21/06/2004
NEWS STORY
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In my humble opinion, Formula One can consider itself very lucky at this time.
Race commentators would have us believe that today Formula One "finally delivered", whereas in we simply saw another Ferrari rout, together with a number of high profile incidents.
It's a sad fact that many people are attracted to F1, and indeed motor sport, by the accidents, or at least the chance of one, that however is not something I will go into at this time.
What worries me is that Formula One still seems to be taking massive risks, and in some ways hasn't learned from the lessons of the past.
First, let's take Ralf Schumacher's horrific crash early in today's race - notice that I refuse to use nouns such as 'shunt' or smash'. The accident was bad enough, but what was even worse was the sight of the German stuck in his car in the middle of the track, for what seemed like ages, as the event continued, albeit behind the safety car.
As one who still believes that debris from the start-line crash played a contributory part in Ayrton Senna's fatal crash at Imola, I am always uneasy when races are allowed to continue after major pile-ups such as that witnessed at the start of today's race.
Both Fernando Alonso and Ralf crashed, on successive laps, as a result of tyre failures, most likely caused by debris from the earlier incident. Had the race been stopped the track could have been cleared properly… but then that might have interfered with TV schedules, and we all know how important they are.
As the cars continued behind the safety car, debris was still visible, then once the race got underway again, Alonso and Ralf had major accidents almost immediately, yet the race continued.
OK, so they decided to bring out the safety car rather than stop the race, but couldn't they have taken the field through the - extra wide - Indianapolis pitlane, in order to allow the medical and emergency crews easier access to Ralf's stricken WilliamsF1? Was it really necessary to leave him stranded like that for quite so long?
The sight of the safety car, and the remainder of the field, weaving through the debris was alarming, to say the least. And in my (humble) opinion we are all lucky that we didn't witness an incident of tragic proportions today.
Finally, I find it hard to believe that a sport as sophisticated as F1, can make an error as fundamental as allowing a driver to compete 57 laps before informing him that he has been disqualified, having failed to get to his T-car within the allotted number of seconds. Is it any wonder that Americans shun the sport?
Maybe I'm wrong - it wouldn't be the first time - but do you think the race should have been stopped? Do you worry that the sport might be getting a little complacent again, with regards safety, and what's your 'spin' on Juan Pablo's black-flag?
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Chris Balfe
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Robin
Absolutely pathetic that they would let Montoya risk his life for 57 laps before disqualifying him because he did not get off the grid quick enough BEFORE the race had even started. Our U.S. race commentators found the infraction in the rulebook within 5 minutes but yet the FIA stewards couldn't find it for over an hour. If you don't know the rules, you have no business being a steward.
Taso Mangos - Australia
This race reminds me of that movie...
The Good: The championship winning style celebrations in the Minardi garage was fantastic to see. I remember it in 2002 at Melbourne and to see it again was great. Isn't it amazing what a single point can mean to some. You don't have to win a race to feel like winners. I really hope this will help this determined little team get more sponsorship and really take it the bigger boys. F1 needs more teams with the spirit of this one.
The Bad: Juan Pablo Montoya's Blag flag was handled very badly. It was a very late decision and the 15 second rule is terrible. The rule should immediately be modified to allow a driver to get to his 'T' car and be in a starting position (at the end of pit lane). The time limit for this should as long as it takes for the grid to complete the warm-up / installation lap.
& the Ugly: Ralf's accident looked to be a result of debris. The stewards should have Red flagged the race and cleaned the track. The major concern though was the lack of immediate attention to Ralf. The safety of the driver should override TV schedules. An ugly side of F1 is commercial issues influencing decisions by the stewards.
David Turnedge - Sydney, Australia
Call me a sucker for boredom, but the US grand prix was the only race I've missed all season (so far).
Hearing that Schumacher had claimed the top spot yet again made me feel happy - at least I didn't miss a race-to-the-flag duel between somebody and another (Rubens chasing Schumi doesn't count in this scenario).
Hearing that Sato finally got his podium made me more than happy (considering the Japanese contribution to F1 over the years it's a shame that the nation has all but missed out on having a worthy driver of their own to cheer up until now).
Then I read about the accidents.
Surely the rule is:
1. An accident justifies a yellow flag
2. Dangerous debris or a driver being injured and off-circuit justifies a safety car
3. Impassable debris, a driver being injured and stuck on circuit or a death, justifies a red flag
What were the stewards thinking?
