user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Michael Schumacher parked in wrong grid slot

Michael Schumacher parked in wrong grid slot

  • Published on 30 Jul 2012 13:44
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Reuters news agency described Michael Schumacher's Hungarian grand prix as a "comedy of errors". And two of the errors were committed by the 43-year-old even before the race started. It has emerged in Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that, after the formation lap, Schumacher parked his silver Mercedes in the wrong grid slot, which is what caused Charlie Whiting to abort the start.

"I radioed the pits to say that he was in my place," Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen, who qualified 19th - two places behind Schumacher – said. HRT's Pedro de la Rosa, second-to-last on the grid, also sensed something was wrong. "I didn't know who was to blame, I just knew that I was in the wrong position," the Spaniard said.

Then, when Schumacher saw that Whiting had aborted the start, the great German - whose contract runs out later this year - killed the engine. The rest of the field simply geared up for another formation lap, which left Schumacher stranded on the grid and needing a push from the marshals to the pitlane.

Asked why he turned off the engine, Schumacher said: "It used to always be like that." Not exactly: even by 2006 - the last season of Schumacher's ultra-successful first career - the old five-minute delayed restart had been scrapped. He then sped out of the pits too fast, incurring a drive-through penalty. "Today was obviously one of those races that you will not look back at for very long," said the seven time world champion. (GMM)
F1 News Mercedes HRT

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

World Championship standings 2022

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
431
2
Ferrari
334
3
Mercedes
304
4
Alpine F1
99
5
McLaren
95
6
Alfa Romeo Racing
51
7
Haas F1
34
8
Alpha Tauri
27
9
Aston Martin
20
10
Williams
3
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Team profile

Mercedes
Mercedes
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2022

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
18 - Mar 20
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
25 - Mar 27
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
8 - Apr 10
Australia
Albert Park
22 - Apr 24
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
6 - May 8
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
20 - May 22
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
27 - May 29
Monaco
Monte Carlo
10 - Jun 12
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
17 - Jun 19
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
1 - Jul 3
United Kingdom
Silverstone
8 - Jul 10
Austria
Red Bull Ring
22 - Jul 24
France
Paul Ricard
29 - Jul 31
Hungary
Hungaroring
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2022

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
18 - Mar 20
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
25 - Mar 27
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
8 - Apr 10
Australia Albert Park
22 - Apr 24
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
6 - May 8
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
20 - May 22
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
27 - May 29
Monaco Monte Carlo
10 - Jun 12
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
17 - Jun 19
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
1 - Jul 3
United Kingdom Silverstone
8 - Jul 10
Austria Red Bull Ring
22 - Jul 24
France Paul Ricard
29 - Jul 31
Hungary Hungaroring
See full schedule
show sidebar