F1 leader Hamilton facing engine headache

If Lewis has a genuine problem with his engine, surely it would be best for McLaren to change it and just take the penalty, no? Assuming Massa wins the race, Lewis needs 4 points, which means he has to finish 5th or better. If he took the penalty and was able to qualify 1st, he'd get knocked back to 10th meaning he would have to pass 5 midfielders, probably do-able. If he instead started from the pit lane (to avoid the chance of a crash), he would have to work his way through quite a few cars.

Then again, starting 10th is dangerous too... too bad McLaren can't rely on Heiki to take the win, meaning Lewis could finish up to 7th.

The thing about this whole situation that makes it laughable is that in any other sport, the team would get a clarification from the governing body. But McLaren can't do that, becuase the FIA will never put it in writing, and that means they could change their mind at any time and claim they never said it to begin with. That's how corrupt the FIA is. How ridiculous is it that a team is afraid to follow the word of the governing body because it may all be a lie.

What a farce this year is, really.


I agree with the comment above about getting together if there is a Canada GP... even if folks aren't attending the race, it would be cool to get together somewhere to watch it. Franco has generously offered to have it at his house, jk and DF have generously offered to buy the beer, Steve/kraft has generously offered to overnight us a bunch of fish and pork sausage suppers and ample helpings of chips, and Andreas has generously offered to pick me up on his way up to Canuckia, so I'm in!

 

yep

 

Yea baby!

 

Indeed. IF hamilton/papa ron decides to play it safe and just take the damn penalty for a guaranteed good engine (i assume heikki's engine was on his 2nd race when it went boom?) the best he can start is 11th. To make sure he gets the pole, he has to run himself pretty light, and depending on the pace set by the ferrari's, this means running very light on the first stint, which isnt good at all, because all the guys behind you are able to run much longer stints (as 11-20 can choose however much fuel they'd like), and lewis comes stuck behind one or even more after his first stop for a couple of laps. If he's even more unlucky, a guy like alonso or kubica is there....or even worse for him; timo glock.

But then if his engine isnt very safe, he has to keep the revs down. guys like alonso, kubica + the ferrari's are then most likely in front of him, and if he's unlucky a guy like vettel, heidfelt or webber could well be up there leaving hambone 6th. which means he has to push which could end up in a broken conrod, which almost certainly will mean bye bye WC AGAIN!

its going to be tough for him...mentally. I still think its easy for him to win it.

 

Exactly

 

If in the best car on the grid LH cannot podium starting 10th, then he is unworthy of the WDC anyway. Come on even though Renault and BMW are getting better he should using tactics easily be able to whiz past them ... then his team mate moves over and LH finishes 3rd.

On top of that, Kimi will probably crash out due to boredom anyway thus 1 Ferrari is removed from the equation.

The only risk is the first corner ... but again I would expect a worthy WDC to be able to handle starting 10th and not getting involved in a drama in the first corner.
Pete

 

Barring some very bad weather, here is what will happen. (And I hate saying this)

Ron will run him light. Also Heki--hoping to get both of them on the front row.

LH and Heki rabbit away and Heki runs interference for LH at the first corner. LH will get clear in the first corner. He pits early--Heki maybe 2 or 3 laps later--but Heki (also very light) knocks his lap times down about a second per.

LH's first pit stop will be short, too. He emerges in, let's say 9th or 10. With good tires, he passes up to 8th before those in front cycle through the pit stops.

By the end of the first round of stops, he is clear by 12 seconds. He is not lighter (but tires are worn) and he extends to about 18 seconds by his next pit stop. Again a short one.

After everyone stops 2 times, LH is clear by 20 sec. A few quick laps and he comes in for the 3rd stop. He emerges no worse than 3rd and coasts home.

Massa's best chance in dry weather is a good quali and a one stopper.

 

FIA rules are the joke!!

 

LOL Heard it along time ago ..

 

Prediction: there will be an "after race" inquiry to be decided later which will determine the championship ....

... again.

("The FIA is shocked to learn that fuel in the shade is cooler than temperature sensors in the sun." -- Remember that?)

 

+1

This being Interlagos also an ad sign will fall onto the track causing a SC period bunching the field together (desptie the fact that a track worker just picked the sign up and removed it 2 seconds later).

Post race scrutineering showed that the ECU on the McLaren allowed 20k revs for .5 seconds on the main straight for 3 laps. Computer simulations will determine that this gave Hamilton an extra advantage of 10 seconds combined. He wins the race by 30 seconds, but the FIA adds on a punitive 25 seconds thereby declaring Massa the winner.

After realizing that even now Hamilton would still win the championship, the FIA states, that the advantage gained was actually 50 seconds (they got the decimal wrong, an easy mistake...) and Hamilton should actually now drop to 6th place. McLaren demands to see the computer data showing this, but just as they were about to meet (4 hours after the race), it turns out that a local has stolen the FIA timing laptop.

So the case will be decided in 2 weeks time in Paris. It will be broadcast live on the Internet for anybody willing to pay the $ 20 subscriber fee to one of the Ecclestone holdings.