Hamilton V Rosberg - Act Ii

[Emmcee 0]

I took it as that he has so many fans you don't have to count us on this forum,so does that mean us or not? Otherwise that last bit makes no sense.

[rodders47 2]

hey I was doing some gardening work with some primary school kids the other day. We were pulling out weeds that were in amongst rose bushes. One of the kids grabbed a handful of weeds but also some rose branches and got spiked with the thorns. He yelled out alowed, and just then another very young small boy said, hey buddy toughen up, it's only a prick..... I couldn;t help laughing and instantly though of the Rosberg/ cry baby Hamilton scenario

[KoolMonkey 0]

I took it as that he has so many fans you don't have to count us on this forum,so does that mean us or not? Otherwise that last bit makes no sense.

I'm not sure how much clearer I can be. My comment was directed at the British Press, and the boo brigade present at the GPs. It can't be any more simpler than that. "not counting" means just that, the members on this forum were not included or counted in that statement, thus meaning no one present here was slighted, defamed, or criticized.

[Emmcee 0]

See I think Hamilton and Vettel are bothe phenomenal drivers but kimi iam more like "meh" but that's my opinion. Ill say what I think when they so something "unethical" but also praise a good performance no matter who. I don't think it was fair to boo Rosberg nor Vettel all though some things he did were "unethical" and selfish. So it's all good on my end, as long my opinions on Hamilton,Vettel or Raikkonen or who ever are taken as opinions and not an argument ill be sweet.

[KoolMonkey 0]

I can't believe how badly Merc are still handling this issue. Publicly blaming Nico, fining him a six figure sum. It's madness, and no it's not sparta!

Can anyone think of a situation even similar to this? Merc even asking on social media how to punish Nico. I can't get my head around it. He's been the consummate professional racer all his life, no drunken escapades, arrests or any drama associated with him. No stupid foot in mouth comments, only to then claim one was misquoted. Yes I'm talking about Lewis here if you haven't figured it out already. Nico's been sqeeky clean since day 1. Strange so many were keen to topple him over. Unless of course they didn't like the fact he was beating Hamilton in the points.

If this carries on, then heads need to roll. And I would not shed a tear if it was Wolff for starters, hopefully Lauda as well.

I quote a few good recent blog entry from thejudge13 about Lauda...

Mercedes’ chief rantist Niki Lauda, who blasted Rosberg mere minutes after the checquered flag as being the sole culprit and had recently updated his stance on Nico’s move to “unforgivable mistake” and “a huge damage for Lewis and the Mercedes brand as a whole”, did now change his tune to “normal racing accident, that came however at the wrong time and the wrong place.”

It makes one wonder if Niki might have long-term memory problems as in forgetting what he said yesterday, or if the fact that the head honcho of Mercedes-Benz, Dieter Zetsche, has thrown in his two cents on the matter has anything to do with the U-turn that is remarkable even for someone as two-faced as Lauda.

Lauda confirmed that Zetsche had summoned him to a talk and that Zetsche was ‘not amused’ about the public image the team is currently presenting. The F1 team meanwhile is busy on Twitter, asking their followers what sort of sanctions they are supposed to impose on Rosberg. The options seem to range from a one-race time-out to setting quali slots or imposing team orders, although the latter was voted against by 92% of the users. Considering that most of the Mercedes followers are likely to be Hamfosi, they’ll probably get ‘creative’ suggestions like public beheading or immediate dismissal.

The one question that presents itself however: If even Lauda now claims that it was a normal racing incident, if perhaps a rather unfortunate one, why is there a need for punishing Nico? Isn’t the nature of a racing incident that, while avoidable, it is not a punishable offense?

At this rate, unless a new head comes into play, or Dieter asserts his authority, Merc are headed for some real dark times ahead.

[Emmcee 0]

I rekon, I read elsewhere today aswell that nico had to pay a 6 figure fine towards merc.

[BrisbaneAndy 0]

Sounds like the moustached one has laid the law down. Good.

What leaves me in awe is that many people have vilified Rosberg but the Stewards reviewed the incident for ten seconds and decided not to investigate.

Storm in a teacup.

I agree that Mercedes have suffered as a result. Not because of what happened, rather because of the way it has been managed (?) in a very public manner. It exposed all sorts of holes in their running of the team.

Meanwhile, Rosberg gives 100 grand to charity. Lip service, Ecclestone will probably pay it, but MGP get to say we disciplined him.

[Emmcee 0]

Disciplined him for what? What a joke.

[KoolMonkey 0]

I'm all for drivers coping it when it's their fault. But seeing the stewards dismiss the incident in 10seconds, and then Lewis coming out and lying saying Nico said he did it on purpose, then Wolff coming out and correcting Lewis and saying Nico did not admit to doing it on purpose, then Lauda throwing his ugly red hat in the ring... it's well entertaining. But then asking on social media how Nico should be punished...!? WTF. Punished for what? It was a racing incident. I won't blame either driver for what happened. That's where it should have stayed.

Where was the uproar when other drivers got punctures from similar incidents. Monado, Chilton ruins Kimi's race, a race he was in with a very real chance of a podium. Sanctions? Fines? Stewards enquiry? I didn't see any of that happen. Uproar on social media? Booing of Chilton at each race? Again it didn't happen.

Merc are a joke, and many of us have been saying this when it was clear they are going to punt Brawn, and bring in two under-qualified people to rule by committee. It's a shame. They are a talented team, but it's clear Brawn was person to make it all work.

