h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I thought they were supposed to do that anyway?

But that would reduce the number of cars on the track and the controversy, where would be the fun in that?

Mel

*splutter*


Please don't make a comment like that when I'm supping my !!!

*Slaps VV on the back*

Don't say things like that, you'll frighten people

Checking the cars in Parc Ferme sounds so sensible that there's absolutely no chance of it happening.

I think the ITV commentators were being a little disingenuous when they said that the disqualifications coming after the podium presentations were bad for the sport: the trophies are handed out "subject to scrutinisation" so quickly largely so the ceremony can be included in the TV coverage...

Yeah, but it's not fair if you miss out on a podium for your first win, say, because of some technical doodad which could have been discovered before the race even started...

It sounds a sensible idea, but how practical is it? How long do the scrutineers take to go over one vehicle? Is there enough time?

I do agree that it is bad for the sport to have a podium and then days? later people are stripped of their wins. I'm bored with Schumie winning nearly all the time as it is. F1 does not want to stop more fans from watching the race.

. I feel for you Vicki not being able to go to Silverstone.

The cars were disqualified an hour or two after the end of the race, so the period between the end of qualifying and the start of the race should be ample time to go over the cars and make sure they're eligible to take part.

Maybe we should write to the FIA?

Maybe we should, because if they want to put everyone off watching the sport, then repeatedly disqualifying Michael Schumacher's rivals is one of the best ways to go about it.

If they have broken the rules, they need to be disqualified though!

I don't think it was purposefully chosen to disqualify his rivals and I'm sure if anyone pointed out a problem with Ferrari they would jump on it immediatly if only to hit the news.

However I do agree that these things should be checked before the race, and that the teams be allowed to correct them if they can with the usual grid slipping penalties.

Mel

I agree they should be disqualified if they've broken the rules, but to be black flagged ten minutes from the end of a race, or disqualified afterwards, for an infringement that occurred before the race even started is ludicrous. It's like a footballer committing a bad tackle in the first minute of a match and then being sent off for it in the 87th minute.

I didn't get to see much of the race this time as my little one wanted to have a bath to play with his new boat.

I heard about the crash and reading the news it does seem as if Ralfie will be OK. I was expecting Williams to argue the point about JP so I was surprised that he came in so quickly. It does seem ridiculous that they black flagged him right near the end of the race. You'd have thought that the officals would have done something sooner. What a waste of a drive for JP.

yeah and it will have cost Williams a fair bit to have the car race for no reason

As I'm sure any driver or team will tell you a drive is never wasted, the information they gather is valuble which is part of the reason cars will continue even if they have no chance of winning or picking up points, the other main part of the reason was admirally shown by Minardi this weekend.

Although it was dissapointing for JPM and yes the info should have come in earlier, I bet the Williams team are using all the info that he provided during the time he was racing.

Mel

I've always had my suspicions about Ferrari favouritisum in the FIA

Well when McLaren were top many had suspicions about favouritism there, same when Williams were on a winning streak.

Mel

True