BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula One | Hamilton faces Japan win inquiry (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7027743.stm)

Could lose his points for the win, or be put back 10 places next race.

This was mentioned on the day, but no TV stations caught the incident on tape. There is now footage on youtube from someone in the crowd however, and to be honest it does look dangerous. Seeing as conditions were terrible, and brake testing is strictly illegal in F1 then I'd be surprised if he gets away with this - he virtually comes to a stop, causing the cars behind (driving through spray) to suddently bunch up and crash.

YouTube - ウェバー＆ベッテル　クラッシュ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hWIfBkVQUk)

"I was sure Hamilton was retiring, he seemed to have no power any longer, but by the time I looked back, I was already in Mark's rear end."

PMSL :)

Of course he'll get away with it - Nothing will come of it.

Two drivers complained about it - Co-incidently the two drivers that managed to completely **** up (well, more Vettel than Webber) - Everyone else managed ok.

It is Hamiltons prerogative to try and confuse other drivers when the safety cars lights go out, and the fact that the safety car is coming off, means by default, the track is "safe".

It's desperation to cover up a monumental **** up by Torro Rosso/redbull drivers.

Any complaint made during the race by the team? Nope And complaint made straight after? Nope.

It's a headline, nothing more.

I think we should start a petition in support of him :mad:

Any complaint made during the race by the team? Nope And complaint made straight after? Nope.

It was investigated from the time of the incident for the following 7 hours.

It has only recently that further footage has come to light, and the Red Bull lot seem to be complaining more - maybe also on the basis on footage of the incident.

Having looked at the you tube video, I don't see that Webber/Vettel have a leg to stand on - Complete **** up by Vettel, a rookie mistake, made by a rookie.

Ah. Formula Farce prepares to hit the self destruct button yet again. Thank God the World Cup is on.

It is Hamiltons prerogative to try and confuse other drivers when the safety cars lights go out, and the fact that the safety car is coming off, means by default, the track is "safe".

The saftey car wasn't coming in at that point though, he should have remained within 5 car lengths of it, if you watch the video you'll see the lights on the safety car still flashing ;)

Wasnt Luca Montezimola in the crowd with his handy cam was it by any chance

I read the other day that he taunted Lewis that he was driving a ferrari on track :rolleyes:

I hear Maclaren are eyeing Kiki Rosberg as Alonso's replacement for next year now that Flav has offered Alonso a drive for next year

Vettel and Weber need to stop moaning, Vettel should've looked where he was going, end of story.

I hear Maclaren are eyeing Kiki Rosberg as Alonso's replacement for next year now that Flav has offered Alonso a drive for next year

I think Keke Rosberg would be delighted with the offer. Possibly a bit old for McLaren though?:p

I hear Maclaren are eyeing Kiki Rosberg as Alonso's replacement for next year now that Flav has offered Alonso a drive for next year

Keke Rosberg as Alsono's replacement? He must be what, 55? ;) - Nico Rosberg however would seem a likely possible replacement :)

Hamilton appears to have quite clearly broken the rules regarding following the safety car, however F1 is notoriously bad at being consistant in handing out penalties - so it's anyones guess what he will get - if anything!

I think Keke Rosberg would be delighted with the offer. Possibly a bit old for McLaren though?:p

Ooops perhaps that should have been Nico Rosberg

I cant help being old too :D

For once I don't this has much to do with Ferrari - Hamilton was accelerating and braking excesivly behind the safety car, Brundle even commented on it at the time. His right to drop back behind the safety car and bunch everybody up before nailing it at a point of his choice only applies once the safety car lights have gone off, only at that point Hamilton is effectivly the lead car.

Doing what he did (slowing dramaticly and running right out to the outside of the track) is not allowed whilst running behind the safety car for the reasons shown in the video - it causes confusion for the cars behind and they crash :rolleyes:

Penatly for the next race coming up for sure.

he should have remained within 5 car lengths of it, if you watch the video you'll see the lights on the safety car still flashing ;)

He did as far as I could see.

I can't beleive that people are actually advocating Hamilton getting a penalty for another car driving up the arse of someone else.

Remind me to submit any future insurance claims, blaming those people, if I run into the back of someone.

Hopefully common sense will previal (will I am confident it will do) and nothing will come of this investigation.

He did as far as I could see.




What!?!?!

Pause the video at 19 seconds, Lewis is out on the far right hand side of the corner, the safety car is totally out of shot! No way within 15 car lengths, let alone 5!

Doing what he did (slowing dramaticly and running right out to the outside of the track) is not allowed whilst running behind the safety car for the reasons shown in the video - it causes confusion for the cars behind and they crash

Correction. It causes confusion for one driver who has been in 2 GP's and never driven under a safety car in F1, nor driven in the wet in F1. No one else had a problem.

If you drive up the arse of another car, then you only have one person to blame, whether it be under the safety car or not.

I'd be interested to hear what Alonso has to say about this, as earlier in the race he was behind Hamilton and he (Hamilton) seemed to be doing the same thing, and I'm sure Alonso got very close indeed to overtaking him and thus had to really avoid hitting him. I think Webber was probably doing the same thing, and so slowed massivley and Vettel just could not see Webber and rear-ended him.

As said by others, no other teams have complained (yet), and I would have thought if any other team was going to complain they would have done so by now.