[Emmcee 0]

Yep brawn = brains simple as that.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

What leaves me in awe is that many people have vilified Rosberg but the Stewards reviewed the incident for ten seconds and decided not to investigate.

True indeed....I gotta say though, I'm really surprised there was no penalty. And I only say that because of the countless 'soft' penalties that have been given in the last few years for very minor things which were clearly accidental but come under 'causing a collision'. Nico clearly caused a collision and wasn't even under investigation, and it surprised me. No careful data analysis needed, because it was so obvious who was at fault.

Disciplined him for what? What a joke.

I think the Merc bosses needed to show publically that they won't tolerate a collision between their 2 drivers and that they will lay down the law harshly if a collision happens.

And although Lewis was wrong in saying Nico did it on purpose, it seems all agreed that Nico did say he held his line to prove a point. That was an idiotic and almost childish thing to do, and deserved punishment I guess.

Because, if Nico escaped any punishment or social media bashing etc then he'd probably be thinking blimey that was easy, I completely messed up my overtake (by accident), Lewis's race was ruined, and I got away with it! Heck next time I'll hold my line again, why should I care if we collide again!

A point that is perhaps being exaggerated but I hope I'm making some kind of sense.

[KoolMonkey 0]

The way I saw Nico saying he was holding his line to prove a point, is one of a champion racer. He felt he needed to hold his line, and he certainly wasn't the first to think that, to feel that, or to do that. It could have just as easily ended in Nico getting a flat tyre or failing to finish the race. But Nico does not have a brash history of race track incidents, and stupid spells or doing dumb things. Thus I believe him in regards to Monaco and at Spa. But I also don't think at that time, he thought Lewis would hit him either. Nevertheless, I think his apology and owning up to it being his fault is rubbish and totally forced by Merc. Yet that didn't publicly rebuke Lewis for lying. Strange.

Jem, I believe Todt or Charlie has given an instruction to the stewards to let alot of the lighter stuff not be penalized, so as to not affect the outcome of the races so much. That's now why we have the laughable 5 second stop and go, but yet you can still do a full pitstop and just add +5 seconds to your time. How is that a penalty I wonder.

Nice to see Mattiacci publicly stating he wants Brawn at Ferrari. I think he'd work perfectly with Brawn too. He'd do all the stuff besides designing, and let Brawn just concentrate on that. Pretty much how things went with Nick Fry and him. Poor old Nick.

So here's my wild prediction.... <crazy_madeup_rumour>Mattiacci, Brawn, Kimi and... Nico in Ferrari at 2015</crazy_madeup_rumour>

Here I was thinking all year Hamilton would bail on Merc. But if Nico wins it this year, or even if he doesn't, and Ferrari get Brawn, it makes sense. He respects Brawn, Brawn respects Nico. I see Wolff, Lowe and the lunatic Lauda cowtowing to Lewis at the moment, and way too much of it.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Well if Alonso goes to Mclaren then Ferrari can snap up the 2009 world champion!

[KoolMonkey 0]

Not wanting to stamp on your dreams, I can't see that happening. And Ferrari won't be bringing in a young one either, they just don't do that anymore, not since Massa. So it would then by a Hulk, Nico, heck who knows, but I just can't see Button in Red. Maybe Vettel if they get Brawn. But Button, I give it a 1/20 chance.

[Emmcee 0]

If alonso goes to Mclaren, does anyone think seb will jump at the vacant Ferrari seat? It might be his only chance to get there.

[KoolMonkey 0]

No he has plenty of time to head there. He's under contract anyway for quite a bit too. If he does leave, it will be in a few years I think.

[Emmcee 0]

Anything can happen in that though. You don't think Redbull would be starting to support the other half of the garage more? Dan has a shot at the title bare it a long shot but if merc keep doing what there doing, he will be right there come Abu Dhabi.

[BrisbaneAndy 0]

Only if he believes in miracles, the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and Goldilocks.

I think there is a higher probability that the Renault PU will be improved in 2015 than the Ferrari one and the car being competitive.

The RB10 is clearly fast but underpowered. The F14T is equally clearly a pig and underpowered as well. I see no-one at Ferrari who is going to fix both problems other than James Allison, but he is aero, the engine guy has gone and I do not think he has been replaced.

I may have talked myself into believing that Alonso will jump ship, at least there is a chance that McLaren will have the power and they have a history of learning from their mistakes.

[Emmcee 0]

Maybe Jenson knows his out so he poured a cup of ice on Ron Dennis. Lol

[KoolMonkey 0]

It would be nice to see Dan win the WDC, but I still believe Nico will win it.

As for RBR vs Ferrari in 2014, RBR are ahead. in 2015 we'll see. The re-shuffle at Renault might be a good thing for them. At Ferrari I think what's happening now was well overdue. New blood in the team, and Allison will deliver. As for the engine, with their revision for next year it will better than it is now, so I can only see them getting better.

Once Newey is gone from F1, I'd say at the end of 2015 might be when Vettel could move, but it will all depend on how next year goes. He's still young, and got easily another 10 years or more left in F1 if he wants.

[Emmcee 0]

Yeah you make a good point there.

[Caesar 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a2g__qOFGo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Emmcee 0]

Haha nando.

[BrisbaneAndy 0]

That was awesome. Hilarious, too.

I am sure I heard him say 'Go back to McLaren, you have got to be kidding.'

[Emmcee 0]

No he said Ferrari to win at monza, lol.