Angry Alonso says race 'manipulated'

**HalfVector** · 27th June 2010, 15:40

Angry Alonso says race 'manipulated'

By Pablo Elizalde Sunday, June 27th 2010, 14:16 GMT

Fernando Alonso was heavily critical of the race stewards of the European Grand Prix, saying the race had been manipulated.

The Spanish driver finished in a distant ninth position after losing out during the safety car period following Mark Webber's crash.

Alonso was running in third at the time, right behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, but the Briton overtook the safety car and went on to finish in second.

Hamilton earned a drive-through penalty for his action, but the Briton kept second place while Alonso dropped out of the point-scoring positions for having respected the rules.

The Ferrari driver was angry at the stewards' decision, saying the race had been manipulated by it.

"It's a shame, not for us because this is racing, but for all the fans who came here to watch a manipulated race," he told Spanish television after the race.

"We were running well, in third after a good start. Then the safety car came out, which wasn't too good for us, but Hamilton overtook the safety car, something that I had never seen, overtaking the medical car with yellow flags. We were a meter off each other, and he finished second and I finished ninth.

"This race was to finish second. Then with the safety car I would have finished where I finished in ninth, and Hamilton in eighth. But here, when you do the normal thing, which is respecting the rules, you finish ninth, and the one who doesn't respect them finishes second."

The Spaniard said everything seemed to be going against him and his team.

"It must have been very hard to know," said Alonso of the times it took the stewards to penalise Hamilton. "They must have taken a lot of laps to see the replay of how he overtook the medical car.

"But that's how it is. Unfortunately everything goes against us and it seems they are allowing everything."

A further nine drivers are facing penalties for possible infringements.

Source: autosport

**Hermann** · 27th June 2010, 15:42

Maybe that will answer your question Greig. I suppose you like to defend the british in here, but unfortunately, i'm a Ferrari fan first and i see no reason to defend them at all.

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 15:43

Originally Posted by Hermann

Maybe that will answer your question Greig. I suppose you like to defend the british in here, but unfortunately, i'm a Ferrari fan first and i see no reason to defend them at all.

What's with the nationality bashing? I am Scottish not British not English, Ferrari is not about nations, keep a lid on it

**Hermann** · 27th June 2010, 15:45

Originally Posted by Greig

What's with the nationality bashing? I am Scottish not British not English, Ferrari is not about nations, keep a lid on it

I'm not arguing with you. I just have the feeling you like to defend the british nation as a whole. But the way i see it, it definitley looks like some kind of 'british' conspiracy here. Only in F1 of course. I'm not speaking about anything else.

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 15:47

Originally Posted by Hermann

I'm not arguing with you. I just have the feeling you like to defend the british nation as a whole. But the way i see it, it definitley looks like some kind of 'british' conspiracy here. Only in F1 of course. I'm not speaking about anything else.

When someone brands all British/English as degenerates then yes I will defend it, just if they said all Italians were the same, stick to F1, nationality is not the issue.

**shostak** · 27th June 2010, 15:51

Greig, you simply have no reason. Someone got advantage for breaking the rules and didn't get a fair penalty.

**Hornet** · 27th June 2010, 15:51

I wish we could see an overhead video of all 3 front runners during the incident. How far ahead was Vettel

Something doesn't feels right for me here. Hamilton knew the rules, he saw the SC rolling out, IMO, he could have easily passed the SC before it crossed the SC line.

Just thinking out loud here

**shostak** · 27th June 2010, 15:53

Originally Posted by Hornet

I wish we could see an overhead video of all 3 front runners during the incident. How far ahead was Vettel

Something doesn't feels right for me here. Hamilton knew the rules, he saw the SC rolling out, IMO, he could have easily passed the SC before it crossed the SC line.

Just thinking out loud here

Yes, LH is not very smart but his play went well for him (thanks to Whiting).

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 15:53

Originally Posted by shostak

Greig, you simply have no reason. Someone got advantage for breaking the rules and didn't get a fair penalty.

What are you on about? I am saying him being English is not the issue, calling all English names is not going to happen, nothing to do with the penalty, try read the race thread....had Lewis not slowed down just a bit he would not have got penalty, it was a very close call which is why it probably took so long to sort out and consult with the rules. Nothing about all English being cheats.

**shostak** · 27th June 2010, 15:55

Originally Posted by Greig

What are you on about? I am saying him being English is not the issue, calling all English names is not going to happen, nothing to do with the penalty, try read the race thread....had Lewis not slowed down just a bit he would not have got penalty, it was a very close call which is why it probably took so long to sort out and consult with the rules. Nothing about all English being cheats.

I'm about your messages in race thread...

**Hermann** · 27th June 2010, 15:56

Originally Posted by Greig

What are you on about? I am saying him being English is not the issue, calling all English names is not going to happen, nothing to do with the penalty, try read the race thread....

And that is where i think you are wrong. IMHO it has a lot to do with Hamilton being british and driving for a british team. And Whiting is british, no?

They waited a long time for another british champion. Its even understandable. But today, they have gone too far. It was too obvious. Something must happen.

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 15:58

Originally Posted by Hermann

And that is where i think you are wrong. IMHO it has a lot to do with Hamilton being british and driving for a british team. And Whiting is british, no?

They waited a long time for another british champion. Its even understandable. But today, they have gone too far. It was too obvious. Something must happen.

A long time? last 2 years been British champ, it's nothing to do with nationalities, and even if it was people posting here that all Brits are scum etc is not going to happen. That was my only point, no idea why you have any issue with that.

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 15:58

Originally Posted by shostak

I'm about your messages in race thread...

You mean the F1 is a farce ones, the Lewis should be dq ones? or just the ones that don't agree that it was fixed? read

**Hornet** · 27th June 2010, 15:59

Originally Posted by shostak

Yes, LH is not very smart but his play went well for him (thanks to Whiting).

