Drivers out of control

You certainly get some abuse in this job. But one good thing about a blog, after years of working only for a newspaper in paper form, is the chance you get to get direct feedback and there has been plenty of that, especially from Spain where it was very hot yesterday and a lot of people got very angry.

In the cold light of a Sunday morning we know a lot more than we did yesterday. I think Clark has put his finger on it. There were two transgressions during qualifying, one by Lewis and another by Fernando or Fernando and the team. Lewis - or Lewis and his engineer - disobeyed orders to move over for Fernando during the fuel burn, despite being asked repeatedly to do so. Then Fernando, with or without the team's collusion, decided to get his own back and stopped his team-mate from competing in the final minutes, almost certainly denying Lewis pole.

The stewards have decided that Lewis did nothing wrong - in terms of breaking rules - but Fernando went too far and he has been punished. I'll get more abuse no doubt, but I think this was the right decision and, just for the record, I stand every word I wrote immediately after the post-qualifying press conference on Saturday in my post "Lewis is Angry."

What we saw yesterday afternoon after that was written was McLaren in a shambles with Ron offering some spurious excuses for something which should never have happened, though it is not clear whether he was party to it or not and Fernando talking nonsense to try and cover things up. My guess is that, in fact, Fernando and others took matters into their own hands when the lollipop went up and those critical nine seconds ebbed away. Some in the press room have drawn a comparison with Michael parking his car at Rascasse - what is the difference? The aim was to stop a competitor taking pole and in both cases, by different means, this was accomplished. In both cases too, the stewards saw through it and the perpetrator paid the penalty.

In the long story of this season, yesterday will most likely be remembered as the day all trust went out of the relationships between Lewis and Fernando and Ron and Fernando(and to a lesser degree between Ron and Lewis). How ironic that McLaren is leading the championships but is falling apart under the pressure, as its two drivers go out of control, not to mention Ferrari-gate.

The word in the paddock - as reported two weeks ago by The Times - is that Fernando will probably not stay for another season. What a disaster that would be for McLaren and for Ron? Perhaps Fernando and his advisors will re-consider as time goes by and tempers cool but right now it looks like he will be off.

Clearly the challenge for Fernando today is to try and keep his head, drive on the limit as he always does but not blow it as he has shown a tendency to this season when the chips are down.

Just to summarise, so we understand each other: my view is that Lewis should have obeyed team orders but Fernando went too far and is rightly punished. I would venture to say he is lucky to start sixth.

Comments

[david sergalex]

Fully agree with you Ed. In Spain we are a bit surprised for Lewis and Fernando behaviour, both completely unacceptable .. so, the clear conslusion for many of us is that McLaren is completely lack of a head to manage the team in pressure times. Changes, yes but not in drivers as they are both great ... changes in management needed now.

[David]

How strange that, in a year that McLaren finally gets their car and reliability sorted out, that they once again self destruct as they are on the verge of winning the championship. I think McLaren is too democratic and too nice as a team. Clearly, the current approach of setting racing strategies in the interest of "fair play" has been detrimental to the team. They need take a page from Ferrari-Schumacher and pick a number 1 and fully support that driver whether it be Hamilton or Alonso.

[James]

Glad to see you haven't let the totally uncalled for criticism on this blog yesterday affect you. I thought this was unfair as I have just written under the 'Lewis is Angry' post.

Keep up the good work on the blog. I remember when the blog first started and you would receive the odd comment here and there. It has clearly become a very popular blog becuase of what and how you write.

Having said that I disagree with you on the penalty for Alonso today, and have given my reasons under the 'that decision in full' post.

Can't wait for todays race!

[Legis]

No, I don´t agree with you. Lewis is dirty, but not Fernando. The Spaniard has been patient with the rookie. We must be rigth and impartial. Fernando is a two time world champion. The McLaren team owns tje number one because Fernando. The car this year is competitive because Fernando. Lewis is a rookie. The best rookie, but is dirty in his tricks. You have to remember Monaco, but also the way in wich he won the last GP2 course. Fernando just obbeis team orders. The one must be fired off the team is Lewis, because he is not a team man, is a good driver with a superlative ego. Fernando begun with Minardi, and there he knew to be patient. In renault he showed as good he is. Lewis has had the best from the beginning and is one of the best paid sportman in the world, maybe too easy for him?

[Clark]

I thought the whole thing was great entertainment. Real human drama, emotion and conflict, the outcome uncertain until I read this mornings papers. So easy to jump to conclusions over what happened but the blocking was clear, just the reasons less so in the immediate aftermath. I have Sky+'d the whole thing, I'll never forget Ron frogmarching the guy away, what a gem.

In two hours time the race programme will start and I will be interested to see yesterday's highlights, such as the German TV crew's footage of Alonso's trainer counting Alonso off (Is this real?). Then hopefully we will have a great race.

Good luck to Vettel with his new team and all the other drivers. It's going to be a long hot race.

[Cap]

I agree with your comparison to Rascasse. How did the Stewards arrive at only a five place demotion for Alonso? Why not send him to the back like they did to Schumacher when, in my opinion, the evidence at Monaco was more dubious?

Also, Hamilton is not the decent chap he's made out to be. He broke an agreement (the extra lap for Alonso). This was the root of previous team-mate feuds - Villeneuve/Pironi; Prost/Senna.

[Legis]

What I mean is that in Formula 1 the best is the best because has the best car and the best team... and Lewis has the best car (done by Fernando) and the best team (done by Dennis), and is not very "polite" to cry out your team every time the team does not make the things you want. Lewis is very good, but has a great lack of humility and team cooperation

[ColorinColoradoEstoSeHaAcabado....]

With all the respect to your opinion for the behaviour of Hamilton, I have to tell you that this are nothing more than cheap excuses. Where's the british spirit of fair-play in teams, so often mentioned? The only logical consequence would be, the inmediate termination of Lewis engagement at McLaren-Mercedes, as he has worked against the interests of his employer. And for you, Mr. Gorman, I thought that more than 20 years of experience in press-media should be enough to recognize errors instead of searching for cheap excuses like a "hooligan". If Lewis behaviour is standing for "British Style", you should start "switching of the light". Ridiculous nationalistic fanatism.

[Legis]

and sorry, but is not the same case that the Monaco´s affair. Then Schumi was unable to beat Fernando, and was a personal decission. In this case the team wanted punish Lewis because his bad manners. It should be right punish McLaren, but not Alonso who just did that team wanted to do.

