Albon & Monaco & Blue flags

This wasn't shown yesterday but it is being discussed in multiple topics so maybe it deserves own thread.

Albon ignoring the blue flags and slowing down Leclerc:

https://streamja.com/n3pqd

https://streamja.com/6K9mN

Why wasn't it investigated? Why wasn't it penalized? Anyone have more details about this? What lap was it? Did it affect the end result?

Edited by mkad, 30 May 2022 - 06:29.

As far as ignoring blue flags goes, that's as bad it gets. Worthy of at least a stop-go penalty.

Edited by PitViperRacing, 30 May 2022 - 06:58.

He will say he couldn’t go offline safely because of the wet track I guess? But appalling and let’s face it the other cars managed. Very poor behaviour on the face of it but let’s see what Albon has to say.

I thought it was Sainz being held up when i first saw it yesterday as he complained about a williams driver but is it Leclerc?

Ignoring blue flags should result in a penalty, i don't know what the standard penalty for that is recent history shows its 5 seconds. In 2020 (Spain, Perez and Kvyat) and 2021 (Portugal, Mazepin) ignoring blue flags resulted in a 5 seconds penalty. 

I thought it was Sainz being held up when i first saw it yesterday as he complained about a williams driver but is it Leclerc?

 

Ignoring blue flags should result in a penalty, i don't know what the standard penalty for that is recent history shows its 5 seconds. In 2020 (Spain, Perez and Kvyat) and 2021 (Portugal, Mazepin) ignoring blue flags resulted in a 5 seconds penalty. 

Sainz was held up from Latifi and LeClerc from Albon. Williams was on a mission it seems. 

Can't understand why Ferrari isn't vocal about this at all. They wanted a clarification about the Bulls going a few milimeters over the yellow pit exit line but when they were getting royally screwed by BOTH Williams drivers for like the whole lap and 20+ blue flags it seems like this was a non-issue for them at all. At least other drivers would've been aware about not screwing with them like that from now on.

Sainz was held up from Latifi and LeClerc from Albon. Williams was on a mission it seems. 

Thanx for clearing it out! Damn those Williams.

How is Ferrari not protesting this? Both Sainz and Leclerc got screwed by the Williams. I get that with Latifi's driving skill he wants to stay on the dry-line but still, get out of the way. Had plenty of oppurtunity. This should be a slam dunk penalty for both.

If it was just Albon I'd think he was being a bit 'helpful' to his Red Bull family but Latifi doing it too... poor show from both and deserve a penalty. Given the rest of the decision making from Race Control though, it's not exactly surprising that it was missed.

How is Ferrari not protesting this? Both Sainz and Leclerc got screwed by the Williams. I get that with Latifi's driving skill he wants to stay on the dry-line but still, get out of the way. Had plenty of oppurtunity. This should be a slam dunk penalty for both.

A protest wouldn't bring ferrari anything. If they protest at best the Williams drivers will get a 5 second penalty. So no gain for ferrari there, unlike the redbull protest where they had to gain something if they were deemed right

Edited by Ruudbackus, 30 May 2022 - 07:50.

Can't understand why Ferrari isn't vocal about this at all. They wanted a clarification about the Bulls going a few milimeters over the yellow pit exit line but when they were getting royally screwed by BOTH Williams drivers for like the whole lap and 20+ blue flags it seems like this was a non-issue for them at all. At least other drivers would've been aware about not screwing with them like that from now on.

How is Ferrari not protesting this? Both Sainz and Leclerc got screwed by the Williams. I get that with Latifi's driving skill he wants to stay on the dry-line but still, get out of the way. Had plenty of oppurtunity. This should be a slam dunk penalty for both.

Latifi was in T1 when he saw Sainz exiting the pitlane so instead of letting Sainz through by not accelerating for a split second he just went normally and overtook him. I mean he would've lost way less time doing that instead of slowing down to almost a standstill before the tunnel later on to let Carlos by.

They have nothing to gain with it directly compared to a potential penalty for RB

Maybe not as much but sending a clear message to others to not do dumb stuff like that aymore is still worth it.

This is really bad and taints Alex Albon career and Williams.

Edited by AlexS, 30 May 2022 - 08:05.

If it was just Albon I'd think he was being a bit 'helpful' to his Red Bull family but Latifi doing it too... poor show from both and deserve a penalty. Given the rest of the decision making from Race Control though, it's not exactly surprising that it was missed.

That would suggest Williams were quite poor informing their drivers in advance, but really no excuse for Albon to miss so many blue flags.  And poor from race control that he was not investigated and penalised.

I remain ever more convinced that Race Control literally just watch the race on the telly like the rest of us and therefore if camera 3 doesn’t choose to broadcast it, they don’t know about it.

That was really, really bad, and cost Leclerc at least 3-4 seconds.

I remain ever more convinced that Race Control literally just watch the race on the telly like the rest of us and therefore if camera 3 doesn’t choose to broadcast it, they don’t know about it.

I am not so convinced. We saw the unsafe release from Stroll on telly. We saw Verstapping at the very least touching the line. No mention of both incidents until Ferrari pointed the Verstappen one out...

I think whatever power problem they had might have just affected the whole of race control or something. Maybe they could only look outside of the window? 

I am not so convinced. We saw the unsafe release from Stroll on telly. We saw Verstapping at the very least touching the line. No mention of both incidents until Ferrari pointed the Verstappen one out...

