Racing Discipline – A Fading Skill

Posted on Posted in Allinsport opinion

Following some of the incidents at the Belgian GP at Spa, and ahead of the Italian GP at Monza, it is worth considering the ‘cause and effect’ of chicanes and tarmac run-off areas, as there are sure to be numerous “incident under investigation” bulletins as the Italian race unfolds.

In an attempt to make racing safer and reduce cornering speeds, chicanes have been introduced over a number of years at many circuits including Spa and Monza.

More recently the proliferation of tarmac run off areas, particularly at chicanes, has seen an acute rise in the abuse of these areas for those who run out of skill.  The rationale behind tarmac areas is totally logical as they minimize disruption to the racing activities but unfortunately, a bi-product of this initiative is that it has escalated the erosion of driver discipline.  The modern racing car, in almost every category, and modern circuits provide a very high level of safety.  This “perceived” level of safety tends to generate a false sense of security, and reduction in respect in many drivers’, perhaps more so with successive generations.  The combination of diminished driver discipline and reduced ‘natural’ penalties continues to be a negative aspect of modern racing wherever there are tarmac run off areas.

There was a time when penalties did not need to be applied for a transgression of track perimeters, as more often than not, the ‘natural’ track perimeter environment inflicted a time and position penalty, or, in more extreme circumstances, retirement.  Therefore there was no need for an arbitrary judgement by Race Stewards.  While motor racing today is undoubtedly a great deal safer than at any other time in its history, there will always remain an element of danger while you have an irresistible force (a car travelling at speed) and immovable objects (barriers, pit walls, etc).

Prior to the sanitization of circuits, there was a natural consistency in penalties incurred as the drivers knew the consequences of over-stepping the mark. Today’s decisions, are subject to ‘he said, she said’ and whatever video evidence may exist.  The end result is a ‘nanny’ mentality and inconsistent interpretation and application of the rules. A good example of mis-interpretation and inconsistency was seen last weekend at Spa in two separate incidents, the first between Sergio Perez and Romain Grosjean, and the second between Nico Hulkenberg and Jean-Eric Vergne.  The two incidents were almost a carbon copy of one another, where Perez and Hulkenberg were each being challenged under brakes for Les Combes, at the end of the straight.  The track position of Perez and Hulkenberg’s cars were virtually identical, as was the reduced space and position left for Grosjean and Vergne each to deal with, but the end result was vastly different for the two Frenchmen.

Sergio Perez and Romian Grosjean fight for track position as they enter the Les Combes corner during the Belgian GP at Spa, August 2013rosjean sequence - Spa 2
Perez and Grojeans ‘pass’ sequence at Les Combes

Sergio Perez and Romian Grosjean fight for track position as they enter the Les Combes corner during the Belgian GP at Spa, August 2013rosjean sequence - Spa 2

Vergne showed presence of mind and emotional control to still challenge Hulkenberg as they turned into the corner, where as in Grosjean’s case, he speared down the escape road.  Perez was given a drive-through penalty for “forcing another driver off the track”, because of the dramatic impression created by Grosjean’s reaction/decision making. Grosjean was able to continue with only a minimal delay, by cutting across to the exit of the right-left “S”.  It would be reasonable to expect that the same conclusion and penalty applied to Perez would be applied to Hulkenberg as he had squeezed Vergne in an almost identical manner, but no penalty was given.

Nico Hulkenberg and Jean-Eric Vergne fight for track position as they enter the Les Combes corner during the Belgian GP at Spa, August 2013 racing discipline
Hulkenberg and Vergne ‘pass’ sequence at Les Combes

 Nico Hulkenberg and Jean-Eric Vergne fight for track position as they enter the Les Combes corner during the Belgian GP at Spa, August 2013 racing discipline

The Steward’s decisions are ultimately subjective, but the facts suggest that either both Perez and Hulkenberg should have been penalised, or both should have been exonerated.  Similarly disconcerting, is that fact that Vergne having displayed skill and clear thinking to hang on around the outside of Hulkenberg in the right hand corner, then ran Hulkenberg wide through the left, so that Hulkenberg exceeded the track limits.  If the regulations were applied consistently, and the same rationale used as in the Perez-Grosjean ‘incident’, it would be logical to assume that there would be a penalty either for Vergne, for not leaving room, or one for Hulkenberg for exceeding track limits. Neither was considered to be guilty of any transgression by the Stewards, and neither was penalised. Grosjean and Hulkenberg could both have avoided their off-track moments if they had recognized earlier that they were not going to win their individual battles but re-grouped to attack over the ensuing laps. Discretion is often the better part of valour.