[Clark]

I just read this and have to say that the young man goes ever up in my estimation, no bullshit, no prevarication:

"Hamilton acknowledged his disobedience and said: "If I'd let Alonso through there was a danger that Kimi Räikkönen might pass me, too. I didn't want to waste an opportunity that had been presented to me - I took a selfish decision but didn't do anything to impede my team-mate."

I am sorry that he has had a falling out with Ron, hopefully they will get over it.

Hamilton: "Don't ever do that to me again."

Dennis: "Don't ever speak to me like that again."

Hamilton: "Go swivel."

The journalist seems to have taken one word out of each of these three quotes, any guesses anyone? :-)

[spacecowboy]

Well, I disagree with the Rascasse comparison.

For starters, Alonso was asked to hold by his engineers, meaning the ML team.

Basically, he was punished for following team orders.

On the other hand, Hamilton was excused from all this because he didn't follow orders and played the maverik role. He Mr. being supported by ML, RD, British media plus the Queen.

I certainly believe that he is dirtier than what everybody here... but british fans love him because he is so politically correct, so convinient. Fast too, do not get me wrong.

Alonso on the other hand got a big mouth, it is twice F1 WC and importantly, got Shumacher to retire....

My 2 cents from Dallas

[Jane]

There seems to be so much resting on the race this afternoon - bring it on!! Sporting politics a whole new dimension to the action.

[Cap]

Legis, you need to (re-)read the FIA's decision in full. It's not clear that it was the team telling Alonso to stay for an extra 10 seconds after the original instruction of 20 seconds. I believe EG is right. That appears to have been Alonso (and his trainer?). Ron Dennis tried to create a narrative after the fact.

[JAVIER]

Haha... welcome to the most exciting part of this worldchampionship!... I´m not happy about what´s happening but... wow, what a final of competition we are going to see, guys!...
I guess the first minutes of this GP can be really bad for my heart...

[marie]

There was certainly expletives inserted in the conversation with Hamilton and Ron Dennis. Mr. Gorman, I like your blog keep it up :). What I like about Hamilton is that he is refreshingly honest, although controlled and what I like about Alonso is that he has impulsive reactions to people whom he felt has wronged him---it makes for a ruthless racer but that gets him into trouble some times. At first I thought that the trouble would be dealt with internally, but the FIA considered Alonso and Hamilton as two different entities, if thats the case, using Schumacher's incident in Monaco as precedent, shouldn't Alonso be put in the back of the grid?

[JAA]

Only few questions (Socrates's method):

How many laps did Hamilton turn yesterdey?
How many laps did Fernando turn yesterday?
Why did Hamilton arrive late at McLaren's press conference? Ed you were there, tell us please.
Why didn't Hamilton respect the agreement? Very bad explanation "Raikkonen's threat" Have you watched Q3's yesterday video record?
What rules have been broken by Alonso to be punished?
Why just now doesn't Hamilton talk to anybody in the team?
Why did Fernado go off yesterday?

[Alex]

Mr. Gorman in your post you literally say: "The stewards have decided that Lewis did nothing wrong - in terms of breaking rules - but Fernando went too far and he has been punished.". Colud you please explain to us exactly wgat rule or regulation did Fernando break?. I'm dying to know.

[Trevor Griffiths]

I thought it was a brilliant piece of quick thinking by Fernando both to pinch pole and to wind up his team-mate. This is the sort of thing that makes a dull sport interesting. The fact that your piece went back to the days of the Senna-Prost rivalry shows that this in-fighting on and off the track between team-mates is the most exciting thing to happen in F1. It's what we remember and talk about for years to come.

The spoilsports in the headmaster's study who have pushed FA down the grid have deprived us of seeing Hamilton settle this as a true red-blooded racing driver should settle it. In the first corner. This sport is becoming so regulated that it is knocking the heart out of it. It is no longer so much a battle between flesh and blood with its heroic moments and plain skullduggery but a contest between anonymous back-room technicians and engineers working to an increasinlgy complicated rule book.

So I say well done Fernando. Bit short sighted if you want to stay at McClaren but now it's up to Lewis to settle the score which will bring in the viewers far more quickly than having dear old Damon twittering in the commentary box.

[Juan]

Now that I know that you read this let me tell you something: it's bizarre what Alonso did yesterday but the crane taking Lewis from the gravel was ok? What a partial account you are giving us! I'm not reading this site anymore. I always thougt highly about the times now I must change my mind if they got people like you working for them

[Pepe Rivers]

Of course, you´re saying, the end justify the means.
Enjoy Homilton meanwhile you can, time will put everybody in its rigth place.

[Marçal Silva]

Today, the things that have to sorted out inside a particular team are being handled by race officials. Remember that not so long ago when Barrichelo all but parked his car to let Schumacher pass the latter was still declared the race winner. Everyone cried foul but nothing happened.
Now when a team is caught cheating - no matter how you spin it they were caught red handed - with their chief designer having another team's documents officials washed their hands.
I understand that to you Mr Gorman as long as Lewis is benefited and McLaren gets away with it everything is just fine.

[Augusto Baena]

Your chauvinism is startling.

1st) Hamilton promptly breaks team "gentlemen's pacts", completely devastating team atmosphere once again. He doubts not to start-off fires that involve stewards and FIA (e.g. as in Monaco)

2nd) Hamilton's usage of Alonso telemetry data is forcing Alonso to try to protect his edge by fooling Hamilton by not ever doing consistent laps. Hamilton's contribution to car development and set-up is, simply, null. Alonso's fooling strategy is obviously sub-optimal for himself and the team, and could be avoided should Ron protect his data (as Schumacher does by a contractual clause: his telemetry data can only be accessed by himself and his team).

3rd) Alonso is not a nice guy. He lacks the cloud of marketing gurus that are trying to turn Hamilton into the next Tiger Woods, and he undeaniably could have bitten his tongue several times. As we are seeing, however, Hamilton's pre-fabricated (i.e. artifical) niceness towards the media cracks when he is defeated on the track.

I hope Alonso takes his number one off McLaren at the end of this season and goes off to substitute a once-again disappointing Raikkonen in Ferrari, of uses his skills into turning middle-class teams into winning scuderias (as in Renault).

Keep up the good job, but please, moderate your chauvinism.

Regards

[Lluis]

I thought British were proud of their Fair Play. . . so Hamilton is still the good boy (disobeying the company that gave him the opportunity of his life) and Alonso had to be fined (for following team orders). Gorman, please try to write as a journalist and not as a patriotic fan and youl will look more realistic.

