Comments on: Should Lewis Hamilton’s Belgian Grand Prix win be reinstated?

By: mammada en na zoccola

mammada en na zoccola — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:22:21 +0000

does anyone remember LH crashing into the back of raiki in the pits?, is the mercedes mac car not a ferrari?? Just thought they may have cloned it given the info STOLEN last year – have any other teams cheated to this severity recently? Just a thought, as if i’m not mistaken, if a sportsperson cheats by taking illegal performance enhancers they tend to get banned for a period, given this, merc mac were let off lightly with just a fine – one might argue a season ban would have been more appropriate?

By: brian burkett

brian burkett — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:54:21 +0000

This was so obviously a conspiracy against Mclaren racing. Having seen how Ferrari where treated in the past for similar offences this manoeuvre was a legal one. I wondered if the stewards would have taken this decision if Lewis Hamilton had not been in the hunt for the world championship. Ferrari are the richest team in motor sport so I wonder how much money played a part. It seems such a shame that a sport like formula 1 can reduce itself to a farce. I think that it’s time for the old guard, Berni if you read this, it,s time to pass the helm to some new faces and re-write the rules that apply to the sport to make the sport more competitive and truly find the most talented driver in the world and not repeat the years of Ferrari and Schumacher dominance that made the sport so predictable a few years ago. I wonder how many people agree with me. to illustrate my point today a young driver won his first grand prix in a Torro Rosso in trying conditions where was the current world champion Kimmi Raikonen? Nowhere, out of the points, he is not world champion material. the only way for the Ferrari team to win is to compromise the opposition so that is what they do. let’s see a fair season and see the best driver win.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:36:28 +0000

It,s obvious they don’t want Lewis Hamilton to win. He daren’n sneeze or He gets penalised for it. But ofcoarse it,s ok for Raikkonen to drive into the back of force india and put them out of the race. A blind eye turned. But if the shoe was on the other foot a penalty would have been given.
Everybody knows Lewis won the Belgian gran prix. I like Massa and wish him the best also, but even He knows it belongs to Hamilton.
I think Lewis really deserves to win the Gran Prix 2008 as He was cheated out of it last year.

By: Brent T Davis

Brent T Davis — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:52:02 +0000

Lewis Hamilton deserves this win. It was not Lewis’s fault that Kimi spun out and hit the wall, rather Lewis was striving to conduct himself honorably and in accordance with the rules and instructions of the FIA and race control. Felipe Massa ran a wonderful race but he was not battling in contention for the checkered flag. Lewis, on the other hand, ran an heroic and professional race, he never gave up, and he demonstrated his skill and prowess in a quintessential element of Formula 1: performance in inclement weather. You cannot just have a superior car and the ability to get it around the track quickly under pristine conditions; you must have superior judgment, skill under extreme duress, and the will to give everything you’ve got to win fairly within the rules. Lewis Hamilton made a magnificent demonstration of all these qualities to win the 2008 Belgian Grand Prix. To strip him of this clear victory is a travesty and does harm to the institution of sport (sic). If the race stewards have evidence to contradict McLaren’s claims, let them make it public. If not, let the FIA overturn their decision lest people come to the conclusion that, God forbid, there is some unfair bias toward Ferrari or against athletes of color.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:52:19 +0000

Well, what an interesting read it was to read all of your comments. It is disappointing though to see two people who fail to see the damage that such decision do to a sport which relies heavily on its fan base. One writer has written that upon reading their report, he understands and that we should not jump to LH defence so quickly. I am guessing he is talking about the fact that he left the track so he should be diqualified. If this rule was consistently followed througout the race, no one would have finished! FIA, you need to stand up and accept that three blokes made a poor decision. You need to make the announcement now. In my mind this is as big a cock up as when Reubens had to let Michael pass him all those years ago.

Fix it!

By: Kelvin Hunt

Kelvin Hunt — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:54:26 +0000

Totally unjust as others have written once again the FIA seemed to have a back hunder from Ferrari!! If you are going to penalise Hamilton find a better excuse than this one!! If any thing Ferrari should be fined for pushing Hamilton off of the track!! Come on FIA study the blinking video footage…. Obviously dont wish to eat humble pie!

By: doe

doe — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:26:04 +0000

I am begining to think colour is clouding the FIA’s judgement.

