Blue book says that they classify results after a red flag from positions a lap earlier. But like you say they had probably done at least a lap after the incident before the order had come to throw the red flag.

Collard should have been disqualified. I hope the stewards relook at the incident and reorder the finishing places accordingly.

Collard is not a clean driver he's pulled this type of punt once too often, he doesn't deserve to be on the track.

But overall a good afternoon compared to watching boring F1

i'm not convinced it was deliberate, or even bad driving. just an incident with spectacular consequences.

lets hear what Matt has to say before we condem Collard

_________________
Oakleaf 2006

Would love to read the 2 observers reports on the incedent

_________________
The answer is 42!

would love to be able to read (lol)

_________________
Oakleaf 2006

Interestingly the Official BTCC website has not yet published results for race 3 yet

oh they have now and still put collard 2nd

The result is a countback to the last lap but cars must be "under their own power" at the time of the red flag to be classified (J5.4.4).

So Matt won't be classified. Rob Collard will unless the clerk/stewards feel differently!

ok, thanks!

in honesty i think it was a bit of both but the angle collard went into the back of Neils car was a bit suspect. if he wanted to over take Neil, then surly he would of been far more to his right than that, same goes if he was going to try the outside route, which seemed to be the better of the two, even if he couldnt of made the pass and had to let neil through it would of avoided contact. but we all know going roudn the outside on that corner isnt the best of ideas. Or was it the fact that collard wanted to get one back on Niel after matt give him a bit of slap in the previous corner?

did matt neil brake too early? in hope of catching out collard? but, after seeing countless replays from previous onboard shots from the different cameras on the otehr cars (that were shown on tv) they al seemed to start braking near enough in the same place.

Move looked a bit suspect to me. These touring car boys know the secrets of how to spin a competitor out....

Not as bad as the disgraceful move by Plato on Chilton lat Silverstone last year. That was outrageous and I've still not forgiven Jason for that.

_________________
Would you like to come up to my studio and look at my itchings?

collard excluded



http://www.crash.net/news_View~t~Collard-excluded-as-Team-RAC-lodge-appeal-~cid~10~id~128109.htm

I see it's one rule for some drivers, and another for the others. Neal and Plato can't overtake without punting others out of the way. Thommo managed to overtake cleanly, as did Turkington and Chilton, whereas Neal and Plato can't. If Collard is excluded for colliding with Neal, then surely Neal should be out for the move on Collard, and the move on Turkington?

The BTCC is the premier racing series in the country, it's a shame some of the driving standards are so low. Thommo, Chilton and Turkington produced great racing and managed to pass without exchanging paint and damaging cars. Neal and Plato on the other hand just push the other drivers out of the way. Perhaps a group of stewards can be set up operating in a similar way to judges in boxing, if they agree a move was bad, a driver would recieve a penalty (how about 10 kg per offence carried for the next 3 races - there would be no maximum limit for penalty weight.) These penalties could be called the Anthony Reid award!

Touring car racing has always had some level of contact - it's unavoidable in close racing, however there's a bit dfference to slight bumps and touches and forceful nerfs knocking cars well off the racing line. Moves of the syle used by neal and Plato have appeared in the past - I recall Tim Harvey winning the title after Joh Clelend was nerfed off by Steve Sopher - however in those days that was a rare occurance (and John will still tell you he was robbed!) Nowadays we see that sort of move in every race. Perhaps these drivers aren't the best in the country any more? I wonder if Seat Uk will sneak Plato into the WTCC round at Brands? It would be interesting to see where he ends up in the Seat dream team!

I agree with what you say. Think Neal is getting too big for his boots and feels he has a right to overtake through the car in front. Just because his victim isn't fired off into the gravell it doesn't make his technique legal.
Neal is so desperate to stop Team RAC from winning the independants cup that he is willing to take a dive and get him sent off. Don't think he meant to take such a big dive though as he did it well before the bend so thought he could catch it again before the corner.