Sergio Canamasas
c/o GP2 Media Service
Motorsport is dangerous. These words are printed on the back of every race ticket. They are written on every credential I’ve ever held as a journalist and broadcaster.
The possibility of a large, potentially life threatening accident is an ever present reality in motor racing. Perhaps that’s what gives the sport its edge. Perhaps that’s what makes these racers so heroic. Perhaps that’s why some people watch.
Every weekend I arrive at the track and go into the commentary box knowing that at any point any one of these brilliantly talented men and women, whose stories and racing exploits it is my honour to narrate, may be taken from us. But because of the actions of one man, that possibility becomes ever more real. That fear of the unlikely becomes increasingly likely. The concept of “if” is replaced by the knowledge of “when.”
For more than two years, Sergio Canamasas has raced in the GP2 Series without an apparent care or consideration for the morality or regulation of the sport in which he is engaged and with a seeming disregard for his own safety and that of those with whom he shares a track. He is irresponsible. He is reckless. And he should not be racing.
His actions over the past two weekends in Spa and Monza have seen a return of the driver who cast himself into the role of arch villain in his first season and a half in the championship. He has been kicked out of qualifying sessions for using his car as a weapon. He has driven competitors off track and pushed them into walls at 200mph. He has been disqualified and then ignored his removal from competition. He offends time and again. He does not change. He does not learn.
When it was announced that he would be lining up alongside Johnny Cecotto at Trident this season, many (including this author) predicted disaster. Cecotto, much as Canamasas, had marked himself out as a liability in the 2013 season. But Trident had an ace up their sleeve, and in their new team-manager Giacomo Ricci, himself a GP2 race winner, they have found a man who has played a tremendous role in turning the fast but erratic Cecotto into a complete and rounded racer. Gone is the temper, gone the propensity towards stupidity, replaced by an inner calm which has been at the root of one of the most impressive racers of the season.
But for all of Ricci’s achievements with Cecotto, he has been unable to turn the tide with Canamasas.
GP2 implemented penalty points this season. They have been handed out reluctantly and ineffectively. Canamasas received his first points of the season in Monza… two on Saturday and five for his idiocy on Sunday. He sits a further five from a race ban, but he should not be given the opportunity to amass any more.
Sergio Canamasas displayed to the world on Sunday in Monza that he should not be allowed on a race track. At all. His blatant disregard for track limits, his appalling awareness of his own actions and his utter incomprehension of their consequences resulted in multiple accidents, retirements and his eventual disqualification.
But, having been disqualified from the race itself, it seems the GP2 stewards once again will fail to act accordingly and hand down the race suspension that his so called racecraft requires.
The most dangerous aspect of this young man is not just that he does not learn from his mistakes and his reprehensible actions. It is that he fails to comprehend what he has done wrong. He genuinely believes that it is those around him that are at fault and that he is the innocent party. Far from failing to grasp the reality of his own inadequacies as a racer, he believes that he is of a higher level than those whose lives he places at constant risk.
It has reached a point where, unless the GP2 stewards take decisive action against him, I question for how much longer I will be involved in any capacity with a championship into which I have invested my heart and soul for over a decade. I do not wish to watch on and commentate the death of a racing driver. And for as long as Sergio Canamasas takes the start of a motor race, I fear that I will have to.
The men with whom he shares a track feel the same.
Many have taken to social media to express their upset with him after Monza. Behind the scenes, more still are discussing the possibility of filing a petition, signed by every driver of the GP2 Series, which they will hand to Charlie Whiting in Sochi detailing their insistence that they will not drive for as long as he is permitted on track.
The time has come. Enough is enough.
Thank you Will. I appreciate you taking the time to write this and I seriously hope the rest of the GP2 field sign the petition and even sit out Sochi if he is involved. He is a disgrace to motor racing. Also I must ask, why do Trident permit him to race? Surely they can sack him after this?
The obvious, and main reason, that they let him drive is because teams are in dire need of money, and realise that they will not find the replacement driver, at the end of a season. Short of a driver committing murder, they hang onto them even if he had no brains, at all. I agree that re-entering a track with a bunch of cars on it at that speed was reckless.
I feel that the majority of drivers accept the bad drivers. The other big factor is that innocent drivers, who get caught up in silly accidents, are often scraping the barrel for budget and their whole weekend becomes utter misery, especially when they have paid for flights, hotels, etc. The real killer for these drivers are DNF’s caused by idiots, which can end a career that has taken years to build.
