spanish spectacular
question 1
Qualifying saw Hamilton's penalty and Karthikeyan qualifying outside of the 107% rule. What do you make of both incidents and the resulting stewards decisions?
@thesixyearitch : I don't see the point in the 107% rule as it hardly ever gets enforced, either use it or get rid of it. Lewis should have dropped to 10th place, that would have been fairer, in light of both events they enforce this rule punishing Lewis but HRT's can drive as slow as they like and still race?
@MarussiaF1Will : Hamilton's penalty was fair because those are the rules. If the rules get broken, they should be punished. As I tweeted at the time, Karthikeyan had a difficult weekend, didn't get in the car in FP1, sat out more or less all of FP2 due to electrical problems, set a time within 107% in FP3. Then in qualifying he spun on his best lap and then couldn't go out again to improve due to safety issues. Both incidents fair.
@jo_johnson63 : Lewis' penalty did seem very harsh but rules are rules and this particular one is very clear unlike some of them. I looked forward to the race far more just to see what Lewis could do from the back of the grid! As for Narain and the 107% rule, I have mixed feelings. The stewards do seem to be harder on drivers this year so I was surprised they let him race. On the other hand HRT need to up their game somehow and Narain needs all the experience he can get as he always seems to be in the way of somebody on the track.
@Simpson_tweets : Rules are Rules and although I feel Hamilton penalty was harsh..the team did underfill the car. As Karthikeyan qualifying outside of the 107% rule he appealed to the stewards and they must have seen that at some stage over the weekend he had recored a time that indicated the car was capable of achieving decent race speed .
@F1_Fans_Updates : Rules are rules and by the letter of the law Hamilton should have been punished BUT in my opinion it was a but too harsh. Karthikeyan qualifying outside of the 107% rule and being allowed to race by the law he the stewards are right he should be allowed to race because he set a time under 107% in P3!But in my opinion that rule is not a good one and does not really make sense to me.
@thesixyearitch : I don't see the point in the 107% rule as it hardly ever gets enforced, either use it or get rid of it. Lewis should have dropped to 10th place, that would have been fairer, in light of both events they enforce this rule punishing Lewis but HRT's can drive as slow as they like and still race?
@MarussiaF1Will : Hamilton's penalty was fair because those are the rules. If the rules get broken, they should be punished. As I tweeted at the time, Karthikeyan had a difficult weekend, didn't get in the car in FP1, sat out more or less all of FP2 due to electrical problems, set a time within 107% in FP3. Then in qualifying he spun on his best lap and then couldn't go out again to improve due to safety issues. Both incidents fair.
@jo_johnson63 : Lewis' penalty did seem very harsh but rules are rules and this particular one is very clear unlike some of them. I looked forward to the race far more just to see what Lewis could do from the back of the grid! As for Narain and the 107% rule, I have mixed feelings. The stewards do seem to be harder on drivers this year so I was surprised they let him race. On the other hand HRT need to up their game somehow and Narain needs all the experience he can get as he always seems to be in the way of somebody on the track.
@Simpson_tweets : Rules are Rules and although I feel Hamilton penalty was harsh..the team did underfill the car. As Karthikeyan qualifying outside of the 107% rule he appealed to the stewards and they must have seen that at some stage over the weekend he had recored a time that indicated the car was capable of achieving decent race speed .
@F1_Fans_Updates : Rules are rules and by the letter of the law Hamilton should have been punished BUT in my opinion it was a but too harsh. Karthikeyan qualifying outside of the 107% rule and being allowed to race by the law he the stewards are right he should be allowed to race because he set a time under 107% in P3!But in my opinion that rule is not a good one and does not really make sense to me.
question 2 suggested by squiffany
In the Senna vs Schumi crash who do you think was at fault?
@NotOptaF1 : Schumacher. 54,729 - The number of points that crash would have earned on a console game. Carmageddon.
@Iceladyy : I think it was Schumacher's fault. He had such a big speed advantage over Senna, and in my opinion, Senna just turned in to the corner while Schumacher could not brake enough in time due to his speed.