I think F1 was very lucky today not to lose a driver for the rest of season, let alone from the sport or from life!
It's time for all-out-all-change in F1 HQ - just look at some of the lower or alternative formulae for how to run tight, exciting, safe and television friendly sporting series'.
Simon Sabel
i agree with all your points - but must stress two things, one, the American support for Juan Pablo is huge so surely being pleased he got racing should have been the primary goal of the organisers (now they just think it was a fix by some dodgy rule book) and secondly stopping races and restarting them is a great way of getting the interest back if the race looked processional and ensuring you don't lose any more cars with punctures, but to do this needs a different type of overall race director, so, I firmly think that in addition to a FIA technical director there should be an overriding 'entertainment director who can veto or institute any rule
that would add or harm the event , and lastly, surely its time for success ballast ?
Greg Cunneen - Tokyo, Japan
I was dismayed to see Ralf being left completely unattended for so long. Surely whenever there is an impact on that scale, the authorities must do whatever it takes to get to the driver as fast as possible. Stuck in the middle of the track on a high-speed turn would normally bring out the red flag. Even with the yellow flags, it seemed like ages before anyone arrived.
I read the reason why Montoya was black-flagged and I don't agree with that rule. I suspect the race marshal did what he had to do by the rules, although it shouldn't take 57 laps. But, my main gripe is with the rule. Stuff the 15 seconds. If his engine won't fire on the grid, the start should be aborted. Remove the car from the grid, and let him start from the pits in the T-car. What's the problem with that, it only takes a few minutes to do. Why remove a car from the grid, in an era of few cars actually on the grid to begin with, when another sensible solution is possible.
The race is big news in Japan due to Sato's third place, but other than that I had trouble staying awake. It aired at 2:00am in Japan. At times, Takuma and Rubens had the pace on Michael, so I was disappointed that neither managed to get past.
Nidal
It's a shame!
I think some things in F1 are going in the wrong direction...
How in the world some one is allowed to continue more than 2/3 of his race and then simply
they decide he is disqualified... it's amazing... I can compare it to a football team player who
has played very well and scored some goals and then the match official simply decided that
the player deserves the red card because of an old incident that he just remembered or told about
and that his scored goals should be taken out of the result which is not realistic at all...
Finally, God bless F1.
Sven Venables
My view is they should of let him finish, they took far to long on the investigation, of the incedent, why let the guy finish 3 quarters of the race the decide to black flag him,,,,
Munish - India
Should the race have been stopped?. No, I don't think so. But they should have taken the Pit lane route at once. My mates watching the race also expressed the same view. If we, as spectators watching on TV, could realize that, I don't see why the FIA can't.
Granted...I am not Monty's biggest fan but that was so stupid!!!. He did NOT deserve that. He was doing quite well for himself. I was left wondering what happened to that rule which says that a decision should be issued within a specific amount of laps (was it 2 or 20??). I am not sure what the exact rule is but I remember it being mentioned when Michael won in 1998 at Silverstone (when he won in the Pit lane). Have the rules changed?. In any case, that ruling was not needed.
Are the FIA getting a little complacent?. No, I don't think so. This was just an isolated incident. Formula One is safer than it ever was and I hope and pray that the FIA never become complacent and if they do, they should be reminded of what the sport lost in May 1994.
And nice one Taku!!!
Jim81339
Today's USGP shows to me the absolute need of a professional cadre at every F1 race which would replace the posseurs in their elegant blue blazers. Something is seriously facked when a driver sits stationary for over 3 minutes after a potentially serious accident such as was suffered by RS without attention. Wealth, enthusiasm and obesity are not qualifications for the stweardship of any race.
Peter Wells
Many years ago (as I recall, as a result of Roger Williamson) Motor Race Rescue Unit, one of the forerunners of today’s rescue services, proposed to the GPDA that they provide a trained, professional service at every GP of the season. The offer was declined on cost grounds.
I think yesterday shows once again that the F1 Circus really ought to rely on professionals backed up by (and I’m not knocking, just referring to their salary status) amateurs. Were there no marshals’ points on the start finish straight? I don’t think so.
Similarly, JPM’s race (or non-race) is a classic example of why there should be professional stewards rather than some local jobsworths, no matter how long they have been in 'power'
pitpass' Geoff Collins
I thought SC was OK for the first incident, but they MUST clean the track properly. That said, debris will always be a factor in F1 (barge boards etc) so I guess the real problem is that the debris is sharp and the tyres vulnerable, and a better solution (run-flat or re-inflating tyres?) is necessary. Or slower speeds...
