The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix

[JayVee]

Driver of the day Hamilton - Great first win, well done (Congrats Snowy )

Alonso made a few mistakes but you can't blame him for trying. He was very unlucky with the safety car, first the penalty (which I don't really understand, if someone can clarify please?), that put him at the back, he fought back and set fastest lap only to be affected again by another safety car.
Towards the end he was trying too hard to overtake on the supersoft and that killed his tyres and allowed Sato through who was on the soft.

I don't understand why Bridgestone decided on these two compounds!! That was totally unsafe and I don't know what caused Kubica to fly but it may be related to tyres!!
Glad he is OK, that crash was big!!

Luck played a big part, good to see Wurz up there but really Rosberg has been the better of the two. Kovalainen gets a lifeline!!! (come to think of it, starting last and finishing 4th is a big acheivement in the stat books!!)
Even Ralf Schumacher finishes in the points
What would have happened if Ralf crashed exiting the pit lane.

The championship is looking 2 way at the moment!! Now Alonso has to hunt down Hamilton! Not sure how he will do in the US as he hasn't done that well in the past but in Europe it will be a different story

So how many safety cars will we have in Indy ? Surely they have to do better than the Canadians

Where is Jim Watt ??

[gkaytaz]

Alonso made a few mistakes but you can't blame him for trying. He was very unlucky with the safety car, first the penalty (which I don't really understand, if someone can clarify please?), that put him at the back, he fought back and set fastest lap only to be affected again by another safety car.

When the SC is deployed the pitlane does not open before all drivers line up behind the SC. I believe Alonso entered the pits after the SC had been deployed but the pitlane was not yet open at that time. Same story with Rosberg.

[JayVee]

Alonso made a few mistakes but you can't blame him for trying. He was very unlucky with the safety car, first the penalty (which I don't really understand, if someone can clarify please?), that put him at the back, he fought back and set fastest lap only to be affected again by another safety car.

When the SC is deployed the pitlane does not open before all drivers line up behind the SC. I believe Alonso entered the pits after the SC had been deployed but the pitlane was not yet open at that time. Same story with Rosberg.

But if the pitlane isn't open, how can he get in ? Does the entry not have a red light too ? If it was red then shouldn't he be black flagged ?
Confusing!!
Alonso apparantely had to pit as he would have ran out of fuel! Why penalise him I don't understand!!

[Snowy]

Driver of the day Hamilton - Great first win, well done (Congrats Snowy )

Alonso made a few mistakes but you can't blame him for trying. He was very unlucky with the safety car, first the penalty (which I don't really understand, if someone can clarify please?), that put him at the back, he fought back and set fastest lap only to be affected again by another safety car.
Towards the end he was trying too hard to overtake on the supersoft and that killed his tyres and allowed Sato through who was on the soft.

I don't understand why Bridgestone decided on these two compounds!! That was totally unsafe and I don't know what caused Kubica to fly but it may be related to tyres!!
Glad he is OK, that crash was big!!

Luck played a big part, good to see Wurz up there but really Rosberg has been the better of the two. Kovalainen gets a lifeline!!! (come to think of it, starting last and finishing 4th is a big acheivement in the stat books!!)
Even Ralf Schumacher finishes in the points
What would have happened if Ralf crashed exiting the pit lane.

The championship is looking 2 way at the moment!! Now Alonso has to hunt down Hamilton! Not sure how he will do in the US as he hasn't done that well in the past but in Europe it will be a different story

So how many safety cars will we have in Indy ? Surely they have to do better than the Canadians

Where is Jim Watt ??

Presumably Bridgestone chose these tyres knowing that the circuit Gilles Villeneuve has very low grip levels. All weekend drivers were complaining about not having enough grip. There was very clear evidence of the lack of grip throughout practice and during the race as there were so many offs.

The pit lane closes the instant the safety car board is shown and the car deployed, this is to prevent people diving into the pits and getting an advantage, I believe. There might be a safety aspect but only in the surreal world of Max Mosely. Although Fernando may well have run out of fuel it is interesting that Lewis stated that he thought he had been called in early for his pit stop. I would have thought that the team would allow some margin for error and for safety cars which are very common in Canada.

I would also like to say while it is fresh in my mind and without any malice intended. It is just an observation That Fernando outbraked himself or ran too deep into turn one three times before the safety car incidents, his penalty and any real pressure was applied to him, other than that of Nick in front and felipe behind. He set the fastest lap of the race on his second set of tyres, which seems to suggest his car was not damaged during his first stint.

[gkaytaz]

Alonso made a few mistakes but you can't blame him for trying. He was very unlucky with the safety car, first the penalty (which I don't really understand, if someone can clarify please?), that put him at the back, he fought back and set fastest lap only to be affected again by another safety car.

When the SC is deployed the pitlane does not open before all drivers line up behind the SC. I believe Alonso entered the pits after the SC had been deployed but the pitlane was not yet open at that time. Same story with Rosberg.

But if the pitlane isn't open, how can he get in ? Does the entry not have a red light too ? If it was red then shouldn't he be black flagged ?
Confusing!!
Alonso apparantely had to pit as he would have ran out of fuel! Why penalise him I don't understand!!

