The 2017 Grand Prix of Austin presented by FORMULA 1®

[mario]

NBC showed a few shots of people doing the same during FP1 with not a peep from the stewards. Plus apparently in the driver's briefing the curb is considered "on track" so Max didn't really have all four off then, did he?

FIA Ferrari Interventional Assissance

Even if you were to define the kerb itself as part of the track, some angles do suggest that Max cut so far to the inside of the corner that he was completely past the edges of the kerbs.

I get the impression that there will be a rather strong backlash - especially with the amount of stirring that Jos is getting up to - but I'd rather sleep on it and evaluate in the cold light of day the morning after.

[AndreaModa]

He was off the track - that is a fact.

Everyone else was off the track at various points across the weekend.

F1 needs to take a long hard look at itself and decide how it wants to move forward on debacles like this.

They have three options. Mandate a 6ft strip of earth and grass (or gravel) that borders the edge of the track at every circuit F1 visits (excluding street circuits) and tell everyone that they're free to race on those areas and get ready to suffer the consequences. Or police track limits properly so anyone leaving the track is dealt with consistently and fairly. Or just stop policing it at all.

The crushing reality for me was all that posturing bollocks at the start was meant to improve 'the show', then when we actually get a good 'show', F1 has to find a way to ruin it. That could have been one of 'those' moments, remembered as a great pass for years to come, but nope.

I'll just leave this here for folks to think about. One of the most iconic moments in MotoGP history.

[Wallio]

For what it's worth, this board's Lord and Savior Alex Wurz tweeted the move was good.

But I am curious to see the fallout, cause it's gonna be big.

[Nuppiz]

Perhaps this was an "incremental" penalty. A few laps earlier, Verstappen passed Bottas by effectively forcing him off the track. This wasn't investigated at all, and while it has to be admitted that Bottas' tyres were so gone that he couldn't have fought back for long anyway, there would've definitely been a crash had Bottas not moved outside of the white lines.

As usual, I stopped watching immediatedly after Hamilton crossed the line (I can't stand another "you're the best fans in the world" interview), so I didn't see any of the post-race replays. I'll check tomorrow for the inevitable GIFs/WebMs about this incident before making any further judgment.

[johnston21]

Last Lap Radio Ga Ga:

Grojean’s Race Engineer telling Grosjean to “Shutup,” and “Take the Chequered.”

Priceless...

[Rob Dylan]

It was an ok race, and although it's sad to see Verstappen getting penalised, it was defo off the track. Consistency is one thing the stewards have always lacked and will continue to lack.

One thing that disappointed me way more, which nobody has even talked about yet, was just how easy Hamilton breezed past Vettel in those early laps. The pace difference was surreal, and I felt Sebastian's move was lucklustre in even trying to defend his first.

[Wallio]

http://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2017/1 ... n-penalty/


Collection of driver thoughts on today...

[dr-baker]

For what it's worth, this board's Lord and Savior Alex Wurz tweeted the move was good.

I'm not a Wurzite, I'm a HWNSNBMian. What is HWNSNBM's stance on the matter?

[Wallio]

For what it's worth, this board's Lord and Savior Alex Wurz tweeted the move was good.

I'm not a Wurzite, I'm a HWNSNBMian. What is HWNSNBM's stance on the matter?

Lol I do not know, he's not one of the driver's in that link. You and I may be 2 of maybe only 10 or so who even still get that joke.