As for Ralf. Stop the race straight away. How long did it take for anyone to get there? And at that point they knew nothing... And a long SC phase is, as you say, bad news. Did Rubens really have a bottoming car at the restart (or was it team orders) if so, then Senna's accident definitely springs to mind.
JPM - disgraceful. Maybe they let him race while they were arguing the toss with Sam, but a drive through (a la Coulthard - Canada 2000) would have been more reasonable (although the rule is very clear - so why let him start at all?). Anyone taking bets on what entertaining fate awaits Sam's boys in France? He must feel terrible.
Branimir - South Africa
FIA is trying to reinvent F1, due to declining numbers in TV viewership worldwide. They are failing miserably! From the new qualifying format, to driver aids ban, etc. All we want to see is RACING, and what happened at Indy yesterday, leaves a lot to be desired. Montoya should NOT have raced for so long, only to be disqualified and the race should have been stopped after Ralf's accident. Lastly, with regard to the rules, it is pathetic to think that those 4 or 5 seconds that Montoya took to leave the car, disqualifies the driver who can seriously challenge the boring RED parade. This only proves the clinical approach to F1 racing today, which is quenching the true spirit of racing, and contributing to most of us switching the TV sets off!
Adam Artis
The length of time that passed before the medical car or any help arrived at Ralf's accident is inexcusable. As far as said car having to circle the track to reach Ralf, no.The race should have been stopped and the med car could have gone down pit lane, turned left and been at the scene in seconds. As far as continuing to race with so many carbon fibre shards lying around well maybe the GPDA needs to speak up. Is F1 sinking into the same pre-Imola sense of immunity that will eventually lead to tragedy.
Laurie D'Alessio
Can someone please explain how Michael Schumacher could come into the pits, stop for fuel and end up at the head of the cue behind the Safety Car, in front of the BARs that had not stopped?
If he came in before the SC had picked up the leading car would not the BARs have made up the time difference [that is the lead that MS had over them when the full course yellow was deployed]?
If MS entered the pits behind the SC, how could he rejoin between the SC and the BARs. He would have had to come out of the pits between the SC and the BARs, but in that case under the FIA regs, the Pit exit is closed till the end of the cue.
Did the telecast miss something, or did I?
Joe Angers - Ayer, MA, USA
I know that the Formula 1 community sometimes has this habit of living in it's own rather insular world with an elitist view of those around it (if the FIA didn't come up with it, it's rubbish). Unfortunately, that rather insular view has could have cost Ralf something a lot bigger than missing a few races and a sore back. Now I know pride is a very difficult thing to swallow Bernie, Max, and Schuey (since you are head of the GPDA), but maybe you might want slide down those noses you look down so often and maybe take a cue from the way we do things here in the U.S.
For the last 25 years, OWRS (nee CART) has set the standard for on-track safety response and medical care (look no further than Alex Zanardi's accident at the Lausitzring). Had Sunday's USGP been a CART or IRL event, a safety truck with medical personnel would have been rolling around Turn 13 before Ralf's car would have come to a halt. Is there any reason whatsoever as to why the medical car (with the one physycian on track apparently) had to make a complete lap around the circuit. And why endanger lives of the drivers by making them pace around the safety car through the debris field instead of the pits. Not to mention ruining any chance of anything other than a Ferrari winning.
Frankly, the overall officiating at last Sunday's GP wouldn't even do justice to an SCCA Regional Club Event. The FIA needs to be taken to task. But whether they actually do remains to be seen. I've been an F-1 fan for 20 years, and hostory has shown that no they will not. You're right, Formula 1 dodged a bullet, the bullet of introspection and change.
German A. Salazar - Miami, Florida, USA
The only word to describe the actions of the scrutineers, marshals and race officials at the last two grands prix is amateurish. A local ¼ mile dirt track operator would be pilloried (and rightly so) if he left an injured driver stranded on the track without stopping the race for all available medical attention to be given the driver. Further, if he were to disqualify a top runner near the end for a miniscule pre-race infraction (never mind the brake ducts fiasco) he might well be lynched – and yet, this is what we see at the “pinnacle of the sport”. The F1 fan in the US has precious little to work with; I follow the race via lap times on a computer screen as television coverage is non-existent in my little third-world corner of the US. One has to be a hard-core fan to do this, but frankly, the aggravation has now exceeded the meager reward of timeliness. I will now spend my Sunday mornings in other pursuits and check the website in the evening for results. My wife and my stomach will both thank me. NASCAR looks ever more attractive even if it means I’ll have to wear a t-shirt, drink beer and switch off that part of my brain that says actual competition on the track is the foundation of motor racing. I may as well, given that the F1 grandees don’t appear have much brainwave activity in that region either.