Even if a driver does have budget, they do not come to spend their weekend watching the race from the pit wall. Others miss the chance to score points.
Well said Will,. I admired your restraint on Sunday, but as you say enough is enough. He has to go.
Meh, motorsport IS dangerous. The rest of GP2 and anyone else who wants to sign the petition should just grow a pair.
I’m guessing you’re not a race driver…
I’m guessing most on here are not however I did race karts up to quite a high level before budget and other realities stopped me. I stick to track days on bikes and cars now. Are you? Does it matter? Are you a free climber? A base jumper? Or do you just watch TV?
Would I jump in a GP2 car and race against Canamasas tomorrow. Yep, without a 2nd thought. And Raikkonen and Maldonado and Grosjean at his worst, and Perez. It’s called motor racing. It’s a sport for men (and women) with heart. Hemmingway said ‘There are only three sports – bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games’. If you can’t handle it I suggest you go play, or watch, football!
Hemmingway did not say that. You should use google.
Yes, motorsport IS dangerous, but there’s no need to add more danger in the form of a person that does not have any regard for the risk involved.
Yes he did. Google says so.
“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.”
― Ernest Hemingway
From Good Reads
I have not watched all the GP2 races this year, but in every one i have seen I have been left with the feeling that Canamasas is an accident, if not a fatality, waiting to happen.
As Esteban says above, Motorsport is inherently dangerous (although nowhere near as much so as it was 50-60 years ago) and no one needs the addition of a loose canon.
As to Mr Dophran’s comment about ‘growing a pair’, I think that is one of the most ridiculous things I have seen written in all my 57 years.
Hemmingway didn’t say that? Really? Ha ha brilliant. I can see that further debate with you is irrelevant.
I have raced karts as well. A common strategy that has developed in karting since the introduction of the front and rear bodywork is the shunt and run, where you literally punt the driver off the track or into the barrier to make your pass. In SKUSA S1 it pretty common. It’s not acceptable in karting, and using that logic to claim it is still acceptable at a higher level is ridiculous.
The men with large attachments back in the day would frequently die in the sport. Accidents happened. But I think most of those friends and gentlemen would take issue with intentional shunts.
No, he did not: you really need to learn to use google:
—
The origin of the divergence of the term “extreme sports” from “sports” may date to the 1950s in the appearance of a phrase usually, but WRONGLY, attributed to Ernest Hemingway. The phrase is
“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.”
The implication of the phrase was that the word “sport” defined an activity in which one might be killed. The other activities being termed “games”. The phrase may have been invented by either writer Barnaby Conrad or automotive author Ken Purdy.
—
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_sport
They all clearly accept the danger, otherwise they wouldn’t be racing, but Canamasas adds undue danger when he’s on the track.
Motorsport is as dangerous as a shooting range. Nothing will happen, unless someone makes a mistake. You wouldn’t allow a psychopath to use shooting range, especially, when there are 25 other people around. Then why allow Canamasas on track?
A bit wrong. Tyres blow and cars fail so mistakes are not needed to kill. But yes, adding a crazy driver to the mix only makes the odd worse.
I think that’s exactly the point: motorsport IS dangerous enough, even when drivers respect each other.
It’s *overly* and needlessly dangerous when you have someone like Canamasas out there driving without regard for himself or others.
This is a joke right? Motorsport Is dangerous. I do a lot of racing and take that risk every time, but there is no way I would if I knew there was someone else on the track who wasn’t aware of the risk they were taking. Canamasas clearly isn’t aware (or is, and is even more stupid then we ever thought) and that increases the risk that everyone else takes to an unacceptable level.
Watch the YouTube clips then you may reconsider. He’s an idiot. Lucky there weren’t any marshalls injured either!
I agree with every word here, but I would add one thing. If Canamasas is penalized for Monza, shouldn’t Raikkonen have been penalized for Silverstone? In both cases you had a driver rejoining the track in a dangerous manner. In fact, could you not argue that the lack of a penalty in the Raikkonen case served to encourage the idea that a driver can rejoin in such a cavalier manner? And I say that as a Raikkonen fan, by the way.
Sadly, I think the organisers will do nothing. And then when a tragedy occurs, they will act as if it could never have been foreseen.
I believe Will asked for a race ban for Kimi
Why should anyone have to ask?
Why is what the eyes see insufficient?
In The US in the world of oval track racing, they have a much more effective way of taking care of drivers like this. I will leave this remedy to your imaginations.
Entirely different attitudes towards retaliatory wrecking and fist-fighting over in European circuit racing.
surely a DSQ from the event should automatically be a race ban for the next one.. Since the DSQ normally comes near the end of a race and a driver is normally out of the points they haven’t lost anything.. Most drivers (reading twitter) don’t respect or trust racing with him. so unless the organisers gain a pain of balls he will continue to drive dangerously..
Its not the other drivers I feel for, they know the risks and some get paid well for doing it.. its the marshals that give up the free time and put themselves in arms way so the drivers and do the sport they love…
Great article, Will, no doubt.
And here comes the critizism: I fear you forgot some other drivers which should be named in that article (or at least should be banned too). To point it out: Berthon is just as bad as Canamasas. I do remember quite good how he raced into the back of some others last season in Barcelona. And hey, he collected Canamasas in Hungary. And ruined Trummers races several times.
Yeah I know, the focus of you as commentator is somehow different as everybody else, especially of fans like me. But there’s not a single difference in terms of driving style between Berthon and Canamasas. IMO. Perhaps I’ve forgotten some other drivers here aswell. But I had to point out my feelings about this Frenchman.
Kind regards and sorry for my english.
Well, Vettel was not much better in his World Series by Renault career – crashed out several competitors in a very careless manner, but was regarded as a talent later on…
Yes. Was chatting him after the race – his interpretation of the three incidents were certainly… interesting.
@Ryan,
Good luck racing in GP2…
It only took four races for the FIA to revoke Yuji Ide’s superlicense when he proved he could not handle F1. Why has it taken so long with Canamasas in GP2?
He’s certainly an idiot, but aren’t you exaggerating a little bit by saying “I don’t know if I’ll be involved with GP2 so long as a driver may be killed because of a wanker like Canamasas”? As you first said, motorsport is dangerous and there’ll always be more and less aggressive drivers. Sergio is a bad one, but neither the first (Gregor Foitek springs to mind) and unfortunately nor the last. The risks will always exist and as a commentator you got to be aware that the possibility of a death under your eyes is real.
Besides, there are other drivers that drive as dangerously as Canamasas. Cecotto is a great example. He was terrible last year, specially against Sam Bird (what he did in Malaysia shouldn’t be forgiven), and never seemed to be any regretful of his bad demeanour. This year he really evolved, but I’m not sure to what extent. Moreover, his father threatening Canamasas in Twitter also proved that Cecotto family definitely has no ability to look at itself and make a single self-criticism. I don’t want to see Johnny Amadeus in Formula One either. And let’s not forget Julian Leal, the guy that ended prematurely Davide Rigon’s dream of reaching F-1.
No offence meant, Will, I really enjoy your comments (as a Brazilian, I often rather watch GP2 races via streaming only to listen to you than follow the national broadcasts), but seemingly this text was written more with your heart than with your good brain.
That’s exactly the problem of this article. Is has been written by his heart, not his brain. He’s obvioulsy right, but he exaggerates everything. But the worst thing is that he says that Cecotto is now a “mature” driver, and he is simply as dirty as Canamasas or Berthon. These three drivers shouldn’t be allowed to race. Not only Canamasas! But in general, I agree with him.
On top of ban (at least one race) I would impose a fine of, say, $100,000. He would stop this crazy nonsense right away. What a crazy dude.
I just saw a SKYTV clip of that at wtf1.co.uk. I have not watched GP2 but once, wasn’t impressed. Looks like Will is right.
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Having worked for a race team in the UK, some of the comments here seem a little hard to deal with.
Firstly I totally agree with the article, it sums the situation up very well. But back to the comments… The idea that people should face excessive risk because one driver is incompetent is ridiculous. Gone are the days in which that sort of thing is acceptable. People have grown up, and I for one would rather see racing, than death and injury – and what is likely to improve the racing anyway? Drivers that feel they can push hard without huge extra risks, especially those completely out of their control…
It reminded me of the anecdote from Sid Watkins telling Senna to stop racing in ’94 – the simple answer being that he couldn’t. I’ve spent a lot of time around racers at different levels, and they will always go out, they don’t have the capacity to say no. It could be in torrential rain for example (this similarly doesn’t happen any more as it isn’t worth it) or because of something else like this… but it doesn’t mean they are any less of a racer if they don’t want to risk it…
There’s plenty of danger already, without adding to it.
