S^ BLOXHAMHONE24 AUTOSPORT.COM 1 AUGUST 2019RACE CENTRE GERMAN GPAlfa Romeo drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi
lost their seventh and eighth places to 30-second penalties
added to their respective race times.
The duo were investigated for clutch irregularities, and it
emerged that both cars were in breach of the regulations governing
clutch torque application at the start of the race.
Those regulations dictate that, when the clutch is dropped at the
start, the torque demanded from the drivetrain by the driver on the
accelerator must match the torque provided within a timeframe of
70 milliseconds. Following an investigation of the race start data from
Alfa Romeo, the time taken for the torque demand to match the torque
provided was exceeded by both cars. In Raikkonen’s case, the time delta
approached 200ms, while Giovinazzi’s car was closer to 300ms.
Both drivers made places off the grid; Raikkonen moved from
fifth to third, while Giovinazzi jumped up to eighth from 11th.
Rules governing the torque application on clutch release are very
strictly monitored to eliminate any prospect of a team using specialist
clutch maps at the start of a race to simulate launch control. Launch
and traction control have been banned since 2008, and both systems
regulate wheelspin on the application of the throttle to boost the car
at starts and on corner exits.
In wet conditions, being able to enact a steadier application oftorque from the powertrain produces a much greater advantage off the
line, as wheelspin on a low-grip surface is much more prevalent. It is
unknown if the more gradual application of torque directly correlates
with the strong starts from both Alfa Romeo drivers, but an FIA bulletin
read that “the stewards determined that this was a clear breach of the
guidance given to the teams as to how this would be adjudicated”.
Alfa’s argument is that the lack of practice starts in the wet
conditions led the team to incorrectly calibrate its clutch operations,
and the team will appeal the decision that promoted Lewis Hamilton
and Robert Kubica into the points.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur said: “It is extremely disappointing
to have both cars penalised and pushed out of the points in what had
been such an exciting race.
“The situation arose during the laps we spent behind the safety car
ahead of the standing start: we suffered a dysfunction of the clutch
that was beyond our control and we will further investigate the issue.”
The Alfa duo ran competitively through much of the race, both
following the strategies of the leaders, which meant they were
jumped by Daniil Kvyat and Lance Stroll. But both made rapid
progress once on slicks, with Raikkonen climbing from 11th to
seventh and Giovinazzi from 13th to eighth before being bumped
down to 12th and 13th places respectively.Alfas lose points for traction control breach
Drag strip runoff
draws criticism
Charles Leclerc and Nico Hulkenberg
both crashed out of top-four positions in
the German GP after running wide in the
penultimate corner, leading to criticisms
of the condition of the runoff area.
The runoff is made up of the start area of
the Hockenheim drag strip, which runs in the
opposite direction to the circuit, meaning it
was covered in rubber that slicked up thanks
to the rain. Both drivers slid into the barrier
at low speed after running onto this area,
while Lewis Hamilton also crashed after an
off under the safety car. Carlos Sainz also
spun on the runoff earlier in the race.
Leclerc branded the runoff “dangerous”
over the radio, but was wary of commenting
after the race following criticism on social
media, but FIA race director Michael Masi
had no concerns about it.
“The drag strip looks fine,” said Masi after
the race. “We inspected it the other day and
had a look again post-race with the water
on it. It is fine. Even Sebastian [Vettel] is
quoted as saying that it is normally one of
the grippiest parts of the track and it is no
different to any of the other painted runoff.”LEWIS HAMILTON
MERCEDES DRIVERHamilton salvaged two points for
ninth place after being promoted
two places by penalties for both
Alfa Romeo drivers. But battling
illness, and having lost a potential victory,
it was his worst race of the season.You struggled with illness this weekend;
were you feeling alright in the car, as it
was an unusual mistake [the crash]?
I’m only human. I don’t really have
anything to say about it, it was a
mistake. Mistakes happen.Was there a noticeable turning point
where it went wrong?
The turning point was when they put slicks
on when it was still wet. It was difficult
because I think other people had put slicks
on, but I stayed out because it was still wet
and I kept going for it as long as I could on
the inters, and as they pulled me in I could
see there was more rain coming down. But
they usually have more knowledge than I do
and if I said to put the inters on and it was
the wrong call, it could have been costly.Were you surprised by lack of grip
on the exit of T14?
Yeah, it was ice, but normally it would be
gravel. So I don’t feel any particular way
about it. If it had been gravel I probablywouldn’t have gone as far and
would have been able to come
back on. It’s a pretty poor design,
that aspect of the track I’d say.How are you feeling now and
will you be better for next race?
I’ve cancelled everything for the next few
days, so I’m going home to sleep and try
to get over this bug. It’s not improving
massively, but hopefully over the next
few days it will. I don’t think being in
the car helps. I’ll try to make sure I’m
as healthy as possible for the next race.What was going through your mind when
you were pitting and there were no tyres?
Honestly, I don’t remember. Probably pissed
off that I made a mistake in the previous
corner and angry at myself! Ultimately, it
was a combination of things. It’s massively
disappointing for all of us to be leading a
grand prix... I was eight seconds in front
at one stage and I had it all under control.
Things are going to be thrown at you all the
time in conditions like these, but it was like
one domino after another, like snakes and
ladders almost. Kept hitting the snakes
today. But we win and we lose together,
so it just shows you how easy it is to get a
weekend wrong and the processes wrong,
but we stay united, we pull together. The
guys will be in the factory tomorrow and I’ll
already have a group conference call before
the weekend. Then we come back fighting.Q&A