2009 Formula One Australian Grand Prix

[teatako]

Can I just remind everyone that when BAR-Honda was originally created, they predicted they´d win on their first Grand Prix.

Funny, how things turn out sometimes eh?

[RacingManiac]

Can I just remind everyone that when BAR-Honda was originally created, they predicted they´d win on their first Grand Prix.

Funny, how things turn out sometimes eh?

certainly not with Villeneuve or the stupid Mechachrome or whatever engine they had at the time....

[Badsight]

The GP isn't over yet apparently...

The Official Formula 1 Website

unbelieveable!

Kubica's line caused that crash! , the birds eye view camera showed it off . that vettal couldnt get tighter , kubicas line going in was in a collision course with vettals line . being on the outside he should have lifted!

i would be spitting tacks over that decision

[togos452]

It is about time the BAR/Honda/Brawn team wins besides Sauber, Ferrari McLaren, and Benetton (Renault).

[f6fhellcat13]

I must say that I'm disappointed in Rubens' performance. I think his ramming of people was far more grievous than anything Vettel or Kubica did.
But, I do like the guy, so 'grats to him.

[Dino Scuderia]

The on again-off again saga.


F1: Hamilton Facing Possible FIA “Perjury” Hearing
Written by: Adam Cooper NASCAR News, F1 News, and Racing News on SPEED - SPEEDtv.com
04/01/2009 - 02:29 PM
Sepang (MAS)

Hamilton initially told Adam Cooper that he was instructed to let Trulli past (Getty) » More Photos
Lewis Hamilton is to be called up by the FIA on Thursday afternoon in Sepang to answer questions on his role in the incident that got Jarno Trulli penalised in Australia.

It's understood that SPEEDtv.com's exclusive story on Sunday night first alerted the FIA to the possibility that Hamilton might not have been entirely truthful with his comments.

He is believed to have specifically told the stewards and the race director Charlie Whiting that he did not deliberately let Trulli past under the safety car. However just a few minutes earlier he had told this journalist and a TV crew that the team had asked him to do exactly that.

The FIA has apparently now got a copy of McLaren's radio transmissions from the race, which were recorded
Click here to find out more!
by its equipment, but not heard live by officials in race control.

Trulli had told the stewards that Hamilton had gone so slowly that he thought he was in trouble, and the FIA Sporting regulations allow a driver to pass another car behind the safety car if he believes it to have a problem.

It seems highly likely that Trulli could get his third place back if Hamilton's original story does not stand up, and the World Champion could clearly face some kind of punishment.

The last time the stewards reconvened in this way - two of the three who served in Melbourne are making a special trip to Malaysia - was when Hamilton was involved in the safety car incident in Japan in 2007.

FORMULA-ONE - F1: Hamilton Facing Possible FIA "Perjury" Hearing - SPEEDtv.com

[Jack_Bauer]

Hamilton and McLaren have been excluded from the race results, with Trulli regaining his 3rd place. What a mess!

The Official Formula 1 Website

Hard to know what to make of all this given that we are unlikely to ever hear the radio recording or get the transcripts from the original meeting with the stewards. It begs the question that if he wasn't told to slow down to let Trulli through then why on earth was he going so slowly? Completely bizarre incident all round.

[Wouter Melissen]

If he lied to the stewards after the race, he deserves the penalty. He knew that lying could get him ahead of Trulli.

[Dino Scuderia]

Yup, he earned it apparently.

Puts he and Mclaren in a bad light.

[Dino Scuderia]

FIA could take further action against Hamilton



FIA could take further action against Hamilton | Formula 1 | Formula 1 | Reuters

[Jack_Bauer]

As I stated earlier, it still doesn't make any sense for Hamilton to have been slowing down to let Trulli through without any team order. He had the 3rd position by right, so why would he then give the position back so he could then lie about it to the stewards in order to get Trulli penalised?

Interesting quotes from Martin Whitmarsh of McLaren:

"There was no lie in that hearing," said Whitmarsh, who claims the team's error at the hearing was in not providing full information about a radio conversation with Hamilton instructing him to let Trulli overtake him.

"We, the team, made a mistake. We did not provide a full account of a radio conversation which we believe was being listened to in any case, and we don't believe was material to the decisions being made by the stewards."

Whitmarsh confirmed comments made by Hamilton in the immediate aftermath of the race that the team instructed its driver to let Trulli pass him.

Explaining exactly what happened after Hamilton overtook Trulli, when the Toyota driver ran off the track at the final corner, Whitmarsh said McLaren had been trying to play it safe.

"As we see it, what happened here is that during the closing stages of the Australian Grand Prix, under difficult conditions, there was a safety car incident whereby Jarno Trulli fell off the circuit and Lewis [Hamilton] could legitimately pass Trulli. I don't think that is in question," he explained.

"Once that had happened, of course, the team could not see it. Lewis informed the team that he had passed Trulli – and there was understandably concern within the team that he had passed Trulli under a safety car.

"At that time, we did not know that Trulli was right off the circuit and Lewis was asked to give back the place to Trulli. That was a team view, having not seen it, and we thought it was the safest thing to do.

"Once that instruction was given to Lewis, he did not agree. He said: ‘Look, the guy was off the circuit, I didn't need to do this.' A discussion was occurring and before that discussion was finished, Trulli had re-passed. If we look at the speed traces at that time, and compare it to other periods behind the safety car, then Lewis did not do anything abnormal. And I think it is also quite clear that Trulli should not have re-passed.

"As soon as that happened, we then spoke to Race Control, to explain that and ask if we could retake that place. At the time, understandably Race Control was busy and they were not able to give us an answer. We asked several times, but clearly they were very busy. So we had to then deal with it. We felt it would be resolved by the stewards after the race.

"At the stewards' meeting, we mistakenly believed that the stewards were aware, Charlie [Whiting] was there, and the FIA was there, of that radio conversation. The stewards now believe that we were not explicit enough about that radio conversation, and felt therefore that that was prejudicial to the decision that they reached. Obviously we regret that, and that was a mistake by the team, but we have got to accept the decision that has now been made."

McLaren has decided not to appeal the stewards' decision, which promoted Trulli to the third place that Hamilton originally had in Australia.

Whitmarsh added: "I think it is a regrettable day, and the fact is, the belief is, that we were not explicit. But I don't believe that that information would have made any difference to the decisions and the deliberations at the time.

"It certainly was not a deliberate attempt. It is quite clear that the radio conversations are listened to by the FIA, they are open, and the FIA was present during that hearing. So in the opinion of the team representative, there was a belief that it was known and there had been a conversation with the FIA."

Hamilton was unavailable for comment, having left the track shortly after the FIA decision was made.

If it's true that Hamilton did NOT in fact slow down unduly, then surely Trulli still broke the rules by passing him under safety car conditions. If Hamilton mislead the stewards and Trulli cheated then if anyone should be promoted to 3rd place it should be Timo Glock by my calculations.

[Dino Scuderia]

I think Martin has had too many lessons in 'Ron Dennis' speak.

[fpv_gtho]

Hamilton had the order from his team, which he disagreed with. Perhaps Hamilton, annoyed at having to give up the position, told the stewards only enough to get Trulli penalized.

[Wouter Melissen]

Hamilton had the order from his team, which he disagreed with. Perhaps Hamilton, annoyed at having to give up the position, told the stewards only enough to get Trulli penalized.

Very professional!

[henk4]

new season, same stories.