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I suppose I have to declare an interest here..... I have done that 'Vettel' manouevre (once passed the other driver) MANY times......
Why?
Because:-
1) It allows me to get BACK to the 'correct' line quickly, clean my tyres... even for a moment... and prevent the other driver from gaining from me being OFF line during HIS braking
2) The sudden change of direction, right INTO the path of the other driver, can force HIM to brake earlier and thus negate any higher speed than he MIGHT have maintained by being on a better 'line'.
3) To put MANNERS on the other guy.... "I am passed and I want to make it VERY clear that I am NOT going to leave this corner 'open for discussion'.... This is MY corner and you can just banish ANY idea that I might 'go soft' and allow you a chance to re-pass by being .....errrr.. polite....!"
Another set of NASTIER considerations come into play......
4) If his front wheels hit my REAR wheels, there's MUCH more chance that HE will 'lose it' than that **I** will lose it.... Most of MY weight is on the rear tyres and I am ALREADY on the 'inside' and thus an 'impact' will make it EASIER for me to turn-in and MUCH harder for the OTHER guy to 'turn in'...... he's ALREADY got less tarack than I have......
5) And the truly 'NASTY'...... if point 4 works..... that will throw a spinning kart at all those who are FOLLOWING me..... At worst, they are likely to be force to 'back-off' giving me more time to salvage myself from arriving just that BIT too fast at this corner.....
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Point 6 was used by Michael to FABULOUS effect in the years he fought with Damon..... Damon's 'race skills' were MUCH worse than Michael's as Damon had NEVER been through the karting-mill. He had rarely used, and had rarely been EXPOSED to, 'nasty' tactics. Just replay some of Michael's races when he overtakes a back marker when being closely followed by Damon.... or others. What you'll note is a MUCH more aggressive CHOP and lift or brake as he goes past than usual or even seems required.... this unsettles the back-marker who may brake and/or swerve left of right rather than RAM the car for which he has just been 'blue flagged'. Assuming Damon is about to overtake the back marker as well, the 50:50 left or right swerve WILL hamper 'Damon' 50% of the time.... thus buying Michael a few more 'instants'..... Never underestimate Michael..... If he's REALLY lucky, the back marker may 'spin' and clip Damon.......
Watch, also how, when he HAS outbraked someone into a corner.... he does NOT go to 'full throttle' AT that corner's apex..... he leaves it more SLOWLY than usual and EXACTLY on PERFECT line....
..... erm..... I digressed a little there but..... there are MANY-FOLD reasons for 'Chopping' a following driver.... and they are all NASTY...... but V*E*R*Y effective........
They didn't work for Vettel because he was not QUITE far enough ahead and not alongside..... erither one of which would have converted that 'manouevre' ointo a lovely pass....
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Taking Webber's view.... why WOULD you ALLOW Vettel to 'come up' back onto line....?? The CORRECT action of Webber was to FORCE Vettel to remain MUCH too tight into the corner and onto the MUCH nastier part of the track.... oh.... the times I've done THAT trick into Stowe at Kimbolton....... Had the impact not occurred, I'd have expected Mark to LEAP to his right at the VERY last moment ensuring he arrived even WIDER into that corner than usual.... I'd have expected Vettel to slide clean THOUGH the corner and to dive BELOW him as he sails past the apex..... The WIDER I can be on that entry, the more time he will have had to sail PAST the apex....
We never got to see THAT part of Webber's manouevre beacuse Vettel HIT him.....
Both Red Bull drivers 'know' that the championship belongs to ONE of them.... Thus eliminating the OTHER driver by ANY 'legal' means increases THEIR chance of being THE champion. Vettel may have TRIED to eliminate Mark..... but.... Mark elimintated HIM.... that looks like a damned nigh 100% success for Mark!
What a FUN season!
Ian
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