Peter Wells - Cape Town, South Africa
What a load of drivel. I have seen more exciting racing take place in the London Marathon. I have been an F1 nutter for 34 years but enough is enough. Don't tell me that Rubens couldn't make his passing manouver on MS stick - poppycock Todt or Brawn told him to stay behind.
Bernie me mate you have done a lot for F1 but I hate to say you have now lost the plot. I actually hate myself for turning the telly on at all in the knowledge that I going down as 1 more viewer.
BE and Maxie Mosley should be dragged off to the next Moto GP. Now that is real racing and, to quote the Moto GP telly commentators "Moto GP is now the pinnacle of Motor Sport". So sad sooooo very sad !!!!!
Bring back slicks - toss the electronic gizmos and let's see if any of the current GP crop remember how to operate a foot clutch and gear lever. Imagine JPM hounding the MS to such an extent he over-revved his motor or misses a gear - hoo hoo now that would be worth watching. Till then its Rossi who passes Gibernau who then passes Biaggi who passes both of them back again all within the space of half a lap then goes on to repeat the move another 20 times - COME ON BERNIE !!!!!!
Kate Webber - Santa Clara, CA
I quite agree, the race should have been stopped after the first corner incident, and only restarted after all debris was removed from the track. I believe Alonso and Ralf would not have had their problems if this had been done. I also think that the time it took for the medical car to reach Ralf was embarrassing. At the Indy 500, the medical car gets there almost by the time a crashed car stops moving. Ralf wasn't moving for the first couple of minutes. Were the fans the only ones to panic over this?
As for Montoya's black flag: if a rules infraction occurs, the stewards should have a 10-lap limit in which to declare a penalty. I don't care what rule we're talking about -- this should apply to yesterday's infraction against an obscure t-car rule as well as to pit lane speed violations or (what I feel are rather arbitrary) decisions about drivers causing "avoidable" incidents. If the stewards can't sort it out within 10 laps, they should just let it go. I feel this way for safety reasons, not just fairness.
Paul Barrow
The time it took to get to RS was astonishing, and unacceptable. The issue of red flagging the race immediately, thus safely permitting safety vehicles to transit the track the wrong way to expedite access misses the point. Whilst that doubtless would have helped, it was clear that there was little or no quick access to the track in that area and relying on stopping the race as a main plan seems fraught with peril. Thankfully RS seems to be (relatively) OK, but what if he'd needed instant life saving attention?
In deciding not to stop the race, I agree that the sensible thing would have been to route the cars through the pitlane. As to whether or not races should be stopped to clear excessive debris, doesn't this point to an area of great fragility in the process? It happens so often and perhaps cars should be configured so that they don't disintegrate into razor blades at the first tap, or perhaps the tyres need to be (more) razor blade proof.
The JPM incident seems to be pretty poor management and I too thought that there was a time limit on stewards' investigations and final decisions. However, statements like JPM "needlessly risking his life" is a bit emotive and over the top. The blunt fact is that that is what they are paid (a not inconsiderable sum) for. Before people jump all over me, I am not advocating a callous viewpoint of the motor racing safety issues but "needlessly risking his life" makes it sound as if they're one breath from death at every moment, which they certainly (and thankfully) are not. It is managed risk they have to deal with and well managed at that.
This comment would have had more merit 20 years or so in the past, but less so today and let's face it, accidents like RS's itself and, say, Massa's in Canada are explicit examples of the huge improvements and margins in safety. In any case you could equally argue that to race and not be placed, or to come last, or be a late retirement, or doing excessive testing all amount to a "needless risk of life". Complain at poor stewardship by all means, but let's keep things in perspective.
Mike Zimmermann - Johannesburg, South Africa
How could they allow the race to continue. There has been a tendency in the last few years to not stop the race but to allow the cars to run behind the safety car for lap after lap. This is something that has been copied from oval track racing. Some things formula 1 can learn from US racing but the use of the safety car in stead of stopping the race is not one of them. It has more to do with TV audiences than it has to do with safety. We got lucky on Sunday but next time we could be lamenting the loss of another tallented driver. Charlie Whiting must have the balls to tell the TV producer's that safety comes first and the show comes second.
