Penalty for gearbox change: Hockenheim failure for Grosjean

Romain Grosjean must start five places further back at Hockenheim. The Lotus team was announced by already one week before the race that the switch box at Silverstone has been damaged. Team Enstone wants to drive yet completely to the front with a large update.

Romain Grosjean last pasted the misfortune on the feet. In Valencia caused an alternators defect in the race for the premature failure and thus prevented the possible first Grand Prix victory of the French. In England, slipped Grosjean in the qualifying session in the gravel and started nine only by rank. The receipt was a collision in the home crowds, which moved to a repair stop.
Gearbox problem on the last lap of Silverstone
With # 5, the GP2 champion could operate just damage control. After the race, but the engineers found that the front wing was not the only defective part. The gearbox was pulled affected. In the last round, the youngster reported problems with the circuit.
"It was lucky that it occurred not earlier in the race," explained technology Chief James Allison. A new gear must be installed for the race in Hockenheim. "Unfortunately, this also means, that Romain Gets a grid position penalty." When you change the switch box before the expiry of the prescribed five races, it goes back automatically five ranks.
Allison hopes that Grosjean suffers not too much. "He has shown already in Silverstone, abide by a falling back does not allow, to fight for the front seats." In this season, the sticking point for Lotus was mostly in qualifying. In the race it went regularly to the front, but still no Chase ended with a victory.
Grosjean even allows this but not going to: "The team has been hard working, to improve the qualifying." "I'm sure that Hockenheim well we will have," the Frenchman looks optimistic on its first formula 1 appearance in the track. "When it comes in qualifying in the first two series I'm sure that we can also win."
Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen has however no good experience with Germany. 15 Times, he is already in this country driven race, the Finn is waiting for a victory but still. "Perhaps I did something bad in a past life", jokes the Iceman. "Both Hockenheim and the Nurburgring were not nice to me, although I like both." The luck was not on my side. Perhaps, everything comes together Yes this year. "There is no reason why we should not fight for the podium."
With the courses Lotus could confirm his good form four and five for Raikkonen and Grosjean in England. In the constructors championship, the team of Enstone pushed to rank three forward. The trend should continue in Hockenheim. "With a little luck, we can challenge Ferrari to second place of the Championship and at the same time maybe some air between us and McLaren bring", Allison hopes.
In England, there were large updates only at the pit-stop equipment. "We had not the fastest stop of the weekend though, but all changing tyres were good." "We are in this area now on a level with the top teams", the engineer was satisfied.
Now the cars are modified in Germany. "I'm already very excited", Allison admits. "We have some interesting updates." "I am already on it to find out how they work." Team Manager Eric Boullier appends: "We pass on gas." "We will leave no stone on the other and want to take a much better second half of the season."
Grosjean was already big expectations for the technology. Despite his sentence he has the first formula 1 victory further down in the line of fire: "I hope we can enter the pole position, victory and fastest lap with the update - so the perfect weekend." Beautiful, if you are still dreams.

Valencia summary: Alonso and Hamilton in luck

The GP of Europe goes back two weeks. Nevertheless, he found a sequel in the session of the team manager. You have been taught by the FIA representatives that Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are past Kirchen at a penalty.
This F1 is a real bureaucracy. Too many rules, and not all are useful. But one can stumble over when you hurt them. And if the competition would fit better. But apparently the teams in the dense thicket of rules not always in detail to know himself.
As was only now learned, two riders in serious trouble had can come in Valencia, had there been a protest by opponents. This was declared the team managers at a regular meeting at Silverstone.
The first case concerned Lewis Hamilton. Not what you as an attentive reader now might think. Hamilton was driven under yellow flags at the border of what is allowed. Because the stewards had acquitted him. The controversial point occurred already before the start. Hamilton overtook the pole sitter Sebastian Vettel on the formation lap just twice - banned! Would have been a competitive team complained that could have led to a penalty.
Like when Michael Schumacher in 1994 at Silverstone. The rule for the formation lap was changed since then only to a point. Should a driver from a valid reason in the fall, he may return to its, if he was not previously been overtaken by the whole field.
Also winner Fernando Alonso would get trouble. He left range from a marshals a Spanish flag in the cockpit. Because the world is pretty unentspannt. No driver must accept before the Parc Ferme parts from the outside in the cockpit.
Alonso has thought probably nothing, because Lewis Hamilton at the GP Canada is previously driven in the parade lap with the Union Jack to the line. Also this was strictly illegal. Actually it's a pity. Because the number of flags is a beautiful sign of emotions in this game.