Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watdcsu.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watdcsu!haapanen
From: haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS])
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.sport
Subject: Senna vs. Rosberg (European GP)
Message-ID: <1857@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 9-Nov-85 12:16:32 EST
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.1857
Posted: Sat Nov  9 12:16:32 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Nov-85 08:31:28 EST
Reply-To: haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS])
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 43
Xref: watmath net.auto:8661 net.sport:568
Summary: Who was at fault?


In the early laps of the European Grand Prix (at Brans Hatch on
October 6), Keke Rosberg (Williams-Honda) was chasing Ayrton Senna da
Silva (Lotus-Renault) for the lead.  Subsequently, Rosberg collided
with Senna, with Rosberg spinning, an Nelson Piquet (Brabham-BMW), who
was third, running into Rosberg and destroying his front tire.

Now, this all happened at Surtees turn.  Rosberg was right on Senna's
tail, and then, going into Surtees, Senna took the the turn wide.
Rosberg saw the opening and charged for the lead, attempting to ss
Senna on the inside.  However, Senna swerved for the line again,
slamming the door on Rosberg.  Keke slammed his brakes, locked the
wheels (no ABS in F1) and spun.  Piquet could not avoid him, and
punctured his front tire.

The way *I* saw this (on CBC) was that Rosberg was getting past
fairly, and Senna slammed the door in a not very sportsmanlike manner.
If the other driver is going wide, it is entirely acceptable to pass
on the inside.  Sport Auto (as far as I could decipher French) also
agreed with this.

Now, Rosberg destroyed his tires in the braking and spin, and had to
pit for new ones.  He came out of the pits just under a lap behind
Senna, with Keke's teammate Nigel Mansell maybe 10 seconds behind Senna.
Senna caught up with Rosberg, but this time Keke shut the door on
Senna and did not allow him to pass.  Slowing down a bit at this point
allowed Mansell to catch and pass Senna, giving Rosberg his revenge.

Patrick Camus of Grand Prix International was not impressed.  In volume
98, he writes of the incident:  "On lap 7, Senna took Surtees wide and
Rosberg attempted to push his way past inside the Brazilian.  His
ostentatious manoeuvre went unrewarded.  Quite rightly, Ayrton stuck
to his line an slammed the door in the Finn's nose."

Did you see the incident?  What did you think?  Am I just biased?


				   \tom haapanen
				   watmath!watdcsu!haapanen
Im all lost in the Supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
Guaranteed personality				 (c) The Clash, 1979