F1 2024: Australian GP - Melbourne (Mar 24)

[G30M]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

Alonso dropped to eighth after penalty in Melbourne
Fernando Alonso has been given a 20-second time penalty after the Australian Grand Prix for driving in a “potentially dangerous” manner that caused George Russell to crash.

Russell crashed at Turn 6 on the final lap of the race, closing in rapidly on Alonso towards the apex and then sliding wide into the gravel and hitting the barrier, sustaining heavy damage. The pair were then summoned to the stewards where it emerged Alonso had lifted off more than 100 meters earlier than he had at any stage the race and created a significant difference in closing speeds.
“Alonso explained to the stewards that he intended to approach Turn 6 differently, lifting earlier, and with less speed into the corner, to get a better exit,” the stewards’ decision read. “Russell explained to the stewards that from his perspective, Alonso’s maneuver was erratic, took him by surprise and caused him to close distance unusually fast, and with the resulting lower downforce at the apex of the corner, he lost control and crashed at the exit of the corner. There was no contact between the cars.

Article 33.4 of the FIA’s F1 Sporting Regulations states: “At no time may a car be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers or any other person.”
https://racer.com/2024/03/24/alonso-...-in-melbourne/

This has Toto Wolff finger prints all over it.

Alonso is very lucky the stewards believe him that his brake check was not intentional

they all agree a brake check did happen, they gave him 3 penalty points, but they could not prove it was intentional

that was very dangerous, 900 hp with gas pinned to the floor coming behind you and you lift off in front of that guy, made him crash with his spine presented like a bullseye board to the next car behind also coming at 220-260kph, that could have been a manslaughter charge if the planets lined up

I believe someone who has been racing in F1 for 20 years know exactly what he was doing! just slightly miscalculated the consequences.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

So long as as all the Lions legs are working well

[NickyC]

Congrats to Ferrari, all this sport needs is for Max to DNF!

Checo needs to go, more washed than ever. If RB doesn't drop him and replace him with Sainz next year there is no justice.

[G30M]

"Lance Stroll Driver Cam, 1st Driver to Navigate the George Russell Crash Australia GP 2024":

[G30M]

[G30M]

Originally Posted by g21

i'm glad HM is still allowed to say things.

coz I'd like someone to promote Liam Lawson, CH is too busy with other things for peripherals like these

edit: this cannot be true, nowhere else on the net says this, Liam has confirmed nobody has spoken to him

__________________________________________________ ____________

apparently Marko has already spoken to Danny

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/for...DZXM6KFLUZF2A/

[M5Rick]

FIA war is on ALO, he is not liked for speaking his mind and Herbert was on the stewards.

[M5Rick]

Checo was expected to challenge the Ferraris and Mclarens in front of him after MAX's retirement even with starting from 6th but CH says he picked up some damage somewhere after passing an AM which affected downforce, what that was is not being expanded on by RB.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...lian-gp-damage

[G30M]

is Jos going to speak to Merc again after this?

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/p...ppen/10591236/

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

MAX and CAR would be perfect for RB should Checo be asked to leave.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

MAX and CAR would be perfect for RB should Checo be asked to leave.

Great shot !

But I really wonder what the 'blue stickers can be below on Carlito's belly ?

[///M Power-Belgium]

Lando's middle finger => https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank...ta_love_lando/

[Andrew2]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

FIA war is on ALO, he is not liked for speaking his mind and Herbert was on the stewards.

I agree with the view and conclusion in this video ...

If Article 33.4 was implemented as written there would be no racing at all

Is driving - parking a car that is on fire in to the pit lane not in contravention of the same Article ?

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Andrew2

I agree with the view and conclusion in this video ...

If Article 33.4 was implemented as written there would be no racing at all

Is driving - parking a car that is on fire in to the pit lane not in contravention of the same Article ?

No idea but as this was not a fuel fire I would agree that the RBR team acted swiftly and safely in neutralising the small intermittent flame.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Lando's middle finger => https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank...ta_love_lando/

Poor Lando's only reply

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Great shot !

But I really wonder what the 'blue stickers can be below on Carlito's belly ?

What the hell did he eat to bring that on, CS senior can enjoy those meat balls but Carlo needs a more healthy choice

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by g21

"Lance Stroll Driver Cam, 1st Driver to Navigate the George Russell Crash Australia GP 2024":

You hear the concern in Stroll's race engineer's voice. Good thing that Stroll abided straightaway.

Russell was stricken in the middle of the track behind a fast curve and could have been T-boned by an oncoming car. As said before: this situation should have been red-flagged. Drivers and teams know straightaway that a situation on track is more critical with a red flag than with a yellow flag.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

MAX and CAR would be perfect for RB should Checo be asked to leave.

I don't think Sai would do much better than Per in the RB. Max and Lec have a more similar driving style and like the balance of the car similar, and the same can be said of Per and Sai. Additionally, Sai seems to sometime have an edge on Lec, but how would his spirit differ when Max is 20, 30, 40 seconds ahead?

[dfox]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Checo was expected to challenge the Ferraris and Mclarens in front of him after MAX's retirement even with starting from 6th but CH says he picked up some damage somewhere after passing an AM which affected downforce, what that was is not being expanded on by RB.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...lian-gp-damage

Everyone hating on Checo seems to conveniently ignore this fact... Yet CH said it was a "significant" impact.

Checo finishes 2nd in the first two races. He finishes lower on the third race because of significant downforce damage and he's "washed up". Yet Riccardo is actually washed up and all anyone can talk about is how Checo has to go.

When asked how much the load loss was worth that hampered Perez’s competitiveness, Horner replied: “I think it was in excess of 20 points, so it’s a significant amount.”

[dfox]

My takeaways:
- Fred's gotta be kicking himself. Ferrari love Charles and I can understand keeping him, but Sainz is on the up, Hamilton is on the down. As they say, don't try to catch a falling knife.
- Alonso did not deserve that penalty. Fernando has always tried different lines and tactics in corners. Last year in Brazil, he pulled that on like every corner with Checo, and he didn't crash. Russel was just pushing too hard.
- Russel's crash should have been a red flag. Couldn't believe they just VSC'd it while a car sat sideways in the middle of the track, surrounded by gravel.
- Everyone saying Piastri needed more credit because team orders - Lando opened a significant gap on Piastri. Lando has better tire management and overall race pace. Piastri is fast, but still needs to learn more about race pace. He's catching up and it won't be long until he's in front, but he's not there yet.
- Lawson needs to replace Ricciardo ASAP.
- Poor Sargent. Albon really needed to score points.

[toxik]

lawson replacing danny seems like an inevitable destiny. danny can't drive the new understeering car.

[GuidoK]

Still, if I look at the telemetry of ALO's car (presented in the video's), I still can't conclude that he brake tested RUS.
Yes he took a slower approach to the corner, but everything regarding the somewhat slowing down happened 100m before the corner, so even before you normally start to brake.
If someone behind that doesn't notice that, he's not paying attention. In fact, RUS also already drove behind him at that point and didn't crash into him at that point. That he aproached ALO's rear diffuser and presumably lost downforce only happened mid corner, and that approach was normal from ALO's car. So to me it still looks like it was just as much a result of RUS wanting too eagerly pass ALO, and crept behind him mid corner just too close.

I think ALO's punishment is very very debatable, but it is what it is, it's the stewards decision.
It's not a big secret that ALO and Herbert had words in the past regarding the importance of their careers. This might have been a way to get back at him, Herbert now being the important man.