[Anwar Shah]

Alonso showed signs of mental instability last year at Renault with occasionally pitiful comments about lack of team support - in an environment where he wasn't even challenged!! It's hardly a surprise that his very fragile ego cannot take the pressure of sharing a capable car with a quick teamate. If he runs from this he will run from memebership in the F1 hall of fame - great champions choose and dominate their teams by force of driving and personality. I agree that Lewis seems to take the mick a bit, but the two-time world champ should have put him in his place long ago. Alonso only seems to win when in a car that is class of the field, and he won't have that if he leaves McLaren. And if he did go to Ferrari, the "Iceman" would leave his briitle ego in career-ending pieces.

[suso]

mclaren is guilty, they spied Ferrari .I whish they're punished as they deserve ... GO ALONSO & Ferrari!!!!!!

[suso]

mclaren is guilty, they spied Ferrari .I whish they're punished as they deserve ... GO ALONSO & Ferrari!!!!!!

[King]

There are no excuses for betrayal in life. There are no excuses for disobedience in a firm like Mercedes-McLaren. This guy should be fired inmediately.
Can you please explain me what is the problem with Alonso? Why is so difficult to admit that he is one of the greatest drivers ever?
Lewis, why are you so afraid of him that you break the rules and betray your own "family" instead of battling him face to face like a man?
In Spain we are tired of FIA's decisions, sanctions, string-pulling and towing practises. Perhaps the answer is that Alonso is just unbeatable with equal opportunities for each one.

[Ziad]

EG, love the blog, not because it's fair but because it is partial to Hamilton (defending the help from the crane? c'mon...) and spurs all sorts of reactions from your readers......
Hamilton is no choir boy and did do FA wrong at the start of Q3 so it makes sense that the Nando wanted to get even but unfortunately his move was not as subtle as Hamilton's...Although I am an Alonso fan, his penalty makes sense but the big loser is McLaren in this whole saga, why don't you write a blog about the impact on the team? I am sure you'll unite all your readers then.

[Carlos_Zgz]

I think that the guilty of all is Ron Dennis.

If Mr. Dennis had stopped the infantile tantrum of Lewis in Monaco, and if he had controlled Fernando's champion behaviour, perhaps all this hadn't happenned.

Now McLaren team is a pressure cooker, Lewis do he wants although it was again his own team, Fernando almost don't speak with Ron and surely at the end of the season he leaves from ML.

Ron Dennis deserves what is happening. Thats my opinion and sorry because i do not speak english well.

Best regards,

[suso]

you tricky mclaren supporters!!!An English got to win ( Ecclestone, Mosley dixit, ...) Tere's no other way .YOU DON'T DESERVE F1 CHAMPIONSHIP.

[Ruben]

Sad victory...
If I were Lewis Hamiltonton I would never celebrate this victory.
FA is the best, the only one able to overtake on the track in a circuit like Hungaroring.
I think Hamiltonton shouldn't win his first world championship in the FIA office but on the track. There is were real champions earn some respect. FIA attempted to steal the second world championship to FA last year and is trying to do the same thing this one.
What's the matter with them? FA is Spanish. So what? Just try to learn a little from a World Champion who fights against everybody, his team included.
Greetings from Valencia. Hope to see an exciting and fair championship here next year.

[Rpm]

Hamilton is a cheater. He has harmed his own equipment. This is a shame. Treasonous. It would have to be sanctioned.

[ALONSO FOLLATELOS]

Congratulations to all the British, I have to recognise that you show, everey day, specially the British press, top class lobby skills in the FIA in a few hours, to convince them to punish Fernando w/o breaking any F1 rules. It's a pitty that all the so worldwide spoken British seniority, the one of "The Lords", is simply an invention, simply rubbish. You are exactly the same pirates that centuries ago stole and stole all world treasures. But don't forget this weekend, as it's the inflexion point, Fernando will knock out Hamilton this season, and will leave McLaren to Ferrari next year with the number 1.

[wilfredo]

It took me this weekend to find out that Lewis Hamilton is a "RAT"

And also to see how patriotism gets in the way of your judgement ED.
What Lewis did to Alonso was to deny Fernando of the pole as well.
With more fuel than Hamilton he wasn't going to have a faster lap than your british baby,and Hamilton meant to keep him back. That's dirty!!
Now MR. Dennis Is the biggest rat ever..shame on you english people that want to make an obligatory star of a RAT!!!

[John, Suffolk]

Ed,

Your comments are full of shit.
S.h.i.t.

I am englisg and ashamed of Hamilton.,
He started the fight.

I have nothing else to say.

I kniow this message is wasted...

[John, Suffolk]

By the way...

curiouis decision yesterday, made by a couple of british.

Why they did not sanction Hamilton for preventing Alonso the agreed extra Q lap...I TELL YOU WHY>> this is an ENGLISH GAME

If Alonso had started from P1, well, you know who had won

LOL

[Sart]

Just one simple question: how could have Alonso known that he was going to succeed in getting the fastest lap AFTER his long pit stop? Don't you think that was too much "future-telling"?

Because if Alonso's last qualifying lap had not been better than Hamilton's, would Alonso have been punished in the same way? Would we be talking so much about all this affair? I don't think so...

[Pau]

"....What we saw yesterday afternoon after that was written was McLaren in a shambles with Ron offering some spurious excuses for something which should never have happened, though it is not clear whether he was party to it or not and Fernando talking nonsense to try and cover things up. My guess is that......"

Sorry Ed, I stopped reading at this point. Using "guess" work to make definitive declarations about what exactly happened and take sides as a result, when it is clear that really you have no idea what happened, doesn't imbue your piece with much credibility.

If I didn't know better I'd say there’s tinge of jingoism at work behind your thoughts here. Come to think of it, I don't know better........

[Rob]

It's amazing how many people have just decided to support either Hamilton or Alonso, and are stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the facts (and the things we don't know) of the situation.

Hamilton was guilty of not letting Alonso past in Q3. He wasn't prepared to compromise his qualifying for Alsono's.

Alonso (with or without accomplices in the team) was guilty of preventing Hamilton post another lap.

Hamilton's crime was not listening to team orders - something drivers often do. Alonso's crime was to prevent another driver posting a fast lap. Something which is clearly against the rules. Therefore he was penalised - just as if he had been out on track and got in the way, exactly like Fisichella's penalty for holding up Yamamoto.

That's the facts. In my opinion, Alonso has been getting more and more rattled all season by Hamilton's challenge. He was expecting to easily beat a rookie and now is unhappy that, as reigning champion, he isn't being given special treatment by McLaren. His actions in qualifying just underlines how desperate he has become. It's sad to see a champion acting so pathetically, and I for one am glad Alonso ended up the loser in the end.

