From what I can tell, tomorrow is the day the FIA hears the appeal from Mclaren concerning their spa penalty. I'd imagine a ruling wont take too long no matter what it may be.

I think the Autosport forums will be a melt down if McLaren win this one! I hope they do. But i have to say i dont think they actualy will

All this stuff with all the drivers agreeing with the FIA, well they would really, wouldnt they, until they are in a similar position

the big argument and the only one which should matter.

If Lewis had gone round the corner instead of through the chicane, would he have been in a close position to make the pass, would he have been a wheel length behind the Ferrari at the start finish line?
I think the answer to that is no, and thus gained an unfair advantage. This is what they've been saying all along, along with the fact he had far more momentum going into it. Again another advantage. Given the common knowledge that the mclaren is much faster in the rain, it was an advantage that he didn't need to take.

It's not popular, but then again it's how it needs to be viewed by the FIA. It should be obvious by now the fia dont care about popularity.

Max has also been quoted as saying something along the lines of "Ferrari are the most important team in F1, without Ferrari there would be NO Formula 1."

I can't be arsed to Google the exact quote, but that was near enough.

EDIT: But I have this from a few months back, just for a laugh:

expat wrote on Sep 21^st, 2008 at 6:02pm:

On your points. It's a general rule that you dont attempt to repass on the first corner. This is discussed in every drivers briefing before the race. Now the FIA have officially written it as 2 corners before a pass.

Charlie.
Half the reason we have the rules and regs we do, is because of Ferrari's success, points changes, car changes and so on.

I can only say this once more.
Charlie Whiting has no say, no power, no right to comment on that issue. He is race director. And as much as I hate to say I agree with something Max said. It was improper and inappropriate for Mclaren to talk to Charlie about it, but it was even more inappropriate for Charlie to respond. He should have been 100% focused on the race, the flags, the fact the weather was going south and the fact problems were happening all over the place. That is his job. It's his say where flags are flown, where accidents happen, when safety cars are needed. By talking to Mclaren and focusing on the issue he was distracted at a time, when critically he needed to make a decision. Ironically the time Kimi dropped it in to the wall.
Mclaren have a radio comm link as do all the teams, to the FIA race stewards, they should have contacted them, as its there job to decide. If it would have been a few laps earlier they would have had the stewards on the radio telling them to give the place back again. So it's them Mclaren should have gone to.

As for the rule originally. It was written, that, should a driver cut a corner and gain a place, he must give the position back, "and not gain an advantage" The problem begins in the fact that the wording is not that clear. It doesn't say for how long, thats where the drivers briefing comes into play, and the whole "wait a corner" discussion is brought up. That came into play after the Alonso incident at Suzuka a few years back.
I think as with a lot of rules and regs in F1, they introduce them so quickly, they dont actually think about the wording, they dont take into account the well it probably wont ever happen, situations. And then when it does your left with the situation we have now from spa.

As for the 2005 tyre rule. That really wasn't the reason Ferrari were that bad. It didn't help. especially having only Ferrari onboard as a top team with money to test.
But the reality was, the F2005 was an absolute dog of a car. They tried to take the best of the F2004, and then make the 2005 car work with those. Reality was they needed a whole new car. The first few races Ferrari chose to run the F2004 because the 2005 was so poor in pre-season testing, and it did okay, but when the wins failed to come, they rushed the F2005 into action, and from then on they were fighting a losing battle with a car that could never be a legitimate race winner. It was only Michael's driving ability that kept it in with a shot, just look at rubens results down the stretch. It's the same situation with Renault now. Last years car was aweful add in two average drivers and it did nothing, that was an upgrade of the R26 which was a great car, but like the F2004 down the stretch, was caught up with by its rivals.

Hasn't that been the way of F1 for god knows how long now?

I'm not saying I agree with it. I know some people think I am for the penalty but I'm really not. I dont like Max moseley regardless of his love affair with Ferrari, and I really do wish he was gone so someone with a brain could be allowed to sort all the mess out.

Well it appears i misunderstood how it was writen! The appeal has been heard, but until tomorrow it wont be decided if they can actualy appeal....weird! Why hear the appeal i they havent decided if Mclaren can appeal? According to Autosport, Ferraris QC was cross examining Hamilton......Wether hes there for ferrari or the FIA i cant quite fathom!

Appears Lewis Stood his ground with 'Ferraris' QC though, so good on him

What a load of bull...

.... How come you can't appeal against a drive through penalty?

Surely this gives stewards a free reign to hand out drive through penalties without fear of having to justify the decision.

TSC.

You can't appeal a drive through penalty as it has to be taken in the race.  Once it's done ... it's done.  If you could appeal, then drivers would take their chances and not take them and drive through penalties would become a thing of the past.

Hamilton's penalty wasn't a drive through ... allegedly it was in lieu of a drive through, was awarded some three hours after the race and therefore should have been heard.

Even so .. did anyone really think that the Ferrari is Innocent Association were going to uphold the appeal?

(Coming ever closer to the Formula 1 TV off button  )

Just shows that they couldn't face having to adjudge the actual matter in question. One has to say the panel has rather taken the easy way out in saying the appeal was not admissable.

Another sad day for F1. No surprise considering it was a team very familiar with visits FIA HQ?

What a load of rubbish. I still dont get the bit where they cant decide if the appeal is allowed to go ahead, so then hear the appeal anyway, then decide there can be no appeal

And im fed up of all the 'slipstreaming' nonense over on autosport forums, and the 'dirty driving' that constantly spouts forth from the same forums.

Go Hamilton i say, i hope this makes him even more determined than he already was to win the wdc this season. Im behind him 110%.

However, i wonder what else will 'occour' over the next few races....

^^^^LMAO^^^^

   

Craig. wrote on Sep 24^th, 2008 at 5:29am:


No one's bashing Ferrari. We're bashing the FIAT, sorry, FIA...

As I said, Ferrari are the ones who are most likely to have to deal with the cynicism and stigma off the unwashed masses (like us) should they win the drivers championship by a narrow margin from LH.