Viper Mask
First of all, I was disgusted how the race marshalls acted. It was by far one of the most idiotic ways to handle a race.
The race should of been red flagged right after Ralf's accident. After all, Mark Webber's Jaguar almost hit the damaged FW26. I have multiple question s for this situation: What if Ralf was dying in his car? What if Mark Webber DID hit Ralf? What if it was Michael in that damaged car? Would of they waited 2 - 5 minutes just to get to the scene of the accident? I strongly believe that if Ralf was dying in the car, he would not be alive today. It is obvious that the FIA didn't learn a thing after the death of Ayrton Senna.
The Juan Pablo Montoya incident was just stupid. He risked his life for more than 50 laps just to be disqualfied in the end. Infact he shouldn't of been disqualified at all. There is a regulation in the FIA that clearly states that the decision must be made within 25 laps. Guess what? JPM was out for more than 50 laps so they should of never black flagged him in the
first place.
With incidents like these, it's no wonder Formula 1 is losing popularity around the world.
Richard Fox - Michigan, USA
As one of that rare breed, an American F1 fan, I must say I was frankly, appalled by the officiating and safety response at the USGP this year. Black-flagging Montoya that late in the race for a pre-race infraction is simply ludicrous, and makes the F1 officials seem bush-league, even compared to NASCAR's "Rules Subject To Change Without Notice, Even During The Race" officiating standards.
Much more disturbing to me, however, was EVERYTHING involved in Ralf's accident. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway's own safety crews have demonstrated on many occasions the ability to deploy at least a basic aid crew to any point on the Speedway grounds (including the grandstands)
within sixty seconds, yet FIA wouldn't let them respond to Ralf's accident, instead preferring to have the medical car putt-putt around the complete road course to respond. Even if one doesn't want to let the medical car travel against the flow of race traffic on pit road to arrive the short way around, at the least, it could have travelled around the oval and saved a great deal of time.
Additionally, I'd say that FIA definitely needs to look at taking better advantage of track-cleaning equipment that a facility may have on-hand. Watching on Speed Channel, the commentators were noting in amazement that, following Ralf's wreck, track marshals were 'on their hands and knees' looking for and picking up carbon fibre shards. IMS has a great deal of specialized track-cleaning equipment available, including sweeper trucks, vacuum trucks, and the famous jet-driers that can easily blow any debris off the racing surface to pile up against the bottom of the fence. That gear would have been able to much more swiftly and thoroughly
clear all debris from the track.
In closing... here in the States, Speed Channel has a program called "Formula One Decade," which replays ten-year-old F1 races. I didn't have access to F1 back in 1994, so I didn't see the Imola GP until earlier this spring, when it came up on that program... but as I watched Ralf sitting there on Sunday, not moving, with the teams and marshals clearly concerned but prohibited from helping by regulations, I found myself thinking what I suspect many longtime fans thought at that moment.
Tony Dowe - Atlanta, GA
I really think that the "powers that be" of F1 have lost the plot!
This is show business. The fan that stumps up his money, when there are so many easier entertainment options, must be wondering for who's benefit the event is being staged.
I wonder when Bernie/Max last sat in a grandstand to watch any race? Do they realize just how difficult it is to follow!!
No scanners to listen in to the teams!
If this event had been at say, Silverstone, Bernie would have been on one of his secret agenda driven tirades about how poor the whole thing really is! Well I guess that money talks.
Safety! A whole lap before the Ambulance can get to the start and finish straight? And then another to leave the circuit? I wonder who signed off on the circuit safety? Guess the same person who reported the Williams team to the stewards for not being in the spare car at the right time!
The whole Williams/Montoya "thing" is pathetic. Who cares if brake ducts are to big? Not the fans. Who cares if a car/driver is not off of the grid, and in another car, in time!
FYI, The entry for the FIA world championship requires that a team sign and agree that they have read and understand the rules. Obviously Williams/BMW should now be "invited" to Paris to explain why they did such an illegal act! Boy, The FIA just don't get it do they!
Elango
I agree, the race could have been stopped to clear the track. That would have given us a complete race, with more cars vying for positions up and down the order. The last placed finisher got championship points, while drivers with much better abilities and equipment crashed out for no fault of theirs - what a shame. More importantly, it would have been safer for the drivers.