Hamilton is still a rookie in F1, so maybe some leniency could be given for that? Granted he's been open wheel racing for a very long time, but F1 is a tiny bit difference to the other F racing series. Combine this with the atrocious weather and maybe he was being somewhat over cautious.

What!?!?!

Pause the video at 19 seconds, Lewis is out on the far right hand side of the corner, the safety car is totally out of shot! No way within 15 car lengths, let alone 5!

Well I think 15 car length is possibly over stating it - But perhaps he was over 5 car length yes.

Does that warrant deduction of points or being set back on the grid for the next race? Not to my mind. Perhaps a ticking off and a reminder to be 5 lengths behind the car.

I still don't see why being more than 5 car lengths behind meant that Vettel was compelled to drive into the back of Webber, though.

If you drive up the arse of another car, then you only have one person to blame, whether it be under the safety car or not.

I dont think that is the issue here specifically, it's the fact that he's broken F1 rules regarding driving behind a safety car. The fact there was an accident as a result has just highlighted this.

He is not being blamed for the crash, he's being investigated for potentially breaking the rules

sorry but how can anyone blame Hamilton for that crash he was no where near it! he was on the other side of the track!! that car would have run into the back of the other car regardless as he was to close going into the corner.

I'd be interested to hear what Alonso has to say about this, as earlier in the race he was behind Hamilton and he (Hamilton) seemed to be doing the same thing, and I'm sure Alonso got very close indeed to overtaking him and thus had to really avoid hitting him. I think Webber was probably doing the same thing, and so slowed massivley and Vettel just could not see Webber and rear-ended him.

As said by others, no other teams have complained (yet), and I would have thought if any other team was going to complain they would have done so by now.

I thought Hamilton overdid it with the first safety car when the lights went out. He was trying to catch Alonso out and almost caught himself out instead.

However, he was perfectly entitled to do what he did with Alonso because the lights had gone out - Alonso wasnt allowed to overtake him _ if Hamilton wants to crawl round at 2 mph he can.


Charlie Whiting would have had Hamilton given a penalty if he had a problem with it during the race.

You go into the back of the car in front then you were obviously too close to be able to stop in time. You'd only have yourself to blame ;)

talking of F1, heard the latest from Stepney?

He has said that the data he has given to Mclaren wasnt a one way thing. He was given details about the Mclaren weight distribution, pit stop strategies, what they were upto in testing etc.

hmmm wonder if there will be any comebacks for Ferrari

"For once I don't this has much to do with Ferrari" - Apart from the fact that Vettel was driving a Ferrari engined car :) I think given the stuff that Schumacher got away with over the years - this is nothing! I'd be surprised, given the conditions that this goes any further.

"For once I don't this has much to do with Ferrari" - Apart from the fact that Vettel was driving a Ferrari engined car :) I think given the stuff that Schumacher got away with over the years - this is nothing! I'd be surprised, given the conditions that this goes any further.


That's what I meant by my comment, Ferrari engine or not Red Bull would still be complaining.

Vettel would have seen the safety car lights off in the distance through the mist and spray, and expeced the cars in front to be somewhere behind it. The fact that Hamilton slowed when he shouldn't caused Webber to panic brake (so as not to pass Lewis and receive a penalty) and Vettel (probably too close to Webber) had nowhere to go.

If Hamilton hadn't dropped way back from the saftey car, the accident wouldn't have occured, that's pretty obvious from watching this new footage. His breaking of the 5 car rule directly resulted in the accident, and he should be penalised accordingly.

Lewis was just warming his brakes and tyres up, nothing wrong with that. If the red bull guys couldn't see each other, that's their fault.

Try supporting the English man rather than the foreigners ;)

Or are you German?

I think you underestimate the power and influence of Ferrari in F1. It has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that he was driving a Ferrari engined car!

If you look at the video again Hamilton is almost level with the safety car when he backs off - given the relative acceleration of an F1 car (even in those conditions) to the safety car, he could quite legitimately argue that he was backing off to maintain a safe distance.

Vettel, as a driver, has a duty of care to be aware of what is going on around him. Nobody else managed to run into the back of any other car - despite the chaos he caused.

I'm with Pete on this one: Charlie Whiting would have called it at the time if he thought there was an issue.

I think the safety car was a little slower exiting the corner than Hamilton expected and he was in danger of overtaking it - hence the lunge on the brakes.

I like Hamilton, I really hope he'll go on to win the drivers championship this year, but I do think he'll get a 10-place grid drop this weekend coming.

Lewis was just warming his brakes and tyres up, nothing wrong with that. If the red bull guys couldn't see each other, that's their fault.

Try supporting the English man rather than the foreigners ;)

Or are you German?


Where did I say I didn't support Hamilton? :confused:

I was watching the race and thinking during the first safety car period (with Alonso behind) that Lewis was being a little too eratic behind the safety car. Didn't think anything of the second period as this footage obviously wasn't available at the time.

However, watching it now I think it clearly shows that Hamilton is the inital cause for the accident, just because I don't have blinkered views doen't mean I don't support him.

I was critical of Schumacher for his constant breaking of the rules and used to be glad when he was found out and punished - it would be incredibly hypocritical of me to say Lewis should be allowed to "get away" with just because he's English! :lol1: