How do you solve a problem like Pastor?

[LellaLombardi]

As I mentioned in the Silverstone thread, what surprised me about the interview with Perez is that he has gone on record with saying that other drivers are concerned about Maldonado's driving. I don't recall this happening before, drivers will air an issue with somebody but to speak for others is different.

What happens next will depend on what environment has the grievance been raised in - whether it is just informal chat amongst the drivers, or whether it has been raised in a formal setting like a race briefing or the GPDA meeting.

If it is the latter, would the FIA have a duty to investigate the grievance? Should Frank Williams be getting involved here? Or can they just dismiss it until - potentially - something more serious happens?

[Shadaza]

What I question is the standard of the FIA penalties. Vergne crashes in to Heikki and gets a 10 place grid penalty. Kobayashi crashes in to Massa and gets a 5 place drop. Maldonado crashes first in to Hamilton and gets a time penalty, costing him 1 point, but the team overall nothing (it promoted Senna to 10th) then takes out Perez and gets a 10k fine. It all seems so inconsistent.

[pasta_maldonado]

What I question is the standard of the FIA penalties. Vergne crashes in to Heikki and gets a 10 place grid penalty. Kobayashi crashes in to Massa and gets a 5 place drop. Maldonado crashes first in to Hamilton and gets a time penalty, costing him 1 point, but the team overall nothing (it promoted Senna to 10th) then takes out Perez and gets a 10k fine. It all seems so inconsistent.

I agree they do need to be more consistent, but in this case the team shouldn't be disadvantage for their driver's actions; after all, Williams are not telling him to go and crash into everyone

[TheBigJ]

F1 2012 wouldn't be the same without The Reverend. You forget he's won as many GPs this year as the World Champion. Class act!

[LellaLombardi]

F1 2012 wouldn't be the same without The Reverend. You forget he's won as many GPs this year as the World Champion. Class act!

I'm sorry, am I watching different races to you?

It certainly wouldn't be the same without the Reverend. Perez, Hamilton and Grosjean would be higher up the standings for starters. And Williams would be higher up in the Constructors championship. Maybe this is one for What If....

[Salamander]

F1 2012 wouldn't be the same without The Reverend. You forget he's won as many GPs this year as the World Champion. Class act!

I'm not entirely convinced that wasn't HWNSNBM in that car for that weekend.

[Londoner]

It beggars belief that Grosjean hasn't won a race this season, and yet this clown has.

But what can the GPDA do to sort out this issue apart from having discussions? Does the association have any powers of sorts?

[Londoner]

As I mentioned in the Silverstone thread, what surprised me about the interview with Perez is that he has gone on record with saying that other drivers are concerned about Maldonado's driving. I don't recall this happening before, drivers will air an issue with somebody but to speak for others is different.

When Hamilton was driving like a complete tool last year, wasn't there rumours of a meeting between several drivers at Japan to discuss his uselessness? So maybe this has happened before...

[Warren Hughes]

Today was just an honest mistake, nothing too serious. As I've stated on another thread, and stand by, I believe Perez overreacted. Racing incident today and it could have happened to anybody. Any sanction beyond the fine and the reprimand would have been overly harsh, in my opinion. Likewise, I believe the incidents in Monaco and Valencia were also correctly dealt with. I think now it's up to the Williams team to take responsibility and try to get him to calm down a bit. If he can tone down his Latin temperament and get his wild side under control, they've got a heck of a driver on their hands (see Barcelona).

[FullMetalJack]

Today was just an honest mistake, nothing too serious. As I've stated on another thread, and stand by, I believe Perez overreacted. Racing incident today and it could have happened to anybody. Any sanction beyond the fine and the reprimand would have been overly harsh, in my opinion. Likewise, I believe the incidents in Monaco and Valencia were also correctly dealt with. I think now it's up to the Williams team to take responsibility and try to get him to calm down a bit. If he can tone down his Latin temperament and get his wild side under control, they've got a heck of a driver on their hands (see Barcelona).

Most of him being pissed off was from Monaco, he only overracted because it wasn't an isolated incident.

[Pamphlet]

When worst comes to worst, you emulate Schumacher.

[Warren Hughes]

Today was just an honest mistake, nothing too serious. As I've stated on another thread, and stand by, I believe Perez overreacted. Racing incident today and it could have happened to anybody. Any sanction beyond the fine and the reprimand would have been overly harsh, in my opinion. Likewise, I believe the incidents in Monaco and Valencia were also correctly dealt with. I think now it's up to the Williams team to take responsibility and try to get him to calm down a bit. If he can tone down his Latin temperament and get his wild side under control, they've got a heck of a driver on their hands (see Barcelona).

Most of him being pissed off was from Monaco, he only overracted because it wasn't an isolated incident.

I guess that's a fair point. The rest of my post stands, though.

[Phoenix]

Frank Williams and the whole team need to have a chat with Pastor to make him see he's being too agressive and that is making his image as a F1 driver suffer through the paddock. He has the speed, but he needs to learn how to tame it. This is a job for his team.

[DemocalypseNow]

Frank Williams and the whole team need to have a chat with Pastor to make him see he's being too agressive and that is making his image as a F1 driver suffer through the paddock. He has the speed, but he needs to learn how to tame it. This is a job for his team.

Agreed. In football, aggressive players are often tamed by having their wages fined, being benched, etc. Williams need to come down hard in him, perhaps have Bottas replace him as a one-off if his behaviour continues.

However, what do the FIA do if his team won't do anything? Eventually when push comes to shove, they will need to take action if it keeps happening.

[TomWazzleshaw]

Frank Williams and the whole team need to have a chat with Pastor to make him see he's being too agressive and that is making his image as a F1 driver suffer through the paddock. He has the speed, but he needs to learn how to tame it. This is a job for his team.

This is Williams we're talking about. Driver management is, for the most part, a foreign concept to them

[DemocalypseNow]

SEND HIM TO THE BRIG!

[Captain Hammer]

Lewis Hamilton was a problem last year, and he didn't need "solving".

[fjackdaw]

Lewis Hamilton was a problem last year, and he didn't need "solving".

He sort of did.

[Captain Hammer]

Not according to the fans. Oh, no, National Hero Driver could do no wrong.

I'm just pointing out the double standard that fans have. It's okay when Hamilton ruins someone's race, but it's not when Maldonado does it.

[Salamander]

Not according to the fans. Oh, no, National Hero Driver could do no wrong.

I'm just pointing out the double standard that fans have. It's okay when Hamilton ruins someone's race, but it's not when Maldonado does it.

When has anyone here ever said that? About any driver?

[mario]

As I mentioned in the Silverstone thread, what surprised me about the interview with Perez is that he has gone on record with saying that other drivers are concerned about Maldonado's driving. I don't recall this happening before, drivers will air an issue with somebody but to speak for others is different.

When Hamilton was driving like a complete tool last year, wasn't there rumours of a meeting between several drivers at Japan to discuss his uselessness? So maybe this has happened before...

A meeting on the matter was proposed, with some talk that the GPDA would ask Whiting to intervene and discipline Hamilton, although I do not think that said meeting actually took place as the FIA announced that it would look into the matter itself. With that, the FIA chose to amend the regulations so any driver issued with three or more reprimands during the season would then be given an automatic grid penalty, and as things stand Maldonado is potentially on the cusp of being given such a penalty.

Today was just an honest mistake, nothing too serious. As I've stated on another thread, and stand by, I believe Perez overreacted. Racing incident today and it could have happened to anybody. Any sanction beyond the fine and the reprimand would have been overly harsh, in my opinion. Likewise, I believe the incidents in Monaco and Valencia were also correctly dealt with. I think now it's up to the Williams team to take responsibility and try to get him to calm down a bit. If he can tone down his Latin temperament and get his wild side under control, they've got a heck of a driver on their hands (see Barcelona).

Most of him being pissed off was from Monaco, he only overracted because it wasn't an isolated incident.

Having only just returned to the pit lane, and therefore not having a chance to view any footage of the incident, he was speaking out of frustration and perhaps with that incident in Monaco in mind. Maldonado's actions were not intentional, but I can see why Perez would be angry nevertheless.
As for the comment about calming down his wild side, that may not prove to be easy because Maldonado has been a fairly wild driver throughout his career in the junior ranks, in part because, you feel, the stewards were not harsh enough on him (even when his actions have lead to serious injuries). Having gotten away with worse in the junior series, it seems that he believes, therefore, that he can get away with the same thing in F1 - as kostas22 says, though, if others are beginning to complain about Maldonado's behaviour, sooner or later the FIA will be pressured into acting.

[CoopsII]

Like Hamilton before him, Maldonado is giving ammunition to other drivers who would be quite happy to see him put back a few places at races thus promoting them forward as he is currently quite quick.

[DemocalypseNow]

Not according to the fans. Oh, no, National Hero Driver could do no wrong.

I'm just pointing out the double standard that fans have. It's okay when Hamilton ruins someone's race, but it's not when Maldonado does it.

What are you talking about? Hamilton was universally blamed for his stupid mistakes, especially by many Brits watching. Those who don't are Hamilton fanboys with no real interest in F1. Please stop bunching the true British fans with the brainless idiots who don't know anything about the sport apart from Lewis. The same people who play tennis for two weeks a year, use their bikes for three weeks a year, and only bougt the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy a couple of weeks ago despite being released a year ago. They are sheep. If he drove for Toro Rosso no-one in the British general public would care less about him.

[CoopsII]

I'm just pointing out the double standard that fans have. It's okay when Hamilton ruins someone's race, but it's not when Maldonado does it.

Stop reading the tabloids.

[The Mobile Chicane]

Frank Williams and the whole team need to have a chat with Pastor to make him see he's being too agressive and that is making his image as a F1 driver suffer through the paddock. He has the speed, but he needs to learn how to tame it. This is a job for his team.

This is Williams we're talking about. Driver management is, for the most part, a foreign concept to them

Time for alex wurz to earn his money as driver coach. Unless his brief was to teach Pastor how to repeatedly end races early and show Bruno how to be truly unspectacular, in which case, job done.

[eytl]

As for the comment about calming down his wild side, that may not prove to be easy because Maldonado has been a fairly wild driver throughout his career in the junior ranks, in part because, you feel, the stewards were not harsh enough on him (even when his actions have lead to serious injuries).

And therein lies the reason why, whilst Hamilton was atrocious often last year, Maldonado's antics are starting to create even more of a stir this year. Plus Pastor also had more than his fair share of eyebrow-raising incidents last season as well. It's starting to remind me of what happened to Riccardo Patrese in 1978 when other drivers started to feel he was such a liability that the GPDA stepped in and issued an ultimatum - if I recall correctly, at Watkins Glen: "either he goes, or we do". Patrese was duly banned for a race.

Whilst this coming together with Perez was an innocent error, Pastor simply can't afford to keep clattering into people - especially either Hamilton or Perez. It's not often I say that it would be good for a driver to have an anonymous weekend, but he could do with one at Hockenheim - just keep his head down and get the job done.

[FullMetalJack]

Frank Williams and the whole team need to have a chat with Pastor to make him see he's being too agressive and that is making his image as a F1 driver suffer through the paddock. He has the speed, but he needs to learn how to tame it. This is a job for his team.

This is Williams we're talking about. Driver management is, for the most part, a foreign concept to them

Time for alex wurz to earn his money as driver coach. Unless his brief was to teach Pastor how to repeatedly end races early and show Bruno how to be truly unspectacular, in which case, job done.

I'd rather see Wurz as a driver again.

[fjackdaw]

Not according to the fans. Oh, no, National Hero Driver could do no wrong.

I'm just pointing out the double standard that fans have. It's okay when Hamilton ruins someone's race, but it's not when Maldonado does it.

Hamilton hasn't been that much of a big deal for a few years now. Winning the championship took some of the excitement off, and the liegate/Trulli thing took a lot of the shine off. Yes, he has his die-hard fans - as does any driver - but he's certainly not talk of the town any more. If anything, Jenson is the more popular of the two.

You seem to have a bit of an anti-British chip on your shoulder, I must say.

[pasta_maldonado]

Not according to the fans. Oh, no, National Hero Driver could do no wrong.

I for one think Hamilton is a whigning spoilt baby compared to a gentleman like Jensen Button. Hamilton walzed into McLaren because of a sob story, and yeah he may have won the title in his second year, but so did Jacques Villeneuve, and we all know what Mr.Controversy is like. Hamilton cries and puts on a tantrum when things go wrong, take last year or the accident in Spain for example. Hamilton banged the cockpit and chucked the wheel, without a care in the world for the expensive equipment. Although the accident was Pastor's fault, if Hamilton swallowed his ego, which is about as big as the Burj Khalifa, and backed out of it, he would have collected valuable points for the title chase. Also, when doing a feature for Sky Sports, Hamilton was moody, quiet and looked as if he didn't want to be there or talk to Georgie Thompson (who I feel has no place at Sky, she is so ignorant about F1 yet she thinks she knows it all, but that's a story for another time). Any true gent would put on a false front for the camera; take Button again as an example. He is always smiling when talking to the press, jokes with Brundle, always happy in features, even when he's having a tough time. When Hamilton gets stroppy, he says "I'm not talking to the press", which I interpret as 'Oh no, I'm having a strop, poor old me, why don't things go right?"

[Sunshine_Baby_[IT]]

As I mentioned in the Silverstone thread, what surprised me about the interview with Perez is that he has gone on record with saying that other drivers are concerned about Maldonado's driving. I don't recall this happening before, drivers will air an issue with somebody but to speak for others is different.

When Hamilton was driving like a complete tool last year, wasn't there rumours of a meeting between several drivers at Japan to discuss his uselessness? So maybe this has happened before...

I agree. I think that this about Maldonado is not more than just a rumour.

[Sunshine_Baby_[IT]]

EDIT. Sorry, I posted the same post twice.

[CoopsII]

I for one think Hamilton is a whigning spoilt baby compared to a gentleman like Jensen Button. Hamilton walzed into McLaren because of a sob story, and yeah he may have won the title in his second year, but so did Jacques Villeneuve, and we all know what Mr.Controversy is like. Hamilton cries and puts on a tantrum when things go wrong, take last year or the accident in Spain for example. Hamilton banged the cockpit and chucked the wheel, without a care in the world for the expensive equipment. Although the accident was Pastor's fault, if Hamilton swallowed his ego, which is about as big as the Burj Khalifa, and backed out of it, he would have collected valuable points for the title chase. Also, when doing a feature for Sky Sports, Hamilton was moody, quiet and looked as if he didn't want to be there or talk to Georgie Thompson (who I feel has no place at Sky, she is so ignorant about F1 yet she thinks she knows it all, but that's a story for another time). Any true gent would put on a false front for the camera; take Button again as an example. He is always smiling when talking to the press, jokes with Brundle, always happy in features, even when he's having a tough time. When Hamilton gets stroppy, he says "I'm not talking to the press", which I interpret as 'Oh no, I'm having a strop, poor old me, why don't things go right?"

[Phoenix]

It's not often I say that it would be good for a driver to have an anonymous weekend, but he could do with one at Hockenheim - just keep his head down and get the job done.

The best thing is, if the Williams is competitive there, he would end up scoring some good points for his team.

[FullMetalJack]

I for one think Hamilton is a whigning spoilt baby compared to a gentleman like Jensen Button. Hamilton walzed into McLaren because of a sob story, and yeah he may have won the title in his second year, but so did Jacques Villeneuve, and we all know what Mr.Controversy is like. Hamilton cries and puts on a tantrum when things go wrong, take last year or the accident in Spain for example. Hamilton banged the cockpit and chucked the wheel, without a care in the world for the expensive equipment. Although the accident was Pastor's fault, if Hamilton swallowed his ego, which is about as big as the Burj Khalifa, and backed out of it, he would have collected valuable points for the title chase. Also, when doing a feature for Sky Sports, Hamilton was moody, quiet and looked as if he didn't want to be there or talk to Georgie Thompson (who I feel has no place at Sky, she is so ignorant about F1 yet she thinks she knows it all, but that's a story for another time). Any true gent would put on a false front for the camera; take Button again as an example. He is always smiling when talking to the press, jokes with Brundle, always happy in features, even when he's having a tough time. When Hamilton gets stroppy, he says "I'm not talking to the press", which I interpret as 'Oh no, I'm having a strop, poor old me, why don't things go right?"

If it were not for the character limit, this would be my sig instantly.

And as for Georgie, go back to Sky Sports News.

[The Mobile Chicane]

And as for Georgie, go back to Sky Sports News.

This.

[Ataxia]

And as for Georgie, go back to Sky Sports News.

This.

She's alright presenting The F1 Show (not that I watch it a lot), but in general yes, she should go back to SSN...

Or she can get in my bed. I don't mind...I'd better not go into too much detail because wmetcalf might be scarred for life. Not that he'd understand...

[dr-baker]

Or she can get in my bed. I don't mind...I'd better not go into too much detail because wmetcalf might be scarred for life. Not that he'd understand...

Oh my. My law invoked...

[FullMetalJack]

Or she can get in my bed. I don't mind...I'd better not go into too much detail because wmetcalf might be scarred for life. Not that he'd understand...

Oh my. My law invoked...

Indirectly.

[AdrianSutil]

Or she can get in my bed. I don't mind...I'd better not go into too much detail because wmetcalf might be scarred for life. Not that he'd understand...

Oh my. My law invoked...

Indirectly.

But let's be honest, she's rather pleasing on the eye. And for those who don't know who she is:

[FullMetalJack]

But let's be honest, she's rather pleasing on the eye. And for those who don't know who she is:

Not arguing with you there!