The thing that got me about Monza is the image it put into my head… Many times during my years watching motorsport have I seen drivers seriously injured, or even ended up dying through their injuries, due to a side on impact (t-boning). And when I watched the speed at which canamassas speared across that track and rejoin, hitting another car it just made me shudder to think what would’ve happened if he’d lost control slightly. Because if his car had rotated slightly this is something that could easily have happened and there’s every chance a driver could’ve been hospitalized. As it happened luck fell in the right direction and no one was hurt, but he did cause the back up which effectively put 3 cars out of the race…. Then if that wasn’t enough he took another car out and then just thought that he no long needed to use the chicanes like everyone else. I tweeted on the gp2 page that he needed taking off the track at Monza and within minutes he was dq’d. So I wasn’t the only one to think it. Anyone who thinks they need to ‘man up’ or ‘grow a pair’ obviously have no regards for peoples lives either. These cars are fragile when hit from the sides at those speeds, you only need to ask Alex Zanardi that to find out.
The danger.. well, let’s be honest guys.. ‘danger’ is the exaggeration of the decade, right?
I mean, Skying, THAT is dangerous, mountaineering, and going of the paths in the Grand Canyon.. That is dangerous.. motorsports (especially the higher levels) are saturated with safety.. So i don’t agree with the point of view that we have a ‘murderer’ on track. (unless he starts ignoring red flags and hitting marshals in the process like a certain Venezuelan does)
I do feel however, that ‘drivers’ like canamasas should be banned from open wheel races. He is a danger indeed to other peoples performances, and as mentioned, some guys don’t have as many shots as others, and the few shots they have can be heavily tainted just by being in the proximity of this fool.
I would suggest to indeed take away his license to race, or to boycott Sochi (many more reasons to boycott racing there anyways)
The answer is simple. He should simply be refused entry into a high-level FIA series until he can prove he is no longer in a danger in a lower formula with less power for a probationary period.
It’s basically a sad reality of modern motor racing that GP2 has become a pay series where the best-backed and not necessarily the fastest junior drivers end up at younger and younger ages. He will not be the first immature driver to make it to GP2 and he will not be the last. How the FIA deals with it from this point on is key to the future of the sport.
Where to even start, I speak on behalf of many people that would like to see Will Buxton stop commentating, this has just confirmed you are a disgrace to Motorsport commentary. How you even have the audacity to write an article so unprofessional and disgusting is beyond me. As a commentator you should be unbiased and remain professional at all times, yet time after time we hear you talk about your favourite drivers and ignore or slate any other driver that quite frankly doesn’t kiss your arse. Yes we all agree Canamasas has driven dangerously but he categorically does not deserve the abuse and BULLYING you are posting all over the internet. As a result of all this Sergio has received threats, insults and abuse. If this was happening in a workplace or school you would have serious consequences to deal with so why should you be allowed to carry on. It is in no way your place to start a war and put potentially someones life, reputation and career in jeopardy because of your personal opinion. You will only ruin your own reputation further, you need to leave it to the FIA. This has got way out of hand now and in your own words… ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WILL.
AWESOME. BRILLIANT. That is exactly the truth. I couldn’t have explained it better. Sadly, a “professional” also makes mistakes, and this is one them. Sergio has caused terrible accidents, but Will Buxton was a great journalist, and he didn’t need to cause all this threats. Now, I’ll look at Will on a different way…
Thank you! More people need to shut him up once and for all. He needs to stop thinking he’s god and focus on being a professional journalist and commentator.
Couldn’t agree more on the irony of WB calling others unprofessional. Time for him to move over (well overdue in fact).
I discussed with him yesterday, and he treated me like a silly F1 supporter. I thought he was a great F1 commentator, but this weekend he has made some mistakes. He would say “unforgivable”, but I still believe he can go back and say “I was wrong”.
Hear hear, well said.
Well said
Will, I agree to some end with your article but I want to come at it from the different angle of political science (which I hope appeals to your political mind!).
