I think if it rains they should race. Not abandon it. It's what they are paid to do whatever the weather. So what if it makes it very hard to drive? They are meant to be the best in the world.
The rain was extreme, and the reason the race was not continued was the bad lightning conditions. Greedy Bernie got what he deserved for moving the race so late in the afternoon.
I know it was. I still think they should have carried on. They're payed to race knowing the dangers. Just my opinion.
Actually the race was not continued because the 2 hour time limit was reached.
Also the water was so deep the car were aquaplaning off the plank underneath the car, not because of the lack of grip.
Also the water was so deep the car were aquaplaning off the plank underneath the car, not because of the lack of grip.
They're race drivers, not gladiators. I for one am not interested in seeing a bunch of guys get paid to have some spectacular crashes in undrivable conditions.
Difficult situations should be just as much a part of racing. The best drivers wouldnt have spectacular crashes because they would know how to deal with it. If they would need to go incredibly slow, then so be it. I still think it would be better to finish the race at a snails pace while still trying to be the first across the finish line, than taking 2 hours to decide to abandon a race after a sudden downpour. Whether you agree or not doesn't really matter to me. I am entitled to my own opinion. 
yeah, look at rally racers... they drive in the snow and mud, and if the terrain fails (or the car), that's what happens.
It's not only the drivers who are at serious risk in those conditions. Drivers would be unable to see flags at the side of the circuit meaning marshals (who volunteer) would be put at massive risk whilst trying to recover cars.
The cars simply aren't designed to run in those sort of conditions, especially when they're setup for dry conditions.
The cars simply aren't designed to run in those sort of conditions, especially when they're setup for dry conditions.
Whilst I agree that they are paid to race, and are meant to be 'the best in the world', and I don't like the pansy, limp wristed attitude of most current F1 drivers, but...
...allow me to put my experience of single seaters. I have, in my car, less power, less downforce, smaller tyres and less skill. But if the rain is flooding the track to depths of several centimeters there is no way you can race. It doesn't take that much water until a car weighing half a tonne simply aquaplanes. And when that happens you can't accelerate, brake or steer - you continue in more or less a straight line at the speed you were going.
I've been there. I was lucky that I wasn't on a very fast bit of the track. But once you've aquaplaned in anything from a Formula Vee upto a Formula 1 then your bank balance, skill levels, experience etc have absolutely nothing to do with it.
And don't say they can just go even slower - surely you know that an F1 car needs to move to get cooling. Surely you know that with small groud clearances that the electronics would be swamped in seconds. Surely you realise that even in English rain you can't see a rain light on the car ahead (hint: onboard cameras allow the viewer approximately 200 - 500% better visibility in the wet in pretty much every series) until you've hit it.
So, for once, I agree with race control on this. The race HAD to be stopped. Anyone who disagrees is an ignorant fool.
Edit: And that's not taking into account the track side personnel that Keiran mentions.
...allow me to put my experience of single seaters. I have, in my car, less power, less downforce, smaller tyres and less skill. But if the rain is flooding the track to depths of several centimeters there is no way you can race. It doesn't take that much water until a car weighing half a tonne simply aquaplanes. And when that happens you can't accelerate, brake or steer - you continue in more or less a straight line at the speed you were going.
I've been there. I was lucky that I wasn't on a very fast bit of the track. But once you've aquaplaned in anything from a Formula Vee upto a Formula 1 then your bank balance, skill levels, experience etc have absolutely nothing to do with it.
And don't say they can just go even slower - surely you know that an F1 car needs to move to get cooling. Surely you know that with small groud clearances that the electronics would be swamped in seconds. Surely you realise that even in English rain you can't see a rain light on the car ahead (hint: onboard cameras allow the viewer approximately 200 - 500% better visibility in the wet in pretty much every series) until you've hit it.
So, for once, I agree with race control on this. The race HAD to be stopped. Anyone who disagrees is an ignorant fool.
Edit: And that's not taking into account the track side personnel that Keiran mentions.
The thing is, those cars are not made for those conditions: the extreme wet tyres can't handle that much water, and because of the height of the water on track, the cars would start aquaplaning at any speed - the cars are just too low and not designed for standing water. So I say again, all you'd see is a bunch of cars aquaplaning into walls / other cars, essentially dumbing the drivers down to gladiators and putting them needlessly at risk of injury. Sure, their 'job' comes with risks, but those risks are normally a controllable factor: driver f*cks up, driver crashes. In those conditions that logic doesn't apply: driver drives at 50km/h in a straight line, driver aquaplanes into wall - yay entertainment!