@hedgeryhoops: Just before the incident, you see Senna drift SLIGHTLY left, probably hoping to force Schumacher to the outside. I think Schumacher misjudged how little Senna was moving, and attempted to dive inside, but ended up colliding with Senna. For me a simple solution, a brake pedal for Schumacher. So - Schumacher at fault for misjudging the situation.
@DarshanChokhani : It was more 50-50 thing as far as I am concerned. From the overhead camera we could see Schumi going here and there to overtake Senna and ultimately crashing behind him as Senna braked a bit early. It was over-aggressiveness from Schumi while Senna defended a bit too hard. In the end stewards decided something else, maybe Senna too should have got the penalty but that's how it is.
@rkid84 : Senna did make a move back across which Schumacher didn't account for, maybe knowledge of Senna's tyre problem and experience on MS part he could of avoided it, but some common sense driving on Senna's part would of helped
@NotOptaF1 : Schumacher. 54,729 - The number of points that crash would have earned on a console game. Carmageddon.
@Iceladyy : I think it was Schumacher's fault. He had such a big speed advantage over Senna, and in my opinion, Senna just turned in to the corner while Schumacher could not brake enough in time due to his speed.
@hedgeryhoops: Just before the incident, you see Senna drift SLIGHTLY left, probably hoping to force Schumacher to the outside. I think Schumacher misjudged how little Senna was moving, and attempted to dive inside, but ended up colliding with Senna. For me a simple solution, a brake pedal for Schumacher. So - Schumacher at fault for misjudging the situation.
@DarshanChokhani : It was more 50-50 thing as far as I am concerned. From the overhead camera we could see Schumi going here and there to overtake Senna and ultimately crashing behind him as Senna braked a bit early. It was over-aggressiveness from Schumi while Senna defended a bit too hard. In the end stewards decided something else, maybe Senna too should have got the penalty but that's how it is.
@rkid84 : Senna did make a move back across which Schumacher didn't account for, maybe knowledge of Senna's tyre problem and experience on MS part he could of avoided it, but some common sense driving on Senna's part would of helped
question 3
Maldonaldo took his first victory in Spain (1st win for Williams since 2004). Do you think this signals the return of Williams to the top of the grid or is this just another topsy turvy result for the 2012 season?
@joshbohnf1 : Bit of both for Williams! Showed true pace but at the expense of Lewis! Hard to say!
@icywingsuk : I think the result was a bit of both. Certainly, Williams have made a decent improvement to their performance with this years car. This has brought them closer to the leading pack, which was already very close in performance and time. On this weekend, they got it all right, and Pastor held it together to secure his much deserved maiden victory. However, it remains to be seen whether they, or any other team, will emerge as the best, or whether this tight battle will, hopefully, last season long.
@ChrisJ_F1 : Firstly congratulations to Williams! Return to the top is brilliant! However I think its another rogue result, Williams looked strong over the weekend but they lack the long term consistency of the high ranking teams like McLaren and Red Bull. Maldonado seems to think otherwise, that both championships are obtainable. I think that'll be out of reach for this year.
@StephanieWeiser : I am very happy for Williams and I think that their performance in improving. I don't think they will be a significant front runner in 2012, but strong in the (upper) middle field.
@alonsomanso : Can be, the next race is in Monaco Pastor won there in GP2 several times. the last year Maldonado put the Williams in Q2 , in the race the car was in the top 10 then came the incident with Hamilton in the closing stages of the race. Maldonado knows how drive in Monaco so i believe we can see the Williams in Q3 and even in the podium.
@Hirameki85 : I'd like to think that it does, and I'm encouraged by the fact that this upturn of pace is at the race where teams traditionally bring a raft of upgrades, but I honestly don't believe they'll genuinely challenge for another win this year. No one team seems to be able to consistently set their car up well for every circuit, see for example Red Bull; winners in Bahrain, well off the leader's pace in Spain. While I think Williams will do well this year, and have a good car to build on, I still see the superior resources of McLaren and Red Bull, and possibly to some extent Lotus, resulting in more predictable races in the second half of the year.
@joshbohnf1 : Bit of both for Williams! Showed true pace but at the expense of Lewis! Hard to say!