In many ways there are parallels with the political situation in the UK regarding terrorism. The Home Secretary wishes to bring in new legislation as a knee-jerk reaction to the problem whereas there already exist laws in statute which if enforced would not necessitate the writing of any new laws.
I agree that Canamasas is a danger to himself and to others. However it is the stewards who could have taken action against the driver this season (with penalty points) and until now have not chosen to do anything. I think the penalty points system is a very fair system and it should have been enforced against Canamasas a long long long time ago. The stewards already have the tools at their disposal and they shouldn’t be forced to make up new rules to ban Canamasas. Of course the driver is at fault for his own actions but the stewards also need to effectively use their own rulebook to police the racetrack. If the stewards do not choose to do this then they are just as negligent as Canamasas.
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To make light of the situation, I have created this petition: http://chn.ge/1qyfSs8
Please sign it, just for a laugh.
YES
Will Buxton’s columns are worth their time in reading. That said, drivers are voted into their seats by fans or chroniclers. They get their jobs by earning a place on a team, a decision made by that team. Other drivers have all the right to protest the actions of a dangerous driver, boycott a race, even, if they do not want to race on the same track with such a driver. But being one who writes about the sport or in any way pays to see the sport does earn the right to, from the safety of his off-track position, demand the end of a driver’s career.
Mea culpa.
My second sentence in the above. should have read: “…drivers are not voted into their seats by fans or chroniclers.”
please.. learn English
Actually your reply indicates to me that you’re the one who needs to learn the lingo.
Thanks for putting this out there Will. Every time I watch him try to overtake (or be overtaken) I hold my breath wondering what the hell is about to happen. I’m not trying to take a cheap shot at him, but I do question his level of intellect – how anyone can continue to act like this in the face of all the criticism and against all the advise I’m sure people are trying to give him, astounds me. I think the comments on here about it all being a part of motorsport is a joke. No-one should have to tolerate his driving.
I don’t know anything about him, but does he come from a wealth family? I can’t imagine many sponsors wanting to align themselves with him?
I agree, Canamasas is a moron, he shouldn’t be driving a GP2. But please, let’s ban Cecotto, Berthon, Leal… too. It has taken Cecotto FIVE YEARS to calm down, Berthon always acts as if he was never faulty for the crashes he is involved in, Leal effectively ended Davide Rigon’s singleseater career. And please, do not try to justify their actions with some of their race results. In the end, Canamasas also has a podium in Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2.
If talentless paydrivers stay for half a decade in F1’s stepping ladder, shouldn’t we get angry at those who supposedly take care of it? Why Formula Renault 3.5 does not offer the usual GP2 crashfest?
The kind of joke GP2 is turning in to only invites to praise to the decision made by Red Bull regarding Max Verstappen.
FR3.5 cars have more downforce, harder compound tyres and slightly less power. In short, they are “”””easier”””” to drive. Also there are more practice sessions and in-season tests so the drivers manage to come to grips with the car and the competition. That’s why FR2.0 drivers have no problems of getting used to the higher formula, something that doesn’t exactly happen in GP2.
Anyway, the crashfest in GP2 only began with the new car. Up to 2010 it was all healthy and even blokes like Roldán Rodríguez and Pastor Maldonado weren’t morons all the time. Somehow the new Dallara brough up this obscure wild personality of some of the more aggressive drivers.
I agree with your views on Formula Renault 3.5 but… Why is that bad? Of course I like cars hard to drive but, if GP2 is a feeder series (something still discussable) why not trying to give drivers more kilometers at the wheel of these cars?
Of course, time during F1 weekends is scarce and Asia Series was probably a failure, but can’t there be more testing put in place? To watch wild Dallaras crashing every once in a while I already have IndyCar, GP2 is supposed to be an elite school in the path to F1…
Same mindset than Massa. But I don’t see Massa being criticised. Ever. Not even after Montreal. And that guy has DECADES of race experience. Still he refuses any respnsibility ever, no input whatsoever taken aboard. How come there seems no balance over such judgements…?
Hate to say this, but if Maldonado is anything to go by (RWS 2005 in Monaco), Canamasas will end up in F1 if he has a big enough bag of cash.