 

I think whatever power problem they had might have just affected the whole of race control or something. Maybe they could only look outside of the window? 

I did also wonder about the power cut affecting things.

A protest wouldn't bring ferrari anything. If they protest at best the Williams drivers will get a 5 second penalty. So no gain for ferrari there, unlike the redbull protest where they had to gain something if they were deemed right

They have nothing to gain with it directly compared to a potential penalty for RB

They would be for the next time round, now it isn't adressed.

The whole FIA is clueless morons

Edited by TomNokoe, 30 May 2022 - 09:05.

Albon was fresh out of the pits on slicks trying to build temperature, setting personal best sectors, with Leclerc behind still on Inters.

I don't think it's as black and white as many are suggesting. Just unfortunate timing.

Does the blue flag rule make allowances for that?  I thought it was pretty black and white - if the lapped car less than 2 secs(?) ahead they get the blue flags and a penalty is applied if they pass 3(?) flag posts.

Does the blue flag rule make allowances for that? I thought it was pretty black and white - if the lapped car less than 2 secs(?) ahead they get the blue flags and a penalty is applied if they pass 3(?) flag posts.

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“It’s tricky because we went out on slicks and we had a massive pace advantage,” Albon explained. “It would take three corners to let him past and then I would have been straightaway quick enough to re-overtake him again.

“You get into a position where, in my eyes, for both of us, it was quicker if I just stayed ahead, because I would have pulled away pretty much straight away. So that’s it really.

“It’s one of those awkward situations. But in my eyes it was a bit like if we let him right past we’re going to overtake him straight back again.”

Not sure Leclerc is going to say oh right, fair enough.

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Silly decision by Albon. He and Latifi should get penalised.

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Sorry, I like Alex, but that's bollocks.

Not sure Leclerc is going to say oh right, fair enough.

A backmarker (not realistically on his way for points) overtaking a car fighting for the lead... In Monaco...

I think even Ocon would judge that scenario is very unlikely... 

Edited by Heyli, 30 May 2022 - 09:59.

I don't think so but it muddies the waters for me at least.

It's not like they were both on the same tyre, Leclerc catching at 2-3s a lap and then simply isn't let by for a whole lap.

That doesn't matter. The rule is that you have to let the leader through before you pass your third blue flag. Albon passed 9 without letting him through (14 if both those videos are of the same Ferrari and Williams cars - I'm not sure if they are or not). He might be 'quicker', but he wasn't gapping the Ferrari so he should have let him through.

What Albon said is TOTAL BS. If he was faster than Leclerc then he would have been pulling away from him, which obviously didn't happen. If you see Leclerc's sector times during this crucial period, it's obvious that he is losing massive amounts of time.

You see the blue flag, and then you have three corners to let the leader pass. As simple as that. Instead, Albon, passed 17(!) flag posts without letting Leclerc pass.

Not sure Leclerc is going to say oh right, fair enough.

Might have saved Leclerc being Pizzonia'd though.

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He was quicker even though he never managed to pull away from Leclerc and went off the track? He's talking bs. Even if he was quicker blue flag rules are clear. But he wasn't qucker. Leclerc's lap 20 was 5 seconds quicker than Albon's lap 19. Instead he should at least apologise to Leclerc.

Not only is Albon's explanation nonsense, but in putting it forward, he's acknowledging he knew Leclerc was there and yet he chose not to yield. That's worthy of a very significant penalty.

Not only is Albon's explanation nonsense, but in putting it forward, he's acknowledging he knew Leclerc was there and yet he chose not to yield. That's worthy of a very significant penalty.

I don't believe the conspiracies about Albon being a RB driver - but he should have the courage to stand up and offer an apology.

In hindsight, he might have cost Leclerc a sniff at victory. Without losing 2-3 seconds behind him, Ferrari wouldn't have risked the double stack pitstop and would have kept Leclerc on track for one more lap. Essentially, he could have saved Ferrari from their own mistake

It’s pretty sad listening to Leclerc being so relaxed and indulgent about it all in the first clip with his breezy ‘Oh, Alex’ l not knowing his lead is going up in smoke. 

I guess the real reason was that Albon didn't want to get off the dry line and ruin his slicks.

In the end I don't think it costed Charles anything. If he wasn't held up he would only need to wait longer for Carlos' pitstop to be finished.

It did cost. Without the delay he would have been MUCH closer to Sainz and perhaps Ferrari would have thought twice before the double pitstop. Or, maybe not, since they apparently screwed him intentionally, so maybe they would have brought him in regardless of the gap

This is so bad. Just unacceptable. Don't know what is worse.. the offence or the fact that RD did not do anything. 

I don't believe the conspiracies about Albon being a RB driver - but he should have the courage to stand up and offer an apology.

Agreed 100% on both points.

I guess the real reason was that Albon didn't want to get off the dry line and ruin his slicks.

This is what I assumed. Or was nervous about stepping onto the wet and losing control of the car.

In the end I don't think it costed Charles anything. If he wasn't held up he would only need to wait longer for Carlos' pitstop to be finished.

Could save Ferrari to do one of the biggest sutpids mistake of this era not calling him at that lap.

It’s pretty sad listening to Leclerc being so relaxed and indulgent about it all in the first clip with his breezy ‘Oh, Alex’ l not knowing his lead is going up in smoke. 

I wonder if Leclerc being so relaxed on the radio was to his disadvantage here. If he'd gone on an expletive-filled rant, it'd have been picked up by the TV director and it might actually have been investigated.