I'm just afraid that he may have deliberately tried to overtake just in time for him to go through and not Alonso, hence his attempt to pass so close to the SC line.

Maybe I'm just crazy here

**Hermann** · 27th June 2010, 15:59

Originally Posted by Greig

A long time? last 2 years been British champ, it's nothing to do with nationalities, and even if it was people posting here that all Brits are scum etc is not going to happen. That was my only point, no idea why you have any issue with that.

So far i have not seen such a posting and i agree it would be wrong to say that. But for F1, since Hamilton entered the scene, i stick to my oppinion.

**hogo** · 27th June 2010, 16:00

Originally Posted by Greig

What are you on about? I am saying him being English is not the issue, calling all English names is not going to happen, nothing to do with the penalty, try read the race thread....had Lewis not slowed down just a bit he would not have got penalty, it was a very close call which is why it probably took so long to sort out and consult with the rules. Nothing about all English being cheats.

I think that someone had in mind all brits that are in F1 and are related to it, that includes Lewis, Mclaren, Whiting, BBC commentators etc.

**shostak** · 27th June 2010, 16:02

**TheProdigalSon** · 27th June 2010, 16:04

Originally Posted by Greig

What are you on about? I am saying him being English is not the issue, calling all English names is not going to happen, nothing to do with the penalty, try read the race thread....had Lewis not slowed down just a bit he would not have got penalty, it was a very close call which is why it probably took so long to sort out and consult with the rules. Nothing about all English being cheats.

It took me half a second after seeing the helicopter replay of Lewis passing the line after the safety car to figure it out, are you seriously telling me it could take them that long to figure it out.. ridiculous. Even a ten year old could work it out faster, then just a pathetic drive through penalty once they had given him enough time to build a gap. People with a modest brain can work out there is something not right there..

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 16:06

Originally Posted by TheProdigalSon

It took me half a second after seeing the helicopter replay of Lewis passing the line after the safety car to figure it out, are you seriously telling me it could take them that long to figure it out.. ridiculous. Even a ten year old could work it out faster, then just a pathetic drive through penalty once they had given him enough time to build a gap. People with brain can work out there is something not right there..

The replays came about 5 mins before he got the penalty, we were in the dark about it, read the race thread and see everyone wonder how we were so far behind......I am not defending the penalty it was wrong, Im just defending against claims that all Brits and degenerates, simple to understand. And from that replay with the safety car still in the pitlane exit you knew the rules off the top of your head? The FIA stewards need to follow the right procedures to issue a penalty, the penalty was not right, he should have been black flagged.

**Tifosi** · 27th June 2010, 16:07

Originally Posted by TheProdigalSon

It took me half a second after seeing the helicopter replay of Lewis passing the line after the safety car to figure it out, are you seriously telling me it could take them that long to figure it out.. ridiculous. Even a ten year old could work it out faster, then just a pathetic drive through penalty once they had given him enough time to build a gap. People with brain can work out there is something not right there..

don't forget Lewis being given a couple more laps to pull out a lead in clean air before serving the penalty while we were stuck in traffic thanks to the offence he was being penalised for!

**shostak** · 27th June 2010, 16:07

Originally Posted by Greig

The replays came about 5 mins before he got the penalty, we were in the dark about it, read the race thread and see everyone wonder how we were so far behind......I am not defending the penalty it was wrong, Im just defending against claims that all Brits and degenerates, simple to understand.

FIA knew this since Alonso said Stella about this and Ferrari told it to FIA. It wasnt 5 mins, it was 20 laps.

**Greig** · 27th June 2010, 16:10

Originally Posted by shostak

FIA knew this since Alonso said Stella about this and Ferrari told it to FIA. It wasnt 5 mins, it was 20 laps.

So the FIA just issue a penalty based on what Ferrari tell them? or they go investigate it and then react?

**Hermann** · 27th June 2010, 16:12

Originally Posted by Greig

So the FIA just issue a penalty based on what Ferrari tell them? or they go investigate it and then react?

I'm not 100% sure bit it seems the stewards only started the investigation after Fernando told the team over the radio. Before that there was no sign and it was not shown at that time on the TV. Thats the information we have right now, we will have to wait for more details.

**aroutis** · 27th June 2010, 16:13

From official Formula1 site (formula1.com)

That left Button third behind Hamilton, who earlier had had to take a rapid drive-through penalty on the 27th lap after inadvertently overtaking the safety car as it emerged from the pits early in the race. He was able to get back out again before Kobayashi came through.

Anyone cares to comment on this load of ****?

**vecchiasignora** · 27th June 2010, 16:13

I am with greig in this.I made a stupid comment bout english as well, because of my anger at that momeny.

Lets not forget alot of english work for ferrari.

**shostak** · 27th June 2010, 16:18

Originally Posted by Greig

So the FIA just issue a penalty based on what Ferrari tell them? or they go investigate it and then react?

FIA wouldn't have given a penalty to Hamilton. I'm sure SC driver told them this but they remained quiet. I repeat it: FIA wants a battle between Vettel & Ramilton this year. Today everything was perfect for this.

**Hermann** · 27th June 2010, 16:24

Originally Posted by shostak

FIA wouldn't have given a penalty to Hamilton. I'm sure SC driver told them this but they remained quiet. I repeat it: FIA wants a battle between Vettel & Ramilton this year. Today everything was perfect for this.

That is what i thought as well. The safety car driver must have told the stewards. And nothing happened before Fernando realized nothing was happening and asked the team to contact Whiting. Then, they started to 'investigate' which took them a while. It was enough time for Hamilton to build a gap so that the DT would not do any damage to his position. This, in my eyes, is manipulation.