Especially when he started weaving
He only did it a few times, but I'm sure it was enough. The penalty Jenson got was a joke imo, what's he meant to do crash into Massa? Ferrari In-race Assistance coming to the rescue once again.

I really don't see the point in having KERS and that new rear wing. Neither made any difference to the racing or overtaking. A good way to improve the racing in F1 imo is if they force the teams to ditch their carbon brakes and go back to steelie's. That will increase braking distances and hopefully increase the chances of someone out braking someone else going into a corner. Also this should slow the cars down as well which I'm guessing is what the FIA are trying to do these days.

After watching a recent BBC4 program about F1 safety, it's clear that back in the 50's, 60's, 70's & 80's the rule book was a lot more open which gave teams the options to look for new technologies to give them the edge. These days the rules seems more pinned down and there is little or no room for improvement and innovation.

 

He should have given the spot back immediately ? None of the footage that I've seen makes it look like a convincing overtake. Ferrari made a shrewd move to force a drive-thru.

 

I do enjoy BTCC, but it's a small regional championship by comparison. And this year, as with every year for several running, I've completely forgotten about WRC and missed the first 3 events. WRC has next to no overtaking.

 

One of the F1 teams did a test a while back with iron brake discs. Braking performance wasn't hugely different to the carbon discs. They were just a lot heavier.

I think the DRS system will make a difference over the course of the season.

However, the fact remains that removing a large chunk of downforce and fitting tyres that give more mechanical grip would be the the way forward.

I say take the front wing off, remove barge boards, and dimensionally fix the design of the front area of the floor and nose so the teams can't find ways of clawing back downforce.

 

One of the F1 teams did a test a while back with iron brake discs. Braking performance wasn't hugely different to the carbon discs. They were just a lot heavier.

I think the DRS system will make a difference over the course of the season.

However, the fact remains that removing a large chunk of downforce and fitting tyres that give more mechanical grip would be the the way forward.

I say take the front wing off, remove barge boards, and dimensionally fix the design of the front area of the floor and nose so the teams can't find ways of clawing back downforce.
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The problem I see with that is that you are effectively taking backward steps in a Formula which is the pinnacle of motorsport. I think removing aero, although it would be effective no doubt is not in the nature of F1.

In saying that, I don't really know what the answer is and the lack of overtaking nowadays may just have to be accepted as part of it. Equally, I agree with J8mie in that i think if the rule book was relaxed and innovation and new ideas were allowed to prosper then things might be very different in F1!

Remember the Lotus skirt in the aero, 6 wheel cars, turbo chargers...apply that to a modern F1 car and you could probably go faster on less displacement and be more environmentally friendly or whatever (stupid IMO!) whilst maintaining good racing.

I think the DRS might be useful at some tracks, KERS is a waste of time (and weight)

 

Watch Brundle's Analysis:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/9437681.stm

Clearly they were side by side at best, and Massa closed the door. It looked like Button could have easily lifted off to avoid the accident, but instead took to the escape road. Which is fair enough but as everyone knows if you shortcut the track, you have to give the place back, and he could easily have done so straight away.

I don't think Ferrari did anything shrewd either, Button/McLaren had pleanty of time to give the place back and made no effort to do so. After all the controversy of Spa a couple of years ago, you'd think they'd have learned the lesson (and on that occasion Hamilton was smart enough to act straight away and the issue was that he didn't do enough).

Blatant cheating from a frustrated Button, and the penalty 100% deserved.

 

To be fair, McLaren asked Charlie Whiting what they should do and he said to McLaren that they should hold on to the place. Or that is what McLaren say anyway.

I agree with you btw, Button should have just given the place back, he had the faster car anyway and would have taken Massa. However, the Ferrari Team Orders to swap Massa and Alonso round was a bit But there you go, F1 causing controversy on the first weekend, just the way we like it!!

 

Yes but it's a bit ridiculous if drivers break the rules and then expect to have a discussion with the FIA about it on how best to avoid a penalty. It's the driver's responsibility to stick within the rules in the first place. Giving the place back in this circumstance should be automatic; if you watch the video Button kept his foot down through the escape road when he could have easily blended out of the throttle and slotted back in behind Massa. And if there'd been some tyres, or rumble strips there, he'd have lost several seconds.

I'm not sure it even was team orders, because Massa looked a bit slow out of that corner having diced with Button. But still, it's allowed now and Alonso was faster, so you'd have expected Massa to move over as soon as Alonso was directly behind him.

 

It isn't all aero that is the issue here.

It is aero that is generated by the wings that causes the biggest issue from the reading I've done. The proposed 2013 rules (apart from 4-cyl turbo 1.5's) is a move back to flat bottomed "ground effect" cars with smaller, less effective wings. There was talk a couple of years ago about a centreline downwash wing (proposed 2005 for 2008) http://www.fia.com/mediacentre/Press...241005-01.html to improve the lot of the following car... what happened to that.

As for the brakes. Carbon or steel would make little difference to the braking distances as per the Williams tests of a few years ago - I think they found that differences were so insignificant as to make no difference. Much of the braking ability of an F1 car is down to the downforce and mechanical grip generated by the tyres...

Other issues for me... modern gearboxes where there are no missed gears/mistakes have meant less overtaking... mind you they have resulted in fewer engine failures too...

 

I agree with you, I think Button was foolhardy, but I think it is very easy to criticise when you have all the footage and so forth, in that split second decision in the cockpit after many laps of Massa having the widest car possible you can understand Button's frustration. No excuse, but it is understandable.

But yeh, penalty was deserved, it is clear from the video in MBs analysis that Button could have got out of it and tucked in behind or given the place back immediately, alas he didn't. However, I also think that the FIA and Charlie Whiting need to be quicker in making decisions, if they did say to McLaren that Button can hold the place and then 5 minutes later penalise him it is a bit much IMO. However, as I say, Button should have given the place back.

Still, good weekend for McMerc so not all bad!