Comments on: Video of the Day

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:15:34 +0000

“Simona tries to pass him but is only half a car ahead getting in the turn.”

Yeah, ONLY half a car AHEAD. Wait, and she kept it on the track? This isn’t even a conflict. Markus made a poor choice and deserved to be penalized. To be quite honest, I’m not even a fan of Simona, but I know when a race incident is someone else’s fault. It is plain as day.

By: rick

rick — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:15:25 +0000

It appears that she forced the line agressively. Had the championship in hand and had plenty of laps to get there. Look at what happened to Dempsey in the same position in the FM race. Same turn and first lap emotion.

By: Nate

Nate — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:13:21 +0000

There is really no such thing as a “line.” There is only track, and creative ways to pass. The only time a racer controls a line is when he/she is leading the following car, and this balance only shifts after all four wheels of the overtaker have passed the leading driver. At any time, whether it be on the straight or alongside someone mid corner, you must leave a car width for the other car or risk that the cars will collide as the other driver does not want to go off track.

Through the left hand section, Markus leaves room inside, and through the right hand section Simona does not, and her wheels never cleared his. She is at fault.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:53:02 +0000

This is a case of a racing incident. I think it was a bad call on the race officials part.

By: Markus Niemelä

Markus Niemelä — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:35:59 +0000

Class or no class, I though to give my opinion too…

First of all I’m sorry about the outcome of the incident which caused Simona to be out of the race. Nevertheless I’m not sorry for my action as both of us took chances in there.

I gave her room on the inside of the left hand part and tried to get my position back on the right hander as I was still half way alonside her and had an advantage of being on the inside for the right. She didn’t really leave me room in there and by doing this there was a big risk for a crash. Of course I could have just backed off in the braking of the left and let her go. But on the other hand she could have given me room on the right hander, not having to risk to crash and she could have tried to win the next corner where she would have been on the inside.

People will always have different opinions on these kind of situations. Did she have right to turn in the right hand corner when I was still partly alonside her and not leave me room on the inside? Would I have had the right to start turning earlier on theearly part of braking of the left hander when she was still just slightly alongside me and not leave room for her on the inside (which I didn’t do btw…)? Did I have right to race her hard although she was fighting for the title and I was not? Would my penalty have been the same unless she wasn’t fighting for the title? Would, could, if… big bunch of conditionals that don’t change a thing.

And about your conspiracy theory Steve… Why would I deliberately take out Simona to lick NWR’s butt with a cost of burning the bridges with Stargate if I wanted to secure a seat in top Atlantic team for 2010? Would not be the most clever move would it.

Simona and her team did great job all year and it’s a shame it ended this way. Anyway, that’s racing… You either love it or hate it or don’t really care.

By: Racing Yoda

Racing Yoda — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:10:17 +0000

Simona should have been in cruise and collect mode to win the championship. Racers want to win races and aggression is part of that, but the maturity to not risk what happened is what I’d be looking for in a driver if I was paying the bills as a team owner.

By: Ricky Bobby

Ricky Bobby — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:11:05 +0000

Steve flip the script and think about if Simona took Markus out like that. Who side would you be on then? It’s just my opinion and I can only see it from Markus car camera but it looks like some aggressive driving to me. (Which is cool and what the fans want to see) Anyway I think she did a great job this year and hate to see her lose the championship like that.
“Not wanting a pissing match I don’t really care that much about it sorry”

By: S Moss

S Moss — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:30:59 +0000

Markus did a great job to outqualify Simona at Laguna and too overtake in the corkscrew is always a gamble.

By: R Bobby

R Bobby — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:16:09 +0000

Well Markus outqualified Simona in a so called back marker team and Simona tried to pass in the cork screw which is always a gamble as its blind, dusty and has crazy camber change.

By: Ryan (JOWT)

Ryan (JOWT) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:10:49 +0000

Just a note for everyone.

While I appreciate all the comments and encourage them, let’s all please try to stay away from personal attacks of any kind.

Thank you.

-Ryan (Junior Open Wheel Talent)