I expected Vettel to get demoted to 24th in all honesty. It’s the same penalty that Hamilton received when he stopped on the track at Barcelona.
It helps Fernando Alonso, but it’s a consistent ruling and not really so much FIA bias as I’m sure some people are making this out to be. Remember that Alonso still has to podium to get the points lead back, even if Vettel fails to pick up a single point, which I’m sure won’t happen. Yas Marina is a poor overtaking circuit, as Alonso knows all too well (2010). He will have a much harder time trying to finish 3rd or better than Vettel will have trying to get into the points, as the mid-grid will offer little resistance compared to the likes of Maldonado, Raikkonen and Rosberg, all starting ahead of Alonso. Ferrari literally cannot afford to blow it in the pits and Alonso can’t afford to get bogged down.
The thing is, in recent memory, title fights have always involved some controversial decision that could have affected the outcome. While Michael Schumacher was parked in ‘94 for a couple of races for various Benetton chicanery, Damon Hill could have taken the lead and won the title. Jacques Villeneuve was disqualified at Suzuka just three years later, giving Schumacher the points leading into that fateful race in Jerez. There was the grid penalty at Monza a few years ago against Alonso that essentially handed Schumacher a victory, back when Alonso was universally liked because he was “anybody but Schumacher”. And the decision to give Felipe Massa the win at Spa in 2008 was fairly controversial to say the least.
The right person will win the title in the long run. I like to think it’ll be Alonso. He’s overacheived tremendously all year. But if Vettel three-peats, he’ll be in elite company with Fangio and MSC. That’s pretty incredible.
I’m excited about tomorrow morning’s race, that’s all I can say. Who knows, maybe Maldonado will win again.
F.I.A. Formula 1 2009 - Drivers
- Sébastien Bourdais
- Sébastien Buemi
- Mark Webber
- Sebastian Vettel
- Nico Rosberg
- Kazuki Nakajima
- Adrian Sutil
- Giancarlo Fisichella
- Jenson Button
- Rubens Barrichello
Credits goes to pixiv artist - みや子
oh that’s kawaii
gotta love how the Bourdais-tan has glasses
Vettel/Marko: Safety car was ‘to break our neck’
Marko admits safety car conspiracy theory
Dr. Helmut Marko has confirmed Red Bull’s suspicion that the safety car was called onto the Valencia circuit during the Formula One race on Sunday to aid ‘the show’.
After retiring from a comfortable lead with a broken Red Bull on Sunday, an angry Sebastian Vettel said he thought the safety car period was called not just to clear debris but also “to break our neck”.
Indeed, the neutralisation of the race allowed Romain Grosjean to catch up and thereby breathed life into the contest, and it also may have contributed to Vettel’s terminal car problem.
“It just went to sh*t,” Vettel shrugged. “I think it was clear to see that (until then) we were pulling away without problems.”
Red Bull’s motor sport consultant Marko backed Vettel’s theory.
“Vettel was too far ahead and so the field was brought back together,” the Austrian is quoted as saying on German television, “just as they do in American racing.”
German Sky television pundit Marc Surer, however, doubted Red Bull’s conspiracy theory is true.
“I don’t think it was intentional against Vettel,” said the Swiss, insisting it was right to give marshals the cover of the safety car to clear the track of crash debris.
“But I am sure it is going to be discussed,” he added.
Surer also played down the new controversy about the legality of the RB8’s latest developments, namely the ‘double floor’ that was credited for Vettel’s pole gap and winning pace in Spain.
“It is being discussed,” said Surer, “but I remember that Toro Rosso had a false floor like this and no one said anything.”
Helmut Marko, Red Bull Emperor Palpatine
Vettel still could have won by 20-30 seconds after the safety car had the alternator not failed on his car. That’s how dominant he was.
Mr. Marko’s conspiracy theory, which sounds like a better-worded version of your typical message board conspiracy theory, holds almost little to no water. The Safety Car didn’t fuck up Vettel’s race nearly as much as Vettel’s car did.
