Massa-Perez crash

[Dare]

Both drivers[especiallyFelipe]were lucky in this one


http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/formula-1/video-massa-and-perez-involved-in-high-speed-crash-at-canadian-gp/

[Scott]

Good replays - I have to agree.  I had also thought Massa was at fault, but it looked like Perez moved over to try to get Massa to have less chance to make the next corner. 

Another thing I saw in this video is what the heck is the FIA renting a C-line Merc hatchback for the Medical car??  I thought they shipped the official safety and medical cars wherever the races take place??  Cheapskates...

[Scott]

So Force India has Tweeted a picture with an arrow showing Massa steering towards Perez's car just before the accident.  I don't think it's conclusive, because they have taken a screen grab from onboard video, and who is to say Massa wasn't already sawing away at the steering in an effort to avoid Perez and they happened to grab a frame showing his steering wheel a tiny bit to the right, which could well have been him making a correction if his car was going the other way.  Anyway, have a peek...

What I do see clearly in this picture is that Perez's car is clearly on a different line than Vettel's ahead, and one that put his car in the way of Massa's attempted pass.

[John S]

If anything I'd say that photo is conclusive that Perez is heading left rather than Massa moving right.

Having said that though I thought the rules about leaving a car width only apply if a competitor gets alongside you, clearly Felipe is not along side so as I understand it Perez's crowding of him would be fair as long as it's one continuous movement.

I've a feeling the real issue for the stewards is earlier braking by Sergio along with the movement into Massa's path, making a collision inevitable due to the closing speed of the Williams.

 

[lkjohnson1950]

Yeah. One of racing's oldest unwritten rules is crippled cars give way when they can't maintain racing speed. Perez knew he had no brakes, he told his pit so. He should have been moving over, not trying to steal a position with a wounded duck.

[Warmwater]

They were racing for position. Massa was not alongside, a Banzai attack not well carried out. Massa had been following Sergio for a while and would have known about the early braking by the Force India driver, and that he would actively defend his position. If there was a braking problem, it was Massa not stepping on his brake pedal. And maybe he should have used his steering wheel to control the path of his car.
The "unwritten rule" about a "wounded duck" car letting the field go by is a new one to me... most of the cars out there had some problem. I didn't see Nico pulling over and letting everyone go by, and his problem was a lot worse than Sergio's. Indeed Rosberg defended against Daniel, and there are many other examples of drivers of slower cars defending their position. It is up to the following car to find a way to get by without incident.
If you ram into the rear of another car it should be obvious who is at fault, especially when there is room to pass cleanly.

[lkjohnson1950]

Dunno. In the racing I watch, a slower car is expected to move off the racing line. And brake checking the following car is not good form either. Perez opened the door to Massa, braked way early then cut across in front of him. The closing speed of the accident says to me that Perez did not maintain even the speed he had been running. Most of the world of F1 seems to agree with me, and this is not Perez' first incident of this type.

[Scott]

I think I'll throw in on the anti-Perez side of this one.  To me he has always had big elbows in racing, whether it is banging wheels to pass or to protect.  A bit of a bully on the track.

[J.Clark]

Actually Luke, I was wondering after your comment about Rosberg - he did pull to the side and allow Daniel an easy pass.  He was smart, knowing that he couldn't keep him back.  Perez would have shown maturity to recognize that Massa was coming too and simply allowed the  pass safely.

There is no defending Perez, who did slow early and did, having watched the overhead shots, move left on Massa.

[John S]

Actually Luke, I was wondering after your comment about Rosberg - he did pull to the side and allow Daniel an easy pass.  He was smart, knowing that he couldn't keep him back.  Perez would have shown maturity to recognize that Massa was coming too and simply allowed the  pass safely.

Not sure that Rosberg did pull aside for Danny, the loss of 160 horse power was most acute in the DRS zones and Nico was able to keep Perez at bay by exploiting his car's superiority in the twisty bits always keeping Sergio far enough back to stop an attack under DRS. The Red Bull was more than a match for the Merc in the twisty stuff and once close up in the DRS zone even the lower power of Dan's Renault was more than a match for the wounded Mercedes.

Notice how long it took for Danny to force his way past Perez, the Renault just doesn't have the grunt to out drag an on song Merc power unit. Vettel only made it past Perez late on because the Force India was getting in more trouble with it's brakes, and of course we know the result of Massa's attempt to jump Perez.     

[cosworth151]

At first, I thought Perez's sudden move might have been a result of his brake problems. Since neither Checko or FIF1 have said anything about that, I have to think it was a deliberate blocking move.

[Monty]

I didn't see the race because I was in the depths of China so when I saw my recording of the race I already knew the outcome. However, I immediately felt it was Perez's fault. It was a really bad piece of bad driving for several reasons. He positioned himself well to the right, he slowed early and then he moved left. As a 'professional' driver he would have known that Massa would go for the massive gap he was leaving and, as he had not showed any signs of defending the corner, it would be reasonable for Massa to assume he was being 'given' the corner.
My only criticism of Massa is that he knew who he was overtaking and probably should have expected a stupid move.

[Scott]

My only criticism of Massa is that he knew who he was overtaking and probably should have expected a stupid move.

  Good point. 

[lkjohnson1950]

+1