[sorry for my english]

Alonso has not broke any rule yesterday. Hamilton can't say the same. They must obbey the team.

Hamilton broke a rule... and now he deserves to be the first..................... What a strange decision from FIA

If I were Alonso, I would get away from McLaren. They just can't stop damaging him

[Mat]

Fernando went too far? He was following team’s orders.
This was the right decision? Don’t make me laugh.
Your blog should be called Hamilton Blog.
And comparing this with what Michael did in La Rascasse? Clearly you don’t know anything about Formula 1 and you are not capable to be professionally impartial with a British driver racing and (yes, I know, it is strange) winning.

[John, Suffolk]

JAA

I will answer you. The internal rules were broken by driver number 2. His clan (daddy)complained because McLaren tried to put things in its place and that meant stopping number 2 from an extra lap that he obviously did not deserve for disobeying orders, lap that should have been Alonso's. FIA got involved (and I am sure they were very please to be able to help a compatriot as the guys signing the sanction were 2 englishmen sitting their fat arses on a chair). The decision benefits only one person: number 2 driver. FIA knows that in Hungaroring POLE=WIN. This decision is as corrupt as FIA itself. There are internal issues that need internal solutions and no some fat english arses making decisions in their office. And it would not surprise me at all that the team points are at the end awarded (if they see that McLaren's Team race for the constructors championships is endangered).

Ron now needs to put Number 2 in his place and give to Alonso what is Alonso's. ALONSO SHOULD AND WILL LEAVE McLAREN. And number 2 will have to learn things all by himself.

English fair play: don't make me laugh!!

You will not see FIA punishing McLaren for their dirty businessess 007 like (more serious than what happen yesterday). Reason: it's obvious and I don't need explaining.

And I am an englishman!!! Born in England and now ashamed of the englis media and those imbeciles that defend Hamilton because he is british. Just saw Davidson's comments before the race: he clearly disagreed with the sanction.

Unfortunately for Alonso, he had Ralf Schumacher in front (and he is not precisely his friend, is he?).

And yes, Ferrari is the team I support (not Massa but Raikonnen)

FULLSTOP

F1 Stinks
Number 2 driver and his daddy stink

[Isildur]

- Alonso answered ,in a interwiev to a spaniard journalist after the race, "I don´t know, I don´t know", to the question: Would yo stay in McLaren for the next two years?.
- That´s the main thing; where does Mclaren want to have the enemy? at home or in another team; and who´s the enemy?.

[isabel]

hamilton is an immature one like person and pilot.

[Javi]

That is clear homerism, but it is to be expected since in the Spanish newspapers it's more or less the same.

Even Ron Dennis aknowledged Fernando waited because he was told to do so to find a gap and avoid traffic, and everyone knows how favorable to Hamilton Dennis is.

The FIA just wants a home driver (don't forget most of the higher executives are british) to win the champ, and a rookie no less (since that is also exciting and helps promiting the sport).

I hope Alonso wins the champ and joins BMW or Ferrari for the next year, leaving Dennis, Hamilton and McLaren with no champ and a car that nobody has any idea how to tweak.

[Luis]

It seems you can have too much of a good thing when it comes to F1 talent, as McLaren can now atest.
By the way, the charge of chavinism against this blog is unfair.
Keep the good reporting Gorman.

A Spaniard at 35ºC and keeping cool :-).

[JLM]

For starters, McLaren was (rubbish) for years before Fernando came. You and all the British press is rooting for Hamilton, which I understand, but I think it is disgusting to see how bias you are against the present World Champion. Fernando, no doubt, is paying for leaving Renault. My guess (and hope) is that he will leave McLaren as soon as next year. We shall see then what your kid does. But don't rule out Alonso yet. He is the real deal, while your Hamilton looks like Tiger Woods, but that's about it. To me he is just a ruthless ambitious lad taking unfair advantage of Alonso's work and experience. But time will tell.
JLM

[Xel]

It´s very easy:

Fernando obeys. The result: he´s punished. 5 places back.

Hamilton disobeys. The result: they give him the win as a present.

What would happen if Fernando disobeys in the races when the internal team qualifying advantage is for Ham?

And I place a question for all of you: don´t you think that McLaren should punish Ham for disobedience? Alonso must keep on obeying? Has he to be so silly to keep on obeying in this circunstances?

McLaren couldn´t handle the dirt mind of Ham. If they don´t do anything right now, they´ll never be able to make it.

Please remember: this is a sport. Alonso has just been doing what McLaren has ordered him. Even when he disliked that orders.

Someone here must learn... don´t you think?

[fernandothebest!!]

Fernando RULES!!!!!

Hamilton PAINFUL!!!!! = POLE - MIC

Hamilton win the pole in the office... puag!!!!

[Daniel, Spain]

Sometimes what is implied or silenced is more important than what is actually said. Here are a few examples from Mr. Gorman’s blog:

“There were two transgressions during qualifying, one by Lewis and another by Fernando or Fernando and the team.”
Agreed. But as you well know (although no reference is made in the post), Lewis’s transgression came first and Fernando’s only afterwards as a reaction. Would we have seen the latter without the former? Would we have had the whole incident without Lewis’s FIRST transgression?

“The stewards have decided that Lewis did nothing wrong in terms of breaking rules” Do you then approve of him disobeying team orders and taking unfair advantage?

“Fernando talking nonsense to try and cover things up”.
“My guess is that, in fact, Fernando and others took matters…”
So, when it comes to justify Lewis' action, it is the stewards’ decision that matters. When it comes to comment upon Fernando's, it is also your guess that matters.
You certainly get some abuse as a reader.

[Mary]

In the present season, the controversy has persecuted to escudería McLaren. Defendant of espionage to Ferrari, the subject still is pending of the resolution of the judges of ENTRUSTS it. In addition, Ron Dennis has not known to control an equipment in which it counts on the champion of the world and the great hope of the British liking. The pressures of an English press that has decided to happen to be witness of the events to influence in them, have caused who Dennis allows to Lewis Hamilton and to their omnipresent father all the privileges that need to do to the young champion in his first participation in the World-wide one Formula 1. That yes, for it has counted with the inestimable collaboration of ENTRUSTS it in the attempt. Who theoretically must take care of of which the World-wide one is developed with cleaning, they have been dedicated with a deserving persistence of better aim to favor to Hamilton in all and each one of its decisions. In the GP of Hungary, the commissioners of ENTRUST have given it to everything a recital. Besides to clear “pole” to Alonso and to relegate to him to the sixth seat in the exit grill, they have stopped to Massa so that the young English pilot doubled to him with comfort when he harassed Raikkonen to him and have avoided to remove to track “safety to car” because he could harm Hamilton. Thus they put Fernando VII, and thus they put this boy who the English press has decided to turn pride of the British in Formula 1, where are not nobody from already the distant times of Damon Hill, champion of the world in 1996.

[Mary]

Ed, has sent you blog because you are not the sufficiently impartial thing to be in the periodic one

[juvenal garcía]

Ok. Let's finish it: you gentlemen, you sportmen, you knights of the fair play, and you, mr. blogger: WHAT SPECIFIC RULE HAS BROKEN ALONSO? Would you britons-FIA-Press specify for us --angry spaniards-- in which article is based the punishment? Why has Alonso started 6th? Why not 22nd or 9th? Ok, for you the title and the shame.

[Clark]

Ed, you should rename this blog 'Spit the Dummy'.

Given you've taken so much stick I would like to say that your level of 'moderation' is admirable which is one of the things that makes this an enjoyable blog.

That and the incandescent Spanish contributors.

[Weska]

Ed, you are worse than the father of Lewis.

[Pedro]

Undoubtedly Alonso prevent Lewis to have his last opportunity where problably he beats Alonso times (Lewis had been faster all the times in the season). But in my opinion thinks like that are directly derived from a pile of stupid rules and regulations in F1. If the tracks allow more easy overtaking, if the pole was not so decisive ... probably we would see more exciting races and less quarrels like this.

PAP

[Miguel. Barcelona]

Hamilton is a great driver that,s a fact. He has the right to fight in equal conditions, OK. But this time i think Lewis is absoluty wrong.
Making hurt to his team, to Alonso and himself. He should to meditate about it.
Over the FIA decision: too surrealist to say nothing..., incredible.

[Juan]

Let specullations and guilty presumptions for Mr. Gorman and Fia's uncorrupted corporation. I'll try to analyse a simple fact. Mr. Gorman and stewards considered it's more than clear that was Alonso's decision to do an extra delay of ten seconds to avoid the second -suposed- flying lap from Hamilton. Alonso and Ron said this is a team decision (lyers, of course). Nobody, even the "supposed proffesional" analyser coment that Alonso reached the last lap with less than a second of time to start it (due to Mr. Hamilton team spirt, of course). My question is: Has Alonso a computer in his head? Has the team the computer? yourselves. (But it's allowed thinking, not only reading). I have read the polite way Hamilton spoke the man and the team who has lead him to his (deserved?) glory. That is what you call British ethic? That is British Style? That is an example of an "English Gentleman"? An icon for childs?. I'm personally proud of knowing several of these examples among my friends just to know this is exactly the against. I think he is one of the best but his greatest risk is turning into a spoiled unrespectful child who think he deserves everything. Perhaps this is what they has teached him. Personally, I dislike this style. I clearly preffer the english style.

[marie]

personally, I really do not blame any of the drivers, I agree with the FIA at this point, when they punished Mclaren by removing their construction points---they should be the one to initiate discipline to their drivers. And it was actually the teams' reactions to their drivers' behavior that prove their downfall. The team's reaction, particularly Ron Dennis's was used as evidence for unsportmanlike behavior, if the team have acted like their pit stop is a team strategy then may be penalties would have not been given. (Although I'm still iffy on the team orders thing since I do not know what line the team should not cross in terms of one of their drivers getting advantage over another, when the whole concept of the team is working as one---any clarifications on that?) And come on lay off our man Mr. Gorman, he is our inside man in the paddock...

[Matt]

Don't people in Spain have anything else to moan about? What a bunch of whingers. You've even taken to pretending to be English to show that you're not biased ('John from Suffolk' I'm talking to you, you're English is terrible, you need more lessons). At least Hamilton has apologised for what he did. Will Alonso and his trainer? I doubt it.

[Mark]

Fully agree with your analysis Ed.

On the topic of Alonso not staying next year, I wonder if Mr Button could be tempted from his Honda by Ron Dennis.... mind on current form he may see a SuperAguri as a step up.

[David]

Fernando please, leave McLaren. British team with british drivers in a british controlled sport won't give you any chance to win another championship. In equal conditions and similar driver skills staying in McLaren you will be relegated to be the second driver forever. Ecclestone has been worried to keep a British GP for a while due the lack of interest in UK, in the meantime Spain had two GP in the same year and it will have two again for next season with a huge attendance. Winning Hamilton this year with McLaren will help to cheer up the british public.

[CARLOS]

i have restrained myself from making comments on the blog as i'm quite puzzled by the whole story and i feel there are many facts not
publicly known. Ron's explanations fall short, and possibly Alonso did it intentionally, though this is so unlike Alonso, who has always shown very sporting manners, that you have to wonder what happened in order for Alonso to do that. when you learn about Hamilton disobeying the team rules and not respecting the agreement for the Q3, when you add to this what Hamilton did in Monaco, again disobeying team instructions and generating a FIA investigation, putting in doubt a well-earned victory by Alonso, with Mclaren looking useless to put some discipline into the rookie, i just think that Alonso wanted to hand Hamilton some of is own medicine and he went too far.

what is clear is that Hamilton needs some good advice (other than his father's), because it seems he has no clue of how lucky he is to be driving for Mclaren instead of driving for Spyker, which is the usual path for any rookie. the way he behaves behind the cameras and on the car, just tells me that he either is unable to get a grip on his enormous ambitions and the aims justifies the means, or he either is just a PR product, a complete farse, Mr Nice Guy turned into a blind and deaf driver who will not listen to Ron Dennis, the person who gave him the chance of his life.

of course Alonso is responsible of his own acts, but i doubt very much his whole story would have taken place had Hamilton followed the rules in first place. and i do not think Alonso behaved like this as a means to win the pole, he was rather giving a lesson to the rookie, i mean, if a newcomer with no F1 experience does what he pleases within the team, then Alonso could assume that a two times WDC should be entitled just about to anything, right?

[Miguel]

Alonso is 2 times world champion and Hamilton is a baby rookie

[Fernando Pérez Cos]

Dear Mr. Gorman,

You say that Fernando was "rightly punished".

I would be grateful if you could let us all know which rule was infringed by Fernando Alonso.

If you could point out what rule should be applied to "rightly punish" Fernando Alonso, then you could prove you're right and this issue would be finished.

If there is no rule, in which way can Fernando Alonso be "rightly punished"?

