10 replies to this topic

[Peter]

Watching the race live, and the replays, it is obvious that Verstappen oops, sorry wrong driver - see later post caused the crash at the hairpin by trying to pass Button there (they were all in a queue) and then cutting in on him when Button had nowhere to go!

What a farse!

Also, if Verstappen's ditto car had been pushed forward immediately, the others could have got round the back of him.

There needs to be an enquiry as to why those blocked were not allowed to recover their cars to the start. Even if the two who collided were penalised, cars behind, who were not involved in the incident, but were blocked from proceeding should not have been penalised.

And yes, the red flags were already out - this incident did NOT stop the race! So someone needs summonsing to FIA headquarters to answer the question as to why the equipment failed, causing the race to be stopped.[p][Edited by Peter on 06-07-2000]

[Mosquito]

Peter,

Before bashing a driver, please make sure there is at least some truth in your accusations.

FYI: It was de la Rosa who tried to pass on the outside and forgot about the fact that Jenson with full steering lock was never going to be able to stay clear.
Since de la Rosa allready trashed a car in the earlier practise, he could not join in the restart.

[The Swerve]

I'm a big Jenson fan but I'm not sure I can agree with you there, Pete.

It looked like Jenson took a bit of a wide line out of the corner and tipped de la Rosa round by mistake. Easily done but I think it was his fault.

Not a good race for Button really considering Montoya's Indy 500 win this week and his pole at Nazereth.

(And I'm a JPM fan too - spilt loyalites!)

[Mosquito]

It looked like Jenson took a bit of a wide line out of the corner and tipped de la Rosa round by mistake. Easily done but I think it was his fault.

Swerve, you can not take a tighter line then having full lock applied. Jenson did not take a wide line IMO. I think the only thing he could have done was come to a full stop, but with de la Rosa cutting in like that, he probably would have been too late anyway.

[freq019]

Aside from who's fault it was, this was supposed to be a make or break weekend for the young lad. I just hope this weekend doesn't ruin his chances of returning to williams next year. I know juan is impressive but imagine button next year after he has learned all the tracks and the williamsBMW will have all the bugs out. He's taken his lumps he deserves another shot next year.

[The Swerve]

Mosquito, do you know for sure that Button had full lock on at that point?

[Mosquito]

Originally posted by The Swerve
Mosquito, do you know for sure that Button had full lock on at that point?

Well, you can never be sure, but if you review the corner, look at the wheels and the fact that Button is totally on the inside of the corner, I would say yes. The corner is that tight, nobody can keep the inside line. Notice also for instance the on board of DC through loews, you can effectively see how he just reaches the end of the steering with both hands crossed. Also, look at the tire marks on the corner. You can not really get much tighter then Button did. De la Rosa tried a nice stunt, but he should have known how wide cars are leaving that corner.

Not Buttons fault IMO. Could he have avoided hitting de la Rosa? Maybe, but I don't think so unless he went to a full stop. Pedro just tried a bald move, and it backfired on him.

[A3]

I agree with Mosquito. On Canal+ the onboard camera was shown and Jenson had his arms totally crossed and it looked like he couldn't turn the wheel any further. But, it looked like he had understeer and slid a little bit into de la Rosa. Still Pedro's fault IMO, he should have taken a wider line.

[The Swerve]

Fair point then. Maybe it wasn't JB's fault. I hope it wasn't anyway.

[Peter]

My apologies for getting the wrong Arrows driver, but the rest of it stands!

Even the FIA think that Button could not avoid de la Rosa...

"FIA Press Release

Pedro Diniz is left on the grid at the start of the parade lap and so has to start at the back of the grid. Before the race can be started, however, Alexander Wurz suffers engine failure in his Benetton and the start has to be aborted. As the Benetton spare car is set up for Giancarlo Fisichella, it looks as though the Austrian will not be able to start. Diniz is able to take his usual position on the grid as a result of Wurz's misfortune. At the start Michael Schumacher gets into the lead with Jarno Trulli second but almost immediately the race is stopped because of a suspected computer error in the starting software. Red flags are not shown around the circuit, apart from at the start-finish line. As a result there is an accident at the Grand Hotel hairpin when Pedro de la Rosa tries to drive around the outside of Jenson Button and the BMW Williams driver does not have the steering lock to avoid tapping the Arrows into a spin. This creates a traffic jam with several cars stopped and others having nudged into those in front. The race is stopped. Button, Ricardo Zonta, Nick Heidfeld, Pedro Diniz and Marc Gene have to run back for spare cars. Gaston Mazzacane and Jacques Villeneuve are able to drive back while Pedro de la Rosa had no car available after his accident in the warm-up. Zonta and Diniz are able to start from the grid as the teams take the cars out before the pitlane closes. Wurz, Button, Gene and Heidfeld have to start from the pits."

It is time there was better / faster info to the flag marshals, or else lights over the track around the circuits - the same happened at Silverstone last year, MS crashed AFTER the Red flags cam out becuse the message had not gone round the track - something to be said for in-car repeaters of the warning lights eh?

[Clatter]

I'd still like to know why perfectly servicable cars were craned off of the track and the drivers left to run all the way back to the pits.

Surly there was some sort of transport avialable to get these guys back in time to get spares on the grid.