I don't have an issue with blocking if the guy is behind you, which is what blocking is. I have an issue with what Webber did which was squeeze his team mate against the wall once he was alongside him. That's no longer blocking. That's trying to intimidate the other guy and it's reckless.
Why was Seb there? With pre-set orders not to pass, how can Mark expect Seb to be alongside him? Nope, Seb was the one that was reckless here.
Reckless? "That's racing". Intimidation has always been a part of F1 - Ayrton in particular believed it was his God given right to the fastest. The Schu almost the same. On the one hand, they're all ******* that never even race each other anymore. OTOH, when they do race they're reckless! Again, "no harm, no foul" - These guys are *good*! Similar to the howls when the Schu squeezed Rubens - As someone said, if he'd have wanted Rubens in the wall, he'd have been in the wall. Cheers, Ian
Oh now suddenly because Vettel broke the agreement and tried to pass, Webber can't defend his position? What kinda one-sided bs is that? No one has anything against you for being a Vettel fan, but man, get your eyes out of his boxers and look at the situation more objectively...
What if it wasn't Seb? What if it was a Ferrari that came alongside and they crashed? Would the Ferrari driver be the one that needed to be suspended?
He had every right to defend his position. Once the car trying to pass you is alongside you, the position is no longer there for you to defend. It's just like when two cars are going into a corner side-by-side. If the car is alongside you, you can't just turn into him and claim you were defending your position.
So if Webber would have made contact with Vettel, it would have been Vettel's fault? What if it wasn't Vettel that was trying to pass? Would it still be the other driver's fault?
What we are forgetting: it is the triumvirate Mateschitz, Marko & Vettel that calls the shots at RBR. Not Horner. Not even Newey, for all his genius. And definitely not Webber.
From what I remember watching, he had space on the circuit...didn't see any wheels into the wall or off the circuit and Vettel chose that side to pass. Vettel would be road kill already if Webber really pushed him off the circuit and we'd be having a different conversation right now.
But, there was no contact, nobody hit the wall and it's all good was my only point. Doesn't matter who it is, the FIA have now pretty much clarified what is and isn't allowed when it comes to blocking and he was well within his rights. Again, no harm, no foul. Cheers, Ian
We're forgetting in a parallel universe last weekend's podium would have looked like this: http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/63955_621819347832423_376030022_n.jpg
While broadly true, I think Helmut's crazy and doesn't have a lot of real power in the team. They gave Horner & Newey the farm to stay recently - That's where the power is IMO, not with some flakey, outspoken "adviser". FWIW, Mateschitz came out strongly before the season saying Mark will get equal treatment, blah, blah. May all be BS, but he doesn't strike me as a BS'er - I suspect he may be having a quiet word in Seb's ear round about now...... Cheers, Ian
Webber did that and far worse with how he acted in Brazil 2012, his apparent shock that Vettel would ever do such a thing back to him is ridiculous. He is the one who is the petulant child in this affair.
So driving dangerously and putting your team mate in harm's way is okay as long as nobody gets hurt. Got it.
Stop taking **** out of context. Vettel put himself into harm's way. He chose to ignore orders, he chose to pass on the inside, room was given albeit it was tight. He took the risk, no one forced his hand. Get over it.
The picture I posted here Mark is spouting 'Multi 21' and Seb is throwing caution to the wind with his 'YOLO' pass. Kids these days are big on the YOLO term as code for "Forget the consequences, I'm doing whatever the eff I want to" - hence the joke. >8^) ER
I don't consider pushing someone against the wall part of racing. I didn't like it when Schumacher did it and I don't like it now.
There was plenty of room when Vettel went for the gap. He wasn't in harm's way when he went for the overtake. Webber tried to close the door after Vettel was already through it. It's no different than deliberately turning into someone after they already have the inside position for a corner. If you think that should be part of racing then we will just have to agree to disagree.
Webber left him room to make the pass, whats the problem? You can defend your position but you must leave enough room. He did, end of story. Obviously he was going to make it as close as possible to get Seb to maybe back off.
Mark Webber is clearly a #2 driver, a journeyman at best. He should know his place...move over and let the WC through. Like it or not, that's F1. The only disturbing thing is that the RB team allowed him to remain in front of Vettel.
Sorry but if it were me, Vettel would still be pulling concrete rubble out of his fire suit. Thank God it's not me...