@icywingsuk : I think the result was a bit of both. Certainly, Williams have made a decent improvement to their performance with this years car. This has brought them closer to the leading pack, which was already very close in performance and time. On this weekend, they got it all right, and Pastor held it together to secure his much deserved maiden victory. However, it remains to be seen whether they, or any other team, will emerge as the best, or whether this tight battle will, hopefully, last season long.
@ChrisJ_F1 : Firstly congratulations to Williams! Return to the top is brilliant! However I think its another rogue result, Williams looked strong over the weekend but they lack the long term consistency of the high ranking teams like McLaren and Red Bull. Maldonado seems to think otherwise, that both championships are obtainable. I think that'll be out of reach for this year.
@StephanieWeiser : I am very happy for Williams and I think that their performance in improving. I don't think they will be a significant front runner in 2012, but strong in the (upper) middle field.
@alonsomanso : Can be, the next race is in Monaco Pastor won there in GP2 several times. the last year Maldonado put the Williams in Q2 , in the race the car was in the top 10 then came the incident with Hamilton in the closing stages of the race. Maldonado knows how drive in Monaco so i believe we can see the Williams in Q3 and even in the podium.
@Hirameki85 : I'd like to think that it does, and I'm encouraged by the fact that this upturn of pace is at the race where teams traditionally bring a raft of upgrades, but I honestly don't believe they'll genuinely challenge for another win this year. No one team seems to be able to consistently set their car up well for every circuit, see for example Red Bull; winners in Bahrain, well off the leader's pace in Spain. While I think Williams will do well this year, and have a good car to build on, I still see the superior resources of McLaren and Red Bull, and possibly to some extent Lotus, resulting in more predictable races in the second half of the year.
bonus
Who would you say drove the best race at Catalunya and why?
@RobLMyers : Maldonado drove a great race to get his first win, but the more that I think about it the more impressed I am by Lewis Hamilton's drive. The Hamilton of 2011 might have crashed out trying to make up positions after starting last, but not the Hamilton of 2012. He drove a brilliantly controlled and mature race to take 8th, ahead of his team mate. Despite criticism of his overly aggressive drving style he also proved that he can manage tyres well (better than Button at Barcelona) by doing a 2 stop race (the only driver to do so), including a 30 lap last stint.
@EmTheEmu : I've had to choose 3 - Maldonado, Vettel and Hamilton. Pastor coped very well under immense pressure from Alonso all race long, and both Seb and Lewis had outstanding drives despite their problems.
@NigelBeechey : That is a tough ask. Pastor did well but he did start at the front. Same with Alonso. All they had to do was maintain the good position. I suppose I'll go with Lewis for improving from the unfortunate last position start up to 8th. It was a good effort in these close times.
@BenF1_ : Pastor Maldonado did the best job all weekend, and the gap to his team-mate was gigantic, to put it simply. On a side note, I was ecstatic for Sir Frank Williams. He is truly the most inspirational figure in the paddock, and it was truly wonderful to see the Williams name at P1 again.
@RobLMyers : Maldonado drove a great race to get his first win, but the more that I think about it the more impressed I am by Lewis Hamilton's drive. The Hamilton of 2011 might have crashed out trying to make up positions after starting last, but not the Hamilton of 2012. He drove a brilliantly controlled and mature race to take 8th, ahead of his team mate. Despite criticism of his overly aggressive drving style he also proved that he can manage tyres well (better than Button at Barcelona) by doing a 2 stop race (the only driver to do so), including a 30 lap last stint.
@EmTheEmu : I've had to choose 3 - Maldonado, Vettel and Hamilton. Pastor coped very well under immense pressure from Alonso all race long, and both Seb and Lewis had outstanding drives despite their problems.
@NigelBeechey : That is a tough ask. Pastor did well but he did start at the front. Same with Alonso. All they had to do was maintain the good position. I suppose I'll go with Lewis for improving from the unfortunate last position start up to 8th. It was a good effort in these close times.
@BenF1_ : Pastor Maldonado did the best job all weekend, and the gap to his team-mate was gigantic, to put it simply. On a side note, I was ecstatic for Sir Frank Williams. He is truly the most inspirational figure in the paddock, and it was truly wonderful to see the Williams name at P1 again.