Depends on if they can prove it was caused by an equipment failure I guess. You'd think having forced the FIA to change the rules by doing it in Canada 2010, they want to avoid that...
In terms of the spectacle tomorrow it is a great penalty. It looked like Hamilton would walk away with it, but now we'll be treated to Alonso and Maldonado knocking seven bells out of each other with a lot of fast cars out of position all sitting in the queue.
It is very harsh though. I think maybe 5 or 10 place penalty at most would have been sufficient.
I don't think it will be. With the tyres as they are, Lewis won't be able to push. I'd be surprised if he was able to get more than a couple of points, especially given its Barcelona.
Alonso is doing a great job, he showed he can make miracles with that horribly crap car. I wasn't even expecting him to be in the top10 today.
I'm also cheering for Button. He's good on the tyres, too bad he couldn't find the balance today, so I don't think he'll do well tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Wasn't really referring to Hamilton, but with him out of the way the action will be for 1st instead of 2nd. Webber, Schumacher and Kobayashi san will be the ones to watch. Jenson I think is genuinely struggling.
Find it some what amusing that whenever something goes well for Lewis....his team are ready to F*** it all up for him, it's just so very.......British.
Don't think it's that harsh a penalty as it's pretty clear in the rules that you need to complete the in lap and it's the teams responsibility to fill it up (but can see the argument of disqualifying from Q3 as well) also, call me a cynic but the excuse seems pretty lame.
Ironically the reason the ruling is there in the first place is because of what happened in Canada with Mclaren and Lewis 2 years ago when he stopped just after the line with little fuel and got pole.
I agree. Without the rule every car would be under-fueled in pursuit of pole, and they'd all park at turn one.
It's not a difficult rule to follow, and clearly their excuse wasn't good enough. They must have known what the penalty would be, every team would know what the penalty would be when they read what the rule is.
Stupid mistake. Clearly not an attempt to cheat their way to pole, since either you make it back or you don't. If you don't make it back you need a good reason for it.
Why not a 5/10 place grid penalty? Why to the back of the grid?
Although Storm Cloud speaks sense, it's gonna be a hell of a race with Alonso and Maldonado going at it when alot of cars behind are capable of the win.
Oh yes, certainly! I can't wait to see how long Pastor can hold on for. Also, Grosjean here last year was pulling off moves left right and center here, so he could be interesting to watch.