I hope you agree with me that nobody can be punished for something that is not against the law or the rules.

You can like or dislike things but the rules should always be observed.

I hope this comment makes you reflect on what you said. You should not talk about likes and dislikes, but about whether the rules were respected or not.

I would love you could answer to this comment in tomorrow's column because finding the rule that allows the FIA to punish Fernando Alonso would help us think that it was not a cheat.

Thanks.

Greetings from Spain.

Another Fernando.

[Homer]

LEARN HOW TO BE A CHAMPION!!

I hope this message won’t get censured. I am so tired of this theatrical play Hamilton, his papito-daddy & Ron Dennis are playing. Everyone is happy right? H gets the points, Alonso loses another opportunity to recover the lead in the championship and in the end, McLaren gets the points again granted for constructor championship.
I feel like puking.
Check this detail though. There is only one thing that you uptight British don’t realize. Alonso (other things being equal) is better than Hamilton or Jaimito as he is now known in Spain. Alonso will end up winning regardless of how hard FIA, H and the rest of the band try to stop him. Next year he will be in BMW or Ferrari. Please remember this as Ron will cry for few years thinking he should have helped Alonso when they had the chance.
Viva España, Viva Alonso & Viva Real Madrid!!!

[Marçal Silva]

Please don't block this comment. I am not a rascit nor do I want to be labeled as such.
F1 is in desperate need of a new "Idol"
Her comes L.H. a YOUNG, BRILLIANT and BLACK driver who just happens to be ENGLISH. He's F1's Tiger Woods, he is just perfect.
Everything will be done for him to become champion. New rules will apply and old ones will be bent.

[Jordi]

Well, i just don't agree with mr gorman.

Mr Gorman just admits that Hamilton broke the gentlemen pact inside the team. There was a time when Bristish people felt proud of act as gentlemen. Today for the things i have read in this blog this seems to be some kind of antique dealer stuff.

If we belive McLaren boss, Alonso stay in the pit stop just because his engineer advise. So if this is true it's not his fault and he has not to be penalized.

But we can believe this is a lie from Mr Dennis in order to favour Alonso, after all he is in a serious investigation as a cheater in the FerrariGate, so i accept this as a possibility. But in this case it's difficult to belive, so he has proved along all the season his preference towards Lewis.

All this show us a tricky (or just not a gentleman) teammate inside a (suposed) cheating team that leads to the conclussion that the best choice for Alonso is to leave this (supossed) cheating team at the end of the season with his third championship in the pocket to another team (if he wins it, of course).

Another possiblity is that after all this sport is in a big part as just a business, and it seems clear that all this business is controlled by british people and maybe they want a british champion. If this last assumption is true, i agree with other comments that the decission of yesterday has one name, and that name is maFIA.

As a last comment i just want to express my disappointment with the Times, in the past i came here to read impartial articles, for nationalistic articles i can read the sun or other tabloid, or just the spanish sport newspaper that are as nationalistic as this ones. But maybe i just expect too much, maybe the impartial news from the times are as antique dealer stuff as the british gentleman behaviour.

Best regards and hopping better readings.

Jordi

[Sue]

Ed Gorman ...you make me laud !!!
How can you be so impartial???
Don't you thing Hamilton deserve a serius punishment by MacLaren?

[Dean Rodrigues]

KING said: "Can you please explain me what is the problem with Alonso? Why is so difficult to admit that he is one of the greatest drivers ever?"

How exactly is Alonso one of the greatest drivers ever? The fact that you can even suggest such a ludicrous statement speaks volumes about the Formula One knowledge of a nation that only bothered to pay attention once it had a Champion to Glory Hunt. The fact that Spaniards have to resort to posting messages such as those by "John, Suffolk" pretending to be English is a very sad reflection.

Finally, all the Spaniards seem to be saying that "Alonso just did what McLaren told him". However, the FIA statement clearly states that Alonso sat in his box for a further 9 seconds AFTER the team had finished their countdown for him to leave. Perhaps looking at the facts rather than believing the Spanish media might aid the understanding of a perfectly rational decision by the stewards.

Hats off to you Mr. Gorman - even if the Spanish can't appreciate neutrality, it is always refreshing to have an unbiased blog to read.

[James Jackson]

Could anybody explain me why so many people are assuming that Lewis would have taken the pole? It is pretty clear what we are assuming, but what we know is that someone didn't follow team orders. Just think what would have happend if it were Fernando who did that.

[Tricio]

Alonso, and Senna, and Schumacher, spent formative years with Minardi, Toleman and Jordan, so they all knew that without a competitive car you are nothing. They could complain and argue, but at the end they never refused to follow orders. Hamilton twice has refused to obey team orders, yesterday and in Monaco. He should be sent to Aguri for a couple of years to learn who is the ultimate ruler: the team or the driver.

[Raquel]

Alonso is worked for everything that he owns, nobody has given him anything for free. However, Hamilton can´t say the same.
Maybe Fernando was wrong when he decided go to Mclaren,maybe today he wouldn´t have those problems.
In my opnion,Hamilton must be more modest.

[FJC]

I think the opinion is strongly inclinated towards the Uk's side of Mclaren's team. If both Hamilton and Alonso failed, both should have been penalized. I'd like to understand why Hamilton should benefit for something he also contributed to.
Alonso go to Ferrari!!

[jorge]

Funny to see that the brits´ alleged love of fair play only applies when there are no british on the field... same old story anyway. So Mosley, Dennis and ecclestone want a brit winning the championship again, then? Does not matter what it takes? Go ahead and get it then, the british press will be there to cover the tracks, no problem with spying on competitors, ratting on colleagues, breaking gentlemen´s agreements. But of course, gentlemen´s agreemennts are only binding for gentlemen.

[Sue]

Where is the punishment to Hamilton?

MacLaren What are you waiting for?

[Pablo]

English are english and spanish are spanish.

Alonso do what team say to do.

[Spanish F1 Fan]

My view:

1) It is a proven fact that LH disobeid team orders preventing FA from carrying out his best strategy and creating confusion in the team about the pit stop plans.
2) According to the recorded conversations, it is impossible to prove that Alonso stayed those 10 seconds in the pit to damage LH aspirations on purpose.
3) FIA resolution is a disgrace.
a) They mention no articles from international sport regulations, mainly because FA did not infringe any of them.
b) It is based on mere suppositions which distrust the credibility of Team Mclaren and FA explanations concerning actions that should not have to be explained as there are no rules regulating them.
c) The driver who was not loyal to his team was rewarded with a pole position and the alleged loyal driver was punished.
In conclusion, we cannot know if Alonso did something wrong, we know Hamilton did and we are sure that FIA did the worst.