I agree entirely, but the world would be such a boring place if nobody tried to convert anyone to their own opinion :P
Who said anything about having the engine running? Get out and push me old china!
Isn't that called a Marathon then?
First in with a Snickers joke wins a slap
First in with a Snickers joke wins a slap
IIRC they have a little yellow button that turns on in yellow flag zone on the steering wheel. I somewhat agree with Gills. BUT it wouldn't be a race, just a parade for a couple of laps
. I wonder if they could even drive behind SC, it would be pulling away from them xD.Bullsh!t
Hahaha, oh gawd, yeah, time to play the "Is it 'cos I is black" card, works every time!
I do agree that some of Hamilton's punishments over the last 2 seasons have been a bit un-called for, but Hamilton is in the shyte right now because he told a barefaced lie, it has nothing to do with his skin colour for christ's sake!
I do agree that some of Hamilton's punishments over the last 2 seasons have been a bit un-called for, but Hamilton is in the shyte right now because he told a barefaced lie, it has nothing to do with his skin colour for christ's sake!
Well to be fair it's not Hamilton using the excuse.
Yeah true, but it's a silly idea anyway.
Hamilton has been unfairly picked on in the past, but the lastest incident is nobody's fault but his.
Hamilton has been unfairly picked on in the past, but the lastest incident is nobody's fault but his.
Didn't you guys knew that FIA actually stands for "Ferrari International Assistance"? Ever noticed how Ferrari never really gets punished? And that punishments to others teams are often in favor of Ferrari?
I see a conspiracy...
j/k.. I don't think McLaren is going to put up with all this bullshit for much longer.. Sooner or later they'll turn their back to F1.. LeMans series* anyone?
(* In my opinion a nice class for McLaren to focus on if they should ever quit F1)
I see a conspiracy... j/k.. I don't think McLaren is going to put up with all this bullshit for much longer.. Sooner or later they'll turn their back to F1.. LeMans series* anyone?
(* In my opinion a nice class for McLaren to focus on if they should ever quit F1)
lol well does anybody notice that massa isn't exactly white either? racism oversensitivity ftw.
He's not black either.
Maybe its racism against black only?!
Anyways, I think this is all going way too far. Hard to believe Hamilton deliberatly kept his story the same that he didn't let him passed on perpous. I mean the first time ok, Dave sorta influenced him and he can be excused. Then he asked for forgiveness and stuff. Then he keeps on lying about it?! WTF?! I had respect for him but slowly but surely he's losing that respect.
Alonso and Vettel ftw now
Maybe its racism against black only?!
Anyways, I think this is all going way too far. Hard to believe Hamilton deliberatly kept his story the same that he didn't let him passed on perpous. I mean the first time ok, Dave sorta influenced him and he can be excused. Then he asked for forgiveness and stuff. Then he keeps on lying about it?! WTF?! I had respect for him but slowly but surely he's losing that respect.
Alonso and Vettel ftw now
I used to laugh at that joke, but it's getting seriously old now, and Ferrari have been punished in the past, Schumy lost all his 1997 points simply for failing at trying to crash Villeneuve, which IMO was a very harsh punishment, even though the drivers were warned before the race that any incident would be punished severely.
As for Mclaren at Le Mans, well a Mclaren F1 won in 1995, and I'd love to see a team of Silver and Red LMP1 prototypes, powered by a big Mercedes v8, a full factory Ferrari Le Mans effort would be ace too.
It's about time teams and drivers were given more freedom to race across several racing series again, by making F1 cheaper would be a start.
i don't know, the spaniards have always seemed cocky to me, as if they are destined to rule the world... alonso and massa just seem like jerks.
Massa is Spanish now?
But yeah, they call it a 'latin' temprament, its just the way they are, they can't help it.
But yeah, they call it a 'latin' temprament, its just the way they are, they can't help it.
TBH Massa looks stupid... And I don't like his racing (he's fast but I mean how he overtakes, apart from Canada 2008, that was brilliant.)
Alonso on the other hand is just amazing. I don't care about his temperment and stuff, he's amazing. And plus, it's normal to get mad every now and then :P.
Alonso on the other hand is just amazing. I don't care about his temperment and stuff, he's amazing. And plus, it's normal to get mad every now and then :P.
Formula 1 2009 Chinese GP
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