PCFormat Forum Archive

And then there was the other repeat that we were invited to watch ad infinitum. Felipe v Lewis has become the clash of F1 but, like an old joke turned vindictive, it's not funny anymore.

Having mourned the passing of Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli before the race start, there was something extraordinarily crass about what followed in such familiar fashion. The stewards were quite correct in the punishment they meted out, with Massa leaving the door open only to slam it shut with little or no care for the consequences, and the only argument is whether the matter should be put to rest with a drive-through. It shouldn't be because it's high time that the pair were called in for a final warning.

On this occasion, Massa looked to blame because he looked for Hamilton's whereabouts before plunging his Ferrari into his rival's McLaren. Only Massa can truly know what he saw and it may be the case that the Brazilian was still blind to Hamilton's position. Appearances can be deceptive and all that.

Yet the wider concern is that this ongoing spat has all the soundbites and hallmarks of a feud that will only end with something terrible. Massa v Hamilton has become dangerous and, regardless of where the blame lies, another reunion should result in the pair of them being black-flagged.

F1 can have no place for a personal grudge; not now, not ever.

Martin Brundle column: India a huge success for F1

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Of course, I also have to discuss Lewis Hamilton's latest adventures.

His three-place grid penalty for not lifting off while passing yellow caution flags - along with Sauber's Sergio Perez - was pretty cut and dried. Hamilton had the DRS rear wing overtaking aid open, seeking out more speed, and put his hand up straight away for that.

In the race, he came together with Massa's Ferrari yet again.

After contact in Monaco, Silverstone, Singapore and Suzuka there really is some serious bad blood now between those two, and I think that may have contributed to this latest episode.

Hamilton was clearly faster at this stage of the race and a great exit from Turn Four saw him moving partly alongside Massa.

What is significant here is that Turn Five is a fifth-gear sweeping left-hander with limited braking, and hard enough to get right one at a time.

Massa was penalised for the subsequent contact because he was looking in his mirror and so was deemed to have seen the other car.

That is nonsense - at 180mph, you have to look in your mirror and make a split-second judgement call as to whether it is your corner or not depending on exactly where the other car is.

I wrote this column on the plane back from Delhi and around me were drivers and team principals, along with other people I respect, and nobody can understand the Massa drive-through penalty.

I stand by my instant call in the commentary box that it was a racing incident - as Hamilton himself described it.

Massa should have left more room but Hamilton should have eased out of the throttle - in that particular bend. There is no point in risking another front-wing change there unless you are fully alongside and have claimed the corner.

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Deconstructing Lewis Hamilton v Felipe Massa crash

By Mark Hughes
BBC F1 commentary box producer

There are signs that the worst of Lewis Hamilton's crisis in form has passed - despite yet another collision with Ferrari's Felipe Massa in an otherwise lacklustre Indian Grand Prix.

Six times now the two men have clashed this year: at Monaco in both practice and race, in Singapore qualifying and race, in Japan and now in India. Hamilton and Massa do seem to be magnetically attracted.

Massa is not the only driver Hamilton has come together with this year - Williams's Pastor Maldonado and his own McLaren team-mate Jenson Button can be added to the list.

But if the previous incidents seemed to betray a certain lack of judgement for Hamilton, Sunday's collision would appear to be a much more straightforward racing incident.

In fact, Massa ended up with the drive-through penalty on this occasion, even if not everyone agreed this was a just outcome. Some felt it was Hamilton's fault, others that it was simply hard racing.

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But even if Vettel did not have the problem I feel Hamilton would have won it........

KALSTER wrote:I just like hazing Hamilton...