Please, fans and journalists, try to be unbiased.

[matt]

I agree with your analysis, Ed.

Lewis disobeyed team orders. The FIA cannot punish him for this. Mclaren or Alonso can, and attempted to, but, whoever it was, the stewards looked at the evidence and decided that the rules were broken, that is, that there was no legitimate racing reason for Hamilton to have been delayed. If it was Alonso's action, there is the precedent from Monaco last year.. if it was Mclaren's then it has been made clear several times over recent years that direct team interference on the result is not acceptable.

The punishment fits both scenarios because if it was Alonso, then Mclaren attempted to mislead the stewards and so are also open to punishment, and if it was Mclaren, then Alonso's car cannot be permitted to benefit over another competitor by the illegal actions of the team.

(Personally i find it almost too much to believe that McLaren could either be ignorant of the rules and that this was would be deemed a transgression, or would wish to bring further controversy upon themselves at this time by handling Lewis' disobediance publicly when they had the option to pursue the matter later, behind closed doors. But then, it seems almost as incredible that Alonso and his staff would think it was a good idea either!)

This affair has nothing to do with telemetry, cranes at Silverstone, or Her Majesty the Queen. But please, Juan from Suffolk, dont let that stop you from posting again!

[Lamikiz]

Until this weekend I couldn't make up my mind: there seemed to be a good guy and a bad guy in McLaren, but who was who? Certainly the British and Spanish medias wouldn't help to make up anyone's mind, but to create even more confussion. However, after what we saw yesterday (Sunday) and the day before yesterday it is safe to say that there is neither good nor bad; there is actually a professional driver (Alonso) and a I-do-what-I-want, selfish and not very intelligent driver and his dad (the Hamiltons). Wow, from now on I'll support Alonso 100%, no question about that. And Mr Gorman, I cannot understand how an intelligent writer like you (maybe that is just a false assumption) can be so stupidly biassed by his patriotism. Your article really sucks, mate. If you consider yourself a proper journalist, you should reply with another article to all the criticism you have received in your blog. Don't you think that when a writer gets panned like you have been, we, readers, deserve some clarification, or, you, dear blogger, need to defend his ground more consistently? We'll wait for your reply.

[Jason]

What people are missing is how FA has given two versions of events as to why he was held up. The first one was that he was being held back by his engineers for "traffic." Later he said that he was asking his engineers if he had the right tires on. Which one is it? Yes LH didn't follow team orders and he should be punished by McLaren but according to the stewards there was no indication as to why FA waited 10 seconds after the "lolly pop" was raised in the radio conversations between FA and his engineers. If FA did block LH on purpose then that was clearly unsporting, the fact that some people from Spain still think that its "OK" is quite sad.

While who knows how much FA contributes to setting the car up (as far as I know only FA has said how much he sets the car up, which is to be expected, its not like FA is going to say I do nothing) as compared to LH. The talk of how FA made McLaren so much better is open for debate. I can't see how FA has made the car more reliable as compared to previous years. Renault had a hard time getting used to the Bridgestone tires (and at the start of the season FA said he was having trouble adapting)

[maria]

If Hamilton did not allow Alonso to make his quick lap,
If Alonso or McLaren or both detained Hamilton in the boxes,
If the FIA considered the behaviour of Alonso or McLaren or both inappropiate:

Would not have been enough for Alonso not to have the pole and go second? Why they decided to make him go on the dirt and in a position that could not fight for podium?

What punishment Hamilton had for his behaviour in the clasification?

The punishment does not fit the "crimes", for neither of them.

I would like to hear or read the transcripts of McLaren. From the outside it looks the FIA has over reacted and has made an in situ arbitrary decision.

It allows a behaviour that happened in the track (Hamilton's) and punishes what it happened in the boxes (McLaren or Alonso)!

The FIA webpage is:
http://www.fia.com/global/contacts.html

[victor abellon]

Hmmm

"almost certainly denying Lewis pole"

nice piece of journalism!!!!!
How do you know that?

"The stewards have decided that Lewis did nothing wrong - in terms of breaking rules - "

Ok. He just disobeyed and perhaps "almost denying [Alonso] pole"

"but Fernando went too far and he has been punished"

Fernado "did nothing-in terms of breaking rules" and how do you know "he went too far"?

Are you paid to stir jingoism or to do some decent journalism?

I think "you went to far-in terms of breaking the rules" of journalism.

Victor Abellon
geneva, Switzerland

[BringBackNelsonPiquet]

Well, another rivetting race, full of dicing and overtaking! I'm English, and find myself yet again torn between national pride and what my heart tells me.

I just do not understand all these posts above agreeing with the Alonso penalty. I believe this was an internal issue and cannot be dealt with in the smae way as holding up a driver from another team.

I agree that Hamilton is absolutely exceptional, has driven with such amazing maturity. He has to be given so much credit, remember he is a rookie and so young. People often forget this, if you look at the record books most f1 drivers were in their late 20's when they get into competitive machinery.

I really want to support an Englishman, but feel guilty that I am suspicious of his pc qualities. He is certainly being groomed for international branding... the British Tiger Woods.

If I follow my heart I have to support Alonso, who is not so pc, but has shown his racing qualities over a period of time, not always in the best equipment. He is fallable, and I like that.

Finally, I want to point out that winning at all costs leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. If it is true that Alonso has No1 status (Is it, as McLaren say they have this policy of equal No1's??) then Hamilton should comply with this. I recall my first sporting hero, Ronnie Peterson who, despite being quicker than Mario Andretti, obeyed his team instructions as he should........otherwise he should not have signed his contract.

That's the problem with society today, everybody knows their rights, but conveneintly forget thei responsilbilities!

[Antonio]

Ed, isn't a journalist, Ed is a fanatic.

[Jaime Ferrer]

You are cynical. Please consider the follwing points: 1)Alonso's last pit stop was managed and controlled by McLaren's team. 2)Teams are allowed to do whatever they feel like it on the pit lane 3) The two FIA stewards were Brits (the other was local) and last but not least.... you're a Brit. I'm sure this comment will not be displayed!!!!! Have a good day.

[Sporran]

In the business world, if you disobey the orders of your managers (especially the MD and CEO), you get sacked. So both Fernando and Lewis should be shown the door, and there would be no shortage of applicants to fill their positions. What a pity that Jenson and Rubens have already signed for another year with Honda: two decent (in all senses) drivers who would have fitted in well at McLaren.