It’s worth remembering that Canamasas believes he’s a mixture of Alonso and Hamilton:
“I have something of Alonso, [but] also perhaps something of [Lewis] Hamilton for that aggressiveness,” he claimed, “Let no one misunderstand me – I only have some elements of them, but I’m aggressive with that bit of intelligence required in what you’re doing. I am very concise, very clear, about what I have done when I’m on track, and I am methodical…”
http://www.crash.net/f1/news/194504/1/canamasas-eager-for-more-f1.html
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Any chance of seeing what he did?
Reblogged this on The Front Jack Man .
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Will, we all make mistakes. I feel he made a silly mistake and he has done in the past but monza 2014 was a bad period for him. I think he is a fast driver and like cecotto he needs time to mature. You are very quick to jump on Canamasas’ back when Marciello has done numerous silly things this year and you have said nothing. I am ashamed that the only GP2 commentary we get in the UK is yours as it is so biased towards certain drivers. PLEASE… In future commentaries be more fair and unbiased, then we will all love your commentary.
Peace.
There is a recent trend I’m no fan of and it is becoming increasingly tiresome. If I or any one of my colleagues dares to praise the conduct or achievement of one driver we are suddenly cast as biased in favour of that driver. If we raise question marks over a driver, we are biased against that driver.
Bias has nothing to do with it.
Just because you don’t agree, or just because a driver you like doesn’t necessarily get the reaction or praise you believe they should does not mean that those who don’t see things the same way as you are biased against the focus of your adoration.
Will, I have to agree. Bias has nothing to do with your reason for writing this particular blog. Anyone with a pair of eyes can plainly see that Canamasas is an accident waiting to happen and something needs to be done about his conduct before he seriously hurts himself, another driver or a track official. A lot of people commenting on here seem to think his behaviour is acceptable, indeed this sort of behaviour in general is acceptable, alas, that’s the whole problem with social media. Too many people who know nothing about the subject matter and just like to provoke right minded people with their theories and delusions as they too, hiding behind their keyboards, behave in a manner that is unacceptable.
It would be nice to think that the governing body would come down hard and do something about this growing trend of driver behaviour, as they are the only ones in a position to do so but having seen the way Cecotto got away with it last year it seems that isn’t going to happen any time soon. I, like you, hope that it does not take a death or career threatening injury before someone has the balls to stand up and say no, we are not having any more of this.
I disagree. It’s not you and your colleagues. It’s just you. It’s because of your emotional and personal style of writing. Perhaps you are not biased but it certainly comes across that way sometimes.
Every single commentator and journalist engaged in this sport has come under an increasing and unsavoury trolling via social media of late. Reasoned debate has given way to insult and the simple rejection of opinion on the basis of an alleged bias that simply does not exist.
In saying that Marciello has been impressive in his rookie season I am stating an opinion based on what I have seen. I have repeatedly said this season that Vandoorne is the most impressive rookie of the Pirelli era and yet rarely am I accused of bias towards Vandoorne. Does that suggest an anti Marciello bias or agenda in those who choose to pick me up on praise I might give him for positive performances? A pro Vandoorne agenda? Perhaps an anti Vandoorne agenda that viewers fail to hear the praise I level on him? Perhaps. You could find excuse and reason to back up any argument.
Don’t get me wrong. I take any and all criticism to heart and I take it very seriously.
I levelled against Cecotto and Canamasas’ actions last season. If I held any negative bias against them it follows I’d be blind to the incredible turnaround in Cecotto. And I’m not.
Canamasas continues to be a danger however. Not just in what you see on track but in what you don’t. The manner in which he interacts with his team, with his fellow drivers, with media, with the stewards. I did not write the words above lightly. They come from a position of concern. Not from a personal vendetta.
Will: You can see what you want, but Cecotto is the same danger as he was the last year. He is quicker, of course (he raced his first GP2 race in 2009, it’s obvious that a driver who stays 5 years in the same category, finally achieves decent results. You have to remember that Canamasas started in 2012… Are you going to wait 3 years more for him? Not. So be fair, please).
Cecotto has retired 4 out of 7 races since Germany:
-He caused a collision with two other cars in the start of the Sprint race in Germany.
-He was penalised (+3 pos. in the grid) in the Free Practice session Hungary for causing a “reckless collision” with Palmer.
-He was in every single battle in the feature race in Hungary, until he had to retire.
-He touched with Pic in the Sprint race in Hungary, and then forced Coletti out of the track, and crashed into him, ruining his race.