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:43:56 +0000

Totally unfair penalty, the FIA are a bunch of favouritisms as I said in my e-mail to ITV. The data CLEARLY shows Lewis was 6 kph slower than Kimi, Ferrari are favoured. I have evidence in a number of Gran Prix to support my theory-:
Monaco: Raikkonen wrecks Sutil’s perfect race and Force India’s first chance of points.
France: Raikkonen has his exhaust hanging off dangerously but isn’t forced into pits.
Belgium: Lewis Hamilton demoted to third for nothing, handing a FERRARI the win, and at:
Europe: Massa has dangerous pit release but is not punished. :-
:- On that note, I think Ferrari should be FORCED to have a lollipop man,

By: Graham

Graham — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:56:38 +0000

Clearly Lewis did what has always been described as proper behaviour after possibly gaining a place after having to cut the corner at the chicane. But I agree with so many that the norm is not good enough where McLaren against Ferrari is concerned. Did the stewards not see Raikonnen hit the rear of Hamilton’s McLaren after the re-overtaking move at turn one? That alone has drawn a penalty in recent past for lesser teams. The last two years have been very frustrationg to watch and I honestly feel like this is the last straw for me too. I only have Direct TV for Speed and I only have Speed for F1 here in the USA.. looks like they’ll be losing a little income too.

By: cormacheron

cormacheron — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:45:13 +0000

Sad to see the championship being settled in the courts again. If Massa wins the championship it will be a very hollow victory.

Will this lead to a breakaway for the drivers?

http://itiswhatever.wordpress.com/2008/09/07/fia-ruining-formula-1/

By: M Mabizela

M Mabizela — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:30:04 +0000

Absolutely bizzare! Hamilton is such a lamb much different from aggressive great champions such as Aryton Senna, Micheel Schumacher and even Alain Prost. He followed rules to the letter yet he is still punished, might I add that, after he was even pushed to the escape route by a Ferrari. Clearly he is driving for a wrong team. One wonders what might have become of his results had he not followed the rules. Besides, how have stewards come to the 25seconds punishment? Massa drove dangerously at Valencia and nothing happened.

By: d4v1d sm4rt

d4v1d sm4rt — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:21:02 +0000

Most of the changes made to the F1 rules by the FIA have been to make the sport more exciting due to critiscism of it being too boring. Here we have the most exciting finish to a race for many years, and to then disallow that just underlines all the work the FIA have put in to try and inject some genuine competition and drama into the sport. Why should anyone mentally engage with the F1 season or watch any future race if the result is subject to the whim of some faceless unaccountable executive. Not for the first time either has the judgement of the FIA been called into question, they have become a laughing stock! BAD for the FIA, BAD for F1…

By: Craig Scholte

Craig Scholte — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:08:10 +0000

Well we all know what FIA stands for dont we!!! Ferrari International Assistance.

By: Rob Squires

Rob Squires — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:54:44 +0000

Hamilton should get his win back because after cutting the corner he let the ferrari infront therefore not gaining a place in doing so. I think it was an unfair decision to take his win away.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:43:54 +0000

Yes.

By: David Jones

David Jones — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:59:53 +0000

The losers here are the fans Hamilton’s win was one of the most exciting I have seen in years and I walked away exhilarated, I am a not a Hamilton fan so was disappointed with the result but I do not want to see Ferrari win races in this manner, I like many other people I have spoken to will no longer follow the Grand Prix if this result stands, as I said the losers are the fans, interesting to see what Niki Lauder had to say on the matter!
http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=43875

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:29:49 +0000

For Hamilton to receive a 25 second penalty is totally outrageous. Lewis drove, as he always drives, professionally and beyond reproach. What is the point of watching Formula 1 when judges can alter the outcome so easily. They made a decision on a move they deem to be an unfair advantage when the rest of us mortals deemed the move to be good racing. Will future formula 1 races see drivers too afraid to get within 2 feet of another car “just in case”. It appears that recent decisions made by judges are not fair and equal from one race to another. Why does it feel that Hamilton is being singled out!

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:18:16 +0000

I think not. Having read exactly what the stewards have had to say i can see what they mean. People should look into things before jumping to LH’s defence just because he is British.

By: Steve Jones

Steve Jones — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:51:36 +0000

I think Lewis Hamilton won fair and square. To have the win taken away from him by the stewards is absolutely disgraceful. Obviously if he was in a Ferrari nothing would have been said. Why is it McLaren are stil being penalised for last year?
After attending F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2007 and 2008, it was clear Lewis Hamilton brought a record number of fans to the circuit. Lewis Hamilton has brought excitement back into F1. A few years back didn’t the FIA complain about the lack of fans.
What has Lewis Hamilton got to do or not do, to be fairly treated? Fans are not after favouritism, just fair play. The FIA need to get there act together as they seem to be backing one horse!

By: bill

bill — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:38:46 +0000

Hamilton should keep his win, he slowed down to let raikkonen past then re-took him again by slip streaming; if he is supposed to have gained a speed option, then how about the move raikkonen made when he overshot the bend a few corners later, and then had a slingshot out behind hamilton, and then using that momentum, overtook hamilton before he finally spun off; this is making the F1 racing a waste of time if ferrari are going to be given some sort of preferential treatment and McLaren keep getting penalised