As far as I know there is no light visible before you enter the lane. He should have had radio contact.

When you have only a little fuel left it's a gamble. If the SC comes out you need to wait until the cars line up behind it. If you run out of fuel meanwhile... Well, you should have pitted before the fuel level became that critical...

Weird as it may seem the rules are clear on that.

[gkaytaz]

I would also like to say while it is fresh in my mind and without any malice intended. It is just an observation That Fernando outbraked himself or ran too deep into turn one three times before the safety car incidents, his penalty and any real pressure was applied to him, other than that of Nick in front and felipe behind. He set the fastest lap of the race on his second set of tyres, which seems to suggest his car was not damaged during his first stint.

Yeah, he overshot turn one three times... I find it hard to believe that Alonso would repeatedly do such mistakes. Especially without major pressure on him. Nick was not really much of a problem for Hamilton's McLaren. One would think Alonso could have taken him on a one-on-one as well. Then again I cannot help but remember Sato's relatively easy attack on Alonso. Something was off with Alonso yesterday.

[GhoGho]

I would also like to say while it is fresh in my mind and without any malice intended. It is just an observation That Fernando outbraked himself or ran too deep into turn one three times before the safety car incidents, his penalty and any real pressure was applied to him, other than that of Nick in front and felipe behind. He set the fastest lap of the race on his second set of tyres, which seems to suggest his car was not damaged during his first stint.

He also made a mistake in Q3 trying to outqualy LH!
He was fastest for the weekend in sector 1, personal best and faster than LH in sector 2 and screwed it all up in sector 3 (Turn 10).
I think he is trying too hard to prove he is faster than LH to establish the pecking order within the team.

[GhoGho]

Quote of the day has to be given to DC:

Race engineer before his first stop: "How does the car feel?"

DC: "....not enough traction, won't go, won't stop!, apart from that I'm having a lot of fun!"

[Ed]

Alonso made a few mistakes but you can't blame him for trying. He was very unlucky with the safety car, first the penalty (which I don't really understand, if someone can clarify please?), that put him at the back, he fought back and set fastest lap only to be affected again by another safety car.

Here are the rules regarding the safety car relating to this issue (from the 2007 sporting regulations):

40.6 - From the time at which the "SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED" message is displayed no car may enter the pit lane for the purpose of refuelling until all cars on the track have formed up in a line behind the safety car
and the message "PIT LANE OPEN" is shown on the timing monitors.
A ten second time penalty will be imposed on any driver who enters the pit lane and whose car is refuelled before the second message is shown on the timing monitors. However, any car which was in the pit entry or pit lane when the safety car was deployed will not incur a penalty.
If it is deemed necessary for the safety car to use the pit lane cars following it will not incur a penalty but may not stop in their designated garage areas for the purpose of refuelling until the message "PIT LANE OPEN" is shown on the timing monitors. A ten second time penalty will be imposed on any driver who stops in his designated garage area and whose car is refuelled before the second message is shown on the timing monitors.

40.11 Subject to the requirements of 40.6 above, whilst the safety car is in operation, competing cars may enter the pit lane, but may only rejoin the track when the green light at the end of the pit lane is on. It will be on at all times except when the safety car and the line of cars following it are about to pass or are passing the pit exit . A car rejoining the track must proceed at an appropriate speed until it reaches the end of the line of cars behind the safety car.
Under certain circumstances the clerk of the course may ask the safety car to use the pit lane. In these cases, and provided it’s orange lights remain illuminated, all cars must follow it into the pit lane without
overtaking. Subject to the requirements of 40.6 above, any car entering the pit lane under these circumstances may stop at its designated garage area.

Obviously Alonso (and Rosberg) were unlucky as had the safety car been deployed a few seconds later they would not have been penalised.
(This assumes of course they were indeed intending to pit on that lap and they didn't just stuff up and make a mistake by not knowing the rules!)

I've also highlighted the bit about when the pitlane exit show red. It isn't related to the message Pitlane open or closed.

Hope this helps!

[gkaytaz]

Thanks Ed.

[gkaytaz]

By the way Ed, do you ever vote for the DotD? I wonder what you think about the Canadian GP. You always ask for our opinion, let's hear yours

[Snowy]

I think he is trying too hard to prove he is faster than LH to establish the pecking order within the team.

Do they still call it Pecking? I thought everybody called it Beijing now. so he is trying to establish the Beijing order within the team



Don't flame me because I am in a good mood

[Snowy]

By the way Ed, do you ever vote for the DotD? I wonder what you think about the Canadian GP. You always ask for our opinion, let's hear yours

He has to be impartial at all times like ITV

[jacfan]

My driver of the day had to be Alexander Wurz.. he was there when... no seriously it was Hamilton. Kept his head when all around him was chaos. Well done and well deserved. I thought he would win at least one race this year but to be honest I did not expect it in Canada as this track has been the downfall of many champions. To win as a rookie is indeed remarkable.

[Snowy]

Alex got a podium with half his rear wing smashed so he would be very deserving of your DotD vote