It is difficult to rationalise the need for tarmac run-off areas, when you consider that at Monaco the circuit is lined with barriers and has few tarmac run-offs. The notable exception at Monaco being at the exit of the tunnel; the one area where there is constant abuse and a regular lack of discipline. Because of it’s confined spaces, Monaco rewards precision and discipline.  It is living proof that where a circuit has a higher demand for discipline, skill and precision, we can expect a lower number of transgressions and more respect for the dangers involved and for other competitors.

With tarmac run-offs, unfortunately the opposite will more often than not be the case, and it is symptomatic of the unconscious erosion of driving standards.

3 thoughts on “Racing Discipline – A Fading Skill

  1. Fascinating blog.

    While I agree in your summation that discretion can often be the better part of valour in the case of those being edged off track, I must say that I am no fan of the increasingly frequent trend of drivers pushing each other towards and sometimes over the track limits. The regulations are clear. A minimum of a car’s width must be left, and in all three cases highlighted above, this was clearly not the case. Regardless of Vergne’s ability to react in a more measured manner to that of Grosjean, is the issue not also that neither driver should have been pushed onto the kerbing in the first place? Vergne, of course, becomes equally as guilty on the exit of Les Combes.

    To my mind, the drop in driving standards and what is considered acceptable reaches a nadir in the edging of a driver off track. One only needs to look at the incident between Jack Harvey and Carlos Sainz Jr in the GP3 race at Spa to see what can happen in such moments. Or we simply need to look back a few years, again at Les Combes, and Lewis Hamilton trying to squeeze Kamui Kobayashi. In that case, Kamui wouldn’t be moved and it was Hamilton who speared into the barrier.

    A combination of safety, improved run off, and poor, inconsistent stewarding seems to have resulted not just in this practice becoming alarmingly commonplace, but has also resulted in an unintended but grave consequence. That in the junior formulae, not only are we seeing this practice become the norm, but, buy extension, some drivers begin to believe that they can use their cars as weapons and deliberately force a rival off track.

    Great blog. Looking forward to the next.

  2. “A good example of mis-interpretation and inconsistency was seen last weekend at Spa in two separate incidents, the first between Sergio Perez and Romain Grosjean, and the second between Nico Hulkenberg and Jean-Eric Vergne.”

    if you consider penalties which have been applied in the past you’ll realise these two were in fact consistent with what we’ve seen before.

    Drivers have always been allowed to force their rivals off the track at the exit of corners if they’re ahead. I’m not saying they should be allowed to, but you don’t have to go far back in time to find other examples of it happening and being allowed. Remember Button doing it to Vettel in Hockenheim last year for example. Or for a more celebrated example, think back to Raikkonen doing it to Hamilton at the chicane at Spa in 2008.

    Whereas when drivers are on a straight or in a braking zone, they aren’t allowed to force their rivals off-track. This is why Perez got a penalty and Vergne didn’t.

    The two incidents were different and the penalties applied were consistent with what has gone before.

    However I do agree with your central point that the extent to which circuits have been made safe has allowed drivers to take liberties which the governing body has been far too slow in responding to.

  3. Thanks for your comments.

    Will, the point of the blog was to highlight the fact that if you give people room to intimidate or to allow for error, they will use it. And as mentioned, at Monaco it doesn’t happen, and if it does they are out of the race. The more “get out of jail free” cards that are available (tarmac run off areas) the more drivers will use them even if it’s not a conscious decision.

    Keith, we weren’t saying that Vergne deserved a penalty, we were saying that if Perez deserved his penalty for squeezing Grosjean under brakes, then for squeezing Vergne in the same braking area Hulkenberg deserved a penatly also. The decision to give Perez a penalty was likely influenced by Grosjean not staying on track, whereas Vergne stayed composed, stayed on track and was able to stay outside of Hulkenberg through the right hander which gave him the inside line for the left. If you study the video it is clear that Grosjean just hung on too long, as when Perez brakes Gorsjean’s relative track position improves.

    The real point is that where there is no tarmac run-off, any car leaving the circuit perimeters effectively inflicts its own penalty. The lower the consequence of one’s actions, the less drivers will consider in advance what could result from those actions. It undermines discipline.