all of this in public? Just to be stubbornly right? For what purpose? To what end?

I don't see what they hope to gain. I see them having a LOT to lose. I doubt Charlie is going to be very helpful now that they have called him out in the press before all the world.

 

Honestly, it's akin to SF complaining after Valencia. Making noise but not doing a whole lot of good. The rules are cut and dry, VERY simple to understand. Ferrari made a blunder on this one, plain and simple.

That said, FORZA FERRARI THIS WEEKEND!

 

+1

Anyone who says otherwise needs to take his f'in blinkers off.

 

As they say "justice delayed is justice denied". The stewards seem so worried about making the wrong decision that the dick around forever before issuing a ruling. By which time the injury has been compounded.

 

Decisions need to be made quickly and they need to be consistant. In F1, as opposed to most sanctioning bodies, every race has a different set of stewards. The same infraction can get different penalties from race to race. They haven't used the same driver representative yet, so those opinions are different also. Until they get a group of "professional" stewards that work all of the races we will continue to see the rules enforced unevenly from race to race. For the "Pinnacle of Motorsports" it is really sad to see a bunch of stewards who can't review an incident and render a judgement in the same lap it happened. To post "Incident involving car # is being investigated" and take 20 minutes to make a decision inexcusable with all of the technology they have access to.

 

Yup.
It seems that F1's unique charm is how the ultimate in sophisticated high technology, backed by huge sums of money and operating in the most exotic global venues is all run by Ned in his shed.

 

Sorry if I offend but Alonso should have given back the position immediately and he would have passed Kubica anyway even before his retirement.

 

Actually, he said . . . and I quote. "Listen to me. I am going to say this just one time {wagging finger at camera and squinting on purpose} I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."


Not sure that is fessing up.

 

The point was if he came clean then he would have saved himself a lot of grief. If Alonso had let Kubica by and repassed legitimately he have save himself a lot of grief too.

 

+1

 

And if Kubica had played it clean, there wouldn't of been an issue to discuss!

 

I think that the onus falls on the passer not the passee But your point is taken.