But, I NO agree on the Montoya incident. No Sir, I dont. In Montreal, 4 drivers raced the full distance to be disqualified in the end. They laid their lives on the line for a full 2 hours, to no avail - except that we saw some quality racing. Where was pitpass' voice then? Couldn't the stewards checked the cars before the race? Why weren't Williams and the fans so frustrated then? And that in a relatively incident-free race.
With so much happening on and off the track, I would give it to the stewards this time. 12 cars dropped out, a driver was injured and stuck mid-track and there are the usual stuff to be monitored as well. If Montoya and his fans are so paranoid (as you make them out to be) about racing 'unnecessarily', we shouldn't care too much for them. And, keep in mind, we were told he was under investigation pretty early in the race. Have a heart... even Frank Williams looks at the 'positive' side of this sponsored life.
I guess, if pitpass were a racing team they would have stopped the car mid race, parked it right across the stewards' tent, demanded a decision and then join/quit the race.
C'mon guys, quit that doomsayer attitude. F1 today might be a bit too predictable, but charge the money-hungry bosses... charge the clueless teams... dont blindly cry "sour" the moment one flamboyant Colombian loses it. Till recently only one particular Juan used to whinge every time he lost; today he has a premier website for company.
Matthew Snyder - Los Angeles, CA
Those responsible for hiring the Stewards have been sacked..........
What a mess. I live on the west coast of the United States which makes watching F1 on live TV a bit of an adventure. After all, we only have three races a year in our hemisphere! And I watched the US GP at Indianapolis this past Sunday with great shame and anger.
Ralf Schumacher's crash was huge. He hit with such force that his helmet visor popped open. Then we were forced to watch the spectacle of an unconscious driver with his head slumped over to the side sitting on the main straight in front of about 100,000 fans and god knows how many poeple watching on TV. Three minutes it took for the medical car to make its way around track, the same amount of time it takes to pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Only in three minutes, an oxygen deprived brain can start down an irreversable path. Thankfully, that wasn't a concern with Ralf.... but no one was on-scene to check that for three minutes. If Alex Zanardi had to wait three minutes, he would've bled to death in his car.
It was an absolutely pathetic and incompetant display on the part of the stewards and the race director. The medical car does not need clearance to join the track, but what about leaving the pitlane and simply doing a u-turn and heading back up the pit straight against traffic? God invented radios so team bosses could say "Right, the Prof is heading up the pit straight towards the wreck, so you should stay to driver's left."
Regarding the Montoya situation.... this is clear cut for me. The rule quite clearly states that once the 15-second light goes out, a driver wishing to switch to his 'spare' car must have already vacated his race car and left the grid. Okay, Montoya missed that deadline by about 3 seconds, so he rightfully had to pay the penalty. So, if it's so cut and dried, what took the stewards so long to come to a decision to even investigate car #3? Fifty laps had run by the time they even announced Montoya was being looked at. Granted, there is no longer a rule limiting the stewards to a set amount of time in their investigations.... but 90 minutes to even get started? And from that, it only took them about 5 minutes to reach their conclusion to black flag Montoya, so it's not like they were deep in transcendent meditation on the matter.
As an American, I'm quite used to being the butt of jokes when it comes to matters of international importance. Comes with the territory. But this time, thankfully, I don't think any Americans were to blame, as I believe the FIA precludes 'natives' from stewarding their home races. *phew
Other than those two cockups, I'd say the US race was not all that bad. Montoya put on his usual display of bravado and Sato.... he's a charger of the future. I confess, I under-rated the lad. But he's certainly made a fan of me this year. More of the same please!
Richard Lescallette - Nashville, Tennessee
I attended the United States Grand Prix and sat in the corner six terrace. I witnessed the the first corner accident as well as Fernando Alonso's accident, Mark Weber's fire and Nick Heidfeld's retirement. Ralf Shumaker's accident was out our line of sight. There was a large amount of debris on the track after the first accident and it should have been stopped right there and then. The track should have been cleared of the debris and the race restarted.
In my opinion this could have helped prevent the accidents of Alonso and Schumacher as both of their wrecks appear to have been caused by punctured tires from carbon fiber shards in the debris field. It could probably even be stated that Mark Webber's fire could have also ultimately been caused by that initial accident.
