2008 Formula One Grand Prix of China

[RacingManiac]

Ham's move at Fuji probably have caused accident at the back of the pack, can you be sure that Nakajima/Coulthard shunt wasn't caused by a knock-on effect of the mess at the front of the pack? A lot of people I've read said that Kovy should've gotten the penalty for hitting Kimi, but IMO the decision to penalize Ham was right since he "initiated" the mess, through no one else's action but his(unless you count Kimi beating him off the line), anything beyond that can be consider as reaction to that. My view though, was also that it was a sketchy call, since lots of first corner incident have happened like that in the past. But if they want to be tight about it and give out penalty, the one that they did give out was the correct one.

[henk4]

He missed his braking point by a fraction of a second (as did other drivers at that moment, none of whom were punished). This happens all the time in motor racing. Nobody is denying that it was a mistake, Hamilton himself accepts full blame.

However, if you honestly think that a misjudged overtaking attempt, which resulted in no accident or damage to any other car, deserves a black flag and a license suspension then I can only assume you are on a rather poor wind-up or you need to lay off the booze for a while.

it was pure luck that very little actually happened. At the same token the whole field could have ended up as a pile of rubble, purely because of an overheated driver. Such a driver needs to take lessons. This is not Formula Ford.

[LTSmash]

Or maybe everyone just hates Hamilton...

[Jack_Bauer]

it was pure luck that very little actually happened.

He made a mistake and ran wide, as happens in motor racing all the time. He came close to hitting Kimi who admittedly had to take action, but didn't really have too much of an effect on the other drivers. It was Kovalainen who ran widest and ultimately forced Raikkonen and Massa off the track.

At the same token the whole field could have ended up as a pile of rubble, purely because of an overheated driver. Such a driver needs to take lessons. This is not Formula Ford.

Utterly ridiculous hyperbole does not give your point any more credence.

Hamilton's move wasn't even the most dangerous move of that Grand Prix, not by a long shot. If you seriously think that misjudging an overtake and running wide on a corner is worthy of a black flag and a license suspension I suggest it is you who needs to 'take lessons' on motor racing. It was a mistake. The kind of mistake that happens regularly in motor racing at all levels and goes unpunished. I guarantee if that had happened further back in the field the stewards wouldn't even have given a second thought to any kind of penalty. However, due to the ridiculous state of officiating in F1 at the minute the stewards apparently feel pressured into giving out penalties for any kind of slightly contentious issue involving the title contenders.

To suggest that it was some kind of deliberate attempt to cause a "mass accident" is nothing short of ignorance and folly.

If the powers that be started handing out DQ's and suspensions every time someone misjudged an overtake, drivers everywhere would be terrified to even attempt to race wheel to wheel. I don't know what would be the end result exactly, but it certainly wouldn't be good motor racing.

[henk4]

Hamilton's move wasn't even the most dangerous move of that Grand Prix, not by a long shot.

He missed the start and tried to compensate with a desperate late braking act of which he should have realised the consequences. Somebody who does these sorts of things during the start of a race is dangerous and not fit for the game he is involved in. Calling that a "mistake" should probably be seen as a typical British case of understatement.
Perhaps you should have a look at the Editorial of the November issue of Motor Sports.

[LeonOfTheDead]

just because things like that already happened without any penalty given, it doesn't mean that some action should be taken. I didn't saw the race, just a replay on YT, and I'm not sure if Hamilton deserved a penalty. surely his behavior is a little off the line in the whole championship, and that could explain why he isn't at the top of the appreciation-chart.

[Ferrer]

Let's be brutally honest here. Hamilton is an amateur next to masters of the are like Prost or Senna.

YouTube - F1 1989 Japan — Prost and Senna collide (Live BBC coverage)
YouTube - F1 - 1990 - Ayrton Senna Crashes Into Alain Prost On Purpose

[Wouter Melissen]

Let's be brutally honest here. Hamilton is an amateur next to masters of the are like Prost or Senna.

YouTube - F1 1989 Japan — Prost and Senna collide (Live BBC coverage)
YouTube - F1 - 1990 - Ayrton Senna Crashes Into Alain Prost On Purpose

I would put both those actions on Senna. Hamilton fits nicely in the super aggressive category with Senna and Schumacher.

[Matra et Alpine]

... and James Hunt ( with some driving skills )