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I recognise that I'm unlikely to get anyone to change their (already formed) opinions, but the FIA Sporting Regulations actually state:
20.4 Any driver defending his position on a straight, and before any braking area, may use the full width of the track during his first move, provided no significant portion of the car attempting to pass is alongside his. For the avoidance of doubt, if any part of the front wing of the car attempting to pass is alongside the rear wheel of the car in front this will be deemed to be a 'significant portion'.
This unquestionably alongside, and Lewis is still 100% within track limits.
Aside - Hamilton apologised to the Mercedes Team for the incident resulting in a loss of 43 point or them - he did not apologise to Rosberg, not did he accept responsibility for it.
Also, FIA Formula One World Championship Sporting Regulations cover overtaking under "incidents":
"Incident means any occurrence or series of occurrences involving one or more drivers, or any action by any driver, which is reported to the stewards by the race director (or noted by the stewards and referred to the race director for investigation) which:
- caused an avoidable collision;
- forced a driver off the track;
- illegitimately prevented a legitimate overtaking manoeuvre by a driver;
- illegitimately impeded another driver during overtaking.
It is my opinion that all four of those apply to Rosberg's move.
And finally:
Chapter IV: Code of Driving Conduct on Circuits
1 - Overtaking
a) "during a race, a car alone on the track may use the full width of the said track. However, as soon as it is caught up on a straight by a car which is either temporarily or constantly faster, the driver shall give the other vehicle the right of way...
(emphasis is mine)
Bottom line is that the incident was reviewed by the Stewards, and deemed a racing incident. I suspect some of the rationale behind that decision was a) both effected parties were DNF, so neither gained an advantage from it, but mostly b) not wanting to detract from the fairy tale-esque win by Max.
[Edited with correct source regulation]
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6FIEND:
tdgeek:
That was an entertaining race.
Mercedes. Both at fault...
I disagree.
Hamilton made this move on a straight piece of track. Rosberg was on the LHS of the track (and still running even wider out of turn 3) when Lewis committed to the RHS
There is no way to abort this move at this point, and Rosberg is still well to the left
Hamilton here is alongside Rosberg with plenty of track to spare.
...we all know what happened next.
That's all fact/evidence based. The following is my opinion:
- It is never acceptable to force another driver off the track
- It is less acceptable to do so to one's teammate
- It is even less acceptable to do so on a straight piece of track
- It is even less acceptable still to do so when the rate of closure is so high (because of a mistake you have made)
Rosberg acknowledged that he saw Lewis head to the right, and deliberately shut the door on him. He claims to be surprised that Hamilton persisted with the move and felt that he should have switched to an overtake attempt on the outside.
tdgeek:
Rosberg was slow as fixing being on the wrong mode, ... Normally the speed differential would have been a lot less, and it wouldn't have happened.
This is key. Hamilton wasn't "storming in" here late-breaking, or trying to throw one up the inside of a turn - Hamilton was at normal race pace, it was Rosberg who was out of step with the velocity of the following cars. His mistake, and the resulting speed differential meant that there was no possibility for Hamilton to alter his overtaking trajectory. So Rosberg simply forced him off the track.
I'm sorry, but Hamilton did this to Rosberg all the time last year. He's just getting a taste of his own medicine.
Martin Brundell says that lifting off the throttle is a very strong braking force in itself. If Hamilton lifted it would be fine. But he didn't. ROsberg lifted all the time when Hamilton does this to him, to prevent this sort of stuff happening. There was once when Rosberg didn't, and this happened. Can't remember what race it was last year.
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