So, I'm reading more about the whole Hamilton/Alonso beef.
Here's the sequence of events as far as I can tell:
- Hamilton ignores team orders to let Alonso by during Q3, since it's Alonso's turn to get the ideal strategy for his golden lap.
- McLaren then holds Alonso for like 30 seconds during their 1st stop to get him back on schedule for his golden lap, but when they go to send the car out, there's a 5 seconds additional delay as the RF tire blanket is stuck on the brakes.
- During the last stop, Alonso is told on the radio he will be held for 20 seconds (for traffic?) before being set out on for his golden lap. Hammy ends up being stacked in the pits waiting for Alonso to be released. After 20 seconds, the lolipop goes up, but Alonso sits for 10 more seconds on his own.
- Hammy pits and goes out for his golden lap, but can't complete his out lap before the checkered flag by about 3 seconds.
- Hamilton sits on his earlier lap time, Alonso takes P1. The stewards later doc Alonso 5 grid spots for "blocking" Hamilton in the pits.
So, who's the bigger dick? Did the stewards make the right call? What's going to happen at McLaren?
IMO, it was not cool for Hamilton to ignore his team's policy for qualification strategy... but I can't blame him. First, he's the championship leader... if his teammate was just about anyone else, McLaren would be ensuring he gets the prime strategy each race. Since team orders are technically illegal, he must have figured the FIA would do nothing for him ignoring the "let Alonso by" request. Hell, he was the one with track position during Q3, and he was faster, I wouldn't have slowed down either.
Next, Alonso's maneuver in the pits *was* blocking. He slowed the progress of the car behind him. Once that lollipop is up, he's supposed to go... he didn't, and the rules are in place at the steward's discretion: if they deem someone holds up another driver, they issue a penalty. It happened to Fisi too that race. So, even if Alonso was waiting for a go call on the radio, he *looked* like he was holding up Hammy, and that is grounds for penalization. If it really was McLaren's fault and not Alonso's personally, the penalty still stands 'cause then it was McLaren's fault... same as if they put an illegal part on the car.
So, personally, I agree with the penalty on Alonso, but none on Hammy. Though, I'm not sure where I stand on the whole "no manufacturers points" penalty. I guess if McLaren hadn't tried to cover up Alonso's move and explain it away, it would have been a grid penalty only?
Either way, now there are rumors that Alonso wants out of McLaren... and frankly, good riddance. I was really impressed with Alonso in '05 when he held of Shumi in masterful fashion for the championship, but it's been all downhill since then. Too much attitude, too much arrogance, too much hypocrisy... Alonso only won last year 'cause Ferrari dropped the ball, and Michael had that one DNF. Clearly he wasn't the best driver last season. And IMO, that's true this year... I think Hamilton is obviously better... so much so that even though Alonso's getting preferential treatment (despite his claims he gets screwed 'cause he's not British
) from the team, Hamilton is still leading him in the championship.
All I know is that I'd much rather see two good teams, each with one great driver and one great support driver, fighting for the championship, than one team with two great drivers fighting amongst themselves. IMO, F1 is a team sport... both cars should be running for the goal of the team championship... that way the FIA can keep its rules out of what a team is allowed to do with their own cars.