[Alonso follatelos]

Congratulation for your partiality. he must be proud undoubtedly of your great journalistic labor. Hamilton is a parasite that to be useful of fernando's work. Remember this english men when this fernando in ferrari lewis not win any race

[Michael]

Alonso has proven to be a gentleman always. He is twice World Champion and the FIA treats him as if he was a nobody. Last year in Italy FIA punished him with no evidence just to favour MS. This saturday what happenned? ML has team orders in practice sessions. Alonso let LH do the extra lap at Silverstone and LH denies FA the same in this saturday session. That is dirty. That is no respect nor education. FA has set up a brilliant car the same way he did for Renault. Where are Renault this year? Where was ML last year? He is a team man. Works hard and shows respect for team mates. LH in his rookie season has received full support from FA´s knowledge. One of the assets I like most about FA is that he still remains as humble as when he began his career at Minardi.
What did LH say this year at Monaco? Didn´t he see his lap times compared to Alonso´s. He was beaten in every single lap except in the ones that Alonso found traffic. What was he talking about? To say the least, they are treating him, as well as FA. He doesn´t know how to set up his car. Where would he be if he didn´t do the same setup as FA´s? What will ML do next year if FA goes to Ferrari as they italins are ready to do in revenge. They are contacting FA for the las month. ML be aware: if FA goes to Ferrari we´ll have another dinasty of Ferrari as it happenned with MS. It´s time to give the leadership to either FA or LH but thinking for this year and for the future.

[Juan]

I will try another post, so my preceding had something to be censored. Some missing comment about some missing information:
1.- When Mr. Gorman said "the two driver went to pit for "fresh tyres" sould mentioned that the time Alonso asked the team about the correct set of tyres, in deed were "Why are you puting used tyres?". And that Alonso used hard and used tyres to get the stolen pole.
2.- In the first pit stop, the llolypop was up too and Alonso didn't obey the signal. Why?-because one of the enginer had a mess with the tyer-heater cord and Alonso has conscience of all about, even the work that should be done by the team. Alonso trust the team? -I don't think so. Would you?
3.- And last, after asking the team why they put the used tyres (remember the fresh tyres has an extra-grip film, that why EVERYBODY -exception for Alonso, of course- used fresh tyres in qualifying)Alonso reach the time for doing the second flying-lap with less than half a second of time. And the final question. Has Alonso a computer on his head to measures times? Has the team that computer?. Yourselves. Still we are waiting to read which rule broke McLaren -and suposedly Alonso- last Saturday. An existing rule, I mean, not the new rule likely to be stablished for now on till Mr. Ecclestone and FIA needed.

[David]

I am not goig to argue. I am simply fed up with the british media (not british people). I hope, from the botton of my heart, that Fernando leaves McLaren next year to BMW, Renault or Maldivas, I don´t care.
I see the game Mr Gorman (which is easy to see), controversial words (whith absolutly lack of objectivity)ergo
many people angry ergo many people reading this blog which, at the end, is what any journalyst is teached for.

[Brian]

15 team points are too much for a simple mistake. Spyker and other less competitive teams work all year to get just half of those point. I just hope these points won't come back to haunt them due to an overly ambitious rookie. RD needs to keep his house in order and reprimand the rogue individual(s) and reward the team player(s). Anyway you see it's all about team work that makes the cars and the drivers great, not a single person.

[Fred]

I respect Hamilton's moves. This thing of the 'first' driver getting plum choices should be done away with under circumstances when the second driver is just as good. Brings more life to the competition. If Alonso is so good, let him prove it by winning. Why should Lewis wait his turn? This year maybe the only ever chance he has to win. I remember one season in which Barrichello, had he not slavishly followed team orders would have won the championship. He should have grabbed the opportunity. Even if he was dismissed from ferrari, at least he would have tried.

[Eland]

Let's see... i think you're being too english (and i might be being too spanish), but i think all of us have to be a bit impartial.
you can't go saying that "Fernando, in fact, sat there for nine long seconds with the stick up going nowhere, something which has never been seen before".......
alright, that must have been some sort of team mistake, but that doesn't mean fernando is dirty and that doesn't mean that hamilton would have beaten alonso's pole.he'd have had another option, that's all.
but going back to my point... why do you think spaniards, experts all around the world and alonso were so surprised when saw the crane putting lewis back on to the track???? would we have been surprised if that had been normal??? If you had to investigate a bit about it, were you really that sure it was completely legal? according to your blog, it was, and i'm not gonna doubt it. But about what alonso did (by obbeying his team)... does it sayg anything about it in the rules???? does it??? when another driver (not in the same team) holds up another one ON THE TRACK in a classification, that could be illegal... but a driver from the same team, in boxes and because the other one didn't obbey at all???? don't you think it's the team's problem??? why does the FIA meddle IN the teams? are they gonna say: "it won't be legal from now on" as the did with the crane?
i just think this is becoming a very very sad show. i'm really begining to think it will only pay off if you're english... england's sooo willing to have a champion that it doesn't care if it's being legal or not...
good luck with that. you might win the championship... but at what price?? take a look at the rest of the press - world - and u'll see something...

[John]

" [there] has been plenty of [abuse], especially from Spain where it was very hot yesterday and a lot of people got very angry"
The above sentence speaks volumes about the 'intellecutal' stature of the columnist.
Bravo!

[hohoho]

You are basically wrong. Cannot compare La Rascasse affair with this. To compare with Fisichella's action in the track is also senseless. Why don't compare with the crane affair?. The team telling a guy what to do. No rule about the thing. But putting a car with a crane DURING a race was right (sure, there's no safety issue, hoho), this was wrong. It's just a money thing, F1 is controlled by english, they need their guy to win, full stop.
When will McLaren punish Hamilton for this?

[ferforever]

If I was Ron, I would go out Lewis to Mclaren, and his daddy, too.

[obiwan]

you can't compare hamilton's fault with alonso's fault, because hamilton had enjoyed in previous races this additional lap. alonso had left hamilton's chance to pole in other GPs, and Hungaroring was Alonso's turn. Your post is no complete if you don't take that point in consideration, and your are hiding information to your readers.

[Hdez]

Do you really think that Alonso on his own accord decided to hinder Hamilton? Do you think that Alonso was counting the seconds in order to make Lewis miss a last lap risking be out in traffic? It is crystal clear that they were team orders (did you see any member of the team waving to Alonso to allow Lewis pit?). We can argue that those team orders are bad for the sport and should be punished... but why should Alonso be?

[S Dolz]

Yes, that looks the Hamilton's Blog