Additionally, after Ralf's accident the race most definitely should have been stopped. No one would have been upset. No mater who we had been routing for the primary concern in our stand was for Ralf's safety and that he was alright. When the ambulance made it's way around the entire track everyone was standing up and clapping as word spread that it appeared Ralf was going to be alright. Apparently the FIA disagrees with us, but having been there they should have just stopped it.
As for the situation with Montoya, I know rules are rules but to make that call 90 minutes into the race is unfair to the Williams team. Sometimes things happen and no matter what team it had been they should be given them a break in a situation like that.
Also - there was word at the track the M. Schumacher passed under a yellow flag but we never heard anything more about it. What's up with that?
That's my rant
Andy Kueblbeck - Sumner, Washington, USA
Having watched the U.S. GP, I think the way the FIA handled the whole race was deplorable, especially Ralf"s accident.
They should ask themselves one question, that is - "what if the car was/did catch on fire?, with the Marshalls in close proximity to the wreckage, would they still have stood there, waving their flags, or attempted to assist? Two minutes would have beenn too long. The race should have been red-flagged immediately because the car was in the middle of the track, and whoever was responsible for making the decision not to stop the race should be made to go through the trauma that a driver goes through in a situation like this.
Ian Peckett - UK
The Stewards
In a country where you get sued for million$ for someone burning their mouths on a cup of coffee because no one warned the poor soul that a cup of regular decaf could be hot, and in a sport where all and sundry were being charged with varying charges of manslaughter over Sennas' death, who can blame the non-medically trained staff for not going anywhere near Ralf - regardless of the fact that moving him could have caused paralysis or death - they probably did the right thing on both counts. Not stopping the race and sending the medical car the quickest route to the accident was shameful and probably negligent. Not sending the cars through the pit lane was also negligent - what if one of the engines had grenaded itself or a tyre had exploded going past the crash scene - not the best conditions for giving emergency medical treatment
The Black Flag
I don't see the decision as being any more of a danger risk to Montoya than any other race or even a practice day, lets face it, even after he had been told that he was no longer officially in the race, if had been allowed to stay out and get more track time & data, he would most likely have done so. In this years Paris-Dakar one of the drivers was disqualified very early on, but appealed the decision, not so much in the hope that she could be reinstated after the event, but so that she could complete the distance and help her team. Making the decision so far into the race for such a trivial offence is another matter, why black flag - if it warranted a penalty, issue a drive through or add time on at the end.
The 'Overtaking' Manoeuvre
Had a driver left the grid on the 'B' or even the 'G' of BanG (OK the lights going out) then he would have been judged to have anticipated the event and have been given a drive through for a jump start. Why then if 2 drivers cross the start finish line recording exactly the same time, (i.e. dead level) is the driver who is supposed to be following 'lined up behind' and instructed not to overtake "until the cars have crossed the line" not given a penalty for jump starting the restart as he has obviously and intentionally begun the overtaking manoeuvre (as soon as the front edge of the front wing of the following car passed the back edge of the rear wing of the lead car) some distance before start line. I'm sure that if it had been a driver other than MS, then an appeal would have been lodged and won by JT.
(I recall at the inaugural Indy GP the Ferrari team lodging a complaint about the position of the 'pole position' markings on the track being too close to the yard of bricks, but only once MS was on pole and the lack of traction caused by the bricks would affect him, even though the placement of pole was known well in advance - strange that!)
Schedules and the Podium
I don't know which TV region Mike Lawrence was watching in, but here in Yorkshire region, (still UK) we saw the Podium celebrations and Coronation Street was indeed delayed by at least 10 minutes. Had he been able to watch, he would have seen a very lonely Sato as initially MS & RB held their own Ferrari party to the left of the podium only later letting poor Taku join in the fun at his first and well deserved occasion on the steps. Hopefully in a few weeks time we can see JB, TS and Dave Richards hold their own celebrations and ignore one of the red team on the 3rd step. (or better still have a non red team member to party with - how nice it would be to see a Minardi driver up there - well I and PS can dream!)
Christine Downall
I was absolutely disgusted that they allowed Montoya to race and endanger his life for 90 mins, they knew at the start that he had breached regulations by a couple of seconds (so what!!) Good luck Monty, I feel you are being victimised, but keep on doing what you do best, - racing.
They should have stopped the race when Ralf had his crash, I was appauled the medics took so long to reach him, and to allow the safty car to go past the scene is beyond words, what must Michael have thought seeing his brother in the wreck, hope he soon feels better and is back racing