-He was penalised (+3 pos. in the grid) in the Q in Monza, because he blocked Palmer during his flying lap.
-He crashed into Berthon in Parabolica, in the Sprint race.
Could you explain me why are you talking about an “incredible turnaround in Cecotto”? Most of the fans can’t understand your comments about Cecotto…. Maybe you know something that you know, so I’ll be extremely thankful if you explain it here.
Cecotto’s move on Coletti in Hungary was not a great moment, but with that exception I’d put many and most of his misdemeanours this year down to pushing a touch too hard and making a mistake whereas last year they were all too often born of pure rage. He has changed. Not just in the cockpit but out. His whole personality seems more at ease this year.
This isn’t about him though. It’s about a man whom his rivals no longer feel safe driving alongside and who are on the verge of actively seeking his exclusion. In the 10 years of GP2, I’ve never known such a thing to happen. And to me it speaks volumes.
I have talked about 6 incidents in 7 races, you have only talked about the Coletti’s one. SIX INCIDENTS IN SEVEN RACES! He can be different out of the car, but when he’s driving, he is as dangerous as he was in the past. He maybe has caused less incidents than previously, but that´s because he is quicker, so he usually starts the races in a higher position and doesn´t take parti in so many battles. I can´t see any improvement in a driver who has caused six incidents in seven races.
As for Canamasas, I´ll tell you one thing: you are an EXTREMELY important journalist in motorsport, so you have an enormous power there. If you want, you can put pressure to get Canamasas out of the GP2 (in fact, that´s what you are doing in Twitter). It’s your decision: you can continue exaggerating every single mistake Canamasas has done to change people´s mind (even driver´s mind), or you can be fair, and wait three years more (the same as what you have done with Cecotto). I remind you that Canamasas had all his points (in the driver’s license) until Monza. All you are saying about him has a clear purpose, and I can´t (another time…) understand why you are doing this. Do you have a bad relationship with Canamasas, or something like that? If not, why are you promoting this? If it´s true that the other drivers are trying to get his exclusion, what is exactly your role there?
Thanks
It is the drivers who informed me of their intention to act. I played no role in it and to suggest otherwise is utterly ridiculous. I’ve applied no pressure on twitter other than to reference his disqualification after the race and then in one tweet to publicise the fact I had written a blog. A blog then retweeted by a number of GP2 drivers, past and present, and racers from around the world. There’s an issue and the fact you are blind to it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
Ever thought that it might be better for a journalist to try and remain impartial when events like this happen? Just saying.
This, as the vast majority of my blog posts, is an “op-ed”… an opinion based editorial piece.
This is my opinion.
It’s funny though, I don’t support any particular driver, yet you make that assumption. It’s clear you like certain people, Cecotto, Marciello and Palmer are three good examples. In Monaco Marciello got a penalty and it breezed straight over your head. He got a penalty for an obscene move that caused another driver to crash into the wall (similar to monza… eh). Whilst I agree Palmer has been great, Cecotto has been far from. His stupidness from 2013 cannot be forgotten, and whilst he has improved his crash in Hungary was unacceptable and what he did to Sam Bird last year was deserving of a race ban by itself. I also feel you could talk to the driver first and get his view, yet you did not do this. I know you talk to some drivers in the paddock, not others. I know you are trying your best but this Article wasn’t really fair. If you had based it on all the accidents this year I would understand. But you CAN NOT make a mountain out of a molehill. This was 1 accident. And to be honest he hasn’t crashed at all this year apart from Monza has he? (Hungary where Berthon took him out)
I did not assume anything. If you notice I suggested multiple possibilities for your ire. It is you who has made the assumption of me and my supposed bias, an assumption which is incorrect.
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I think you’re being very generous to Cecotto.
There’s a reason he hasn’t had a sniff at F1 despite having a pot full of Venezuelan oil cash !
And his most recent penalty ? At Monza,for blocking Jolyon Palmer in qualy !!
If he’d been banned in the past as he should have been,then maybe Canamassas might have reined himself in a bit. But neither of them will ever change -they’ve both been at far too long to believe that
So whats the update on this supposed “petition”? I would be shocked if anything came of it. Drivers are genrally gutless and/or selfish human beings when it comes to these matters. I would bet solid money Sergio will be in the car terrorizing the field in Russia.