Drivers ask for clarity on overtaking rules

One of the biggest talking points after the Bahrain Grand Prix, especially on the VitalF1.com forum was the incidents involving Mercedes Nico Rosberg, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

The two incidents, both involving the Mercedes driver, were both investigated after the race, but the race stewards decided that no punishments were required.

Nico Rosberg was investigated for defending his position in a dangerous fashion, but the race stewards decided that he made just one continuous move before either Hamilton or Alonso were alongside him and judged it legal.

Others argued that he forced both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso off the track, which of course is dangerous and is illegal, after new regulation were brought in for 2012 to prevent such moves which were similar to Michael Schumacher's defending techniques at the Italian Grand Prix in 2011.

'I judged it to be harsh but fair, according to the rules we have and I didn't judge that it was putting my compadres in danger.' Rosberg told the BBC.

But while Rosberg obviously felt he was in the right and feels vindicated by the race stewards decision, the German driver does want the issues raised in the drivers meeting in Spain this weekend, as both Hamilton and Alonso have raised concerns.

He continued: 'we need to discuss it because they felt in danger which I didn't intentionally do, of course not,'

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton wasn't so much critical of the move or the decision, but called for the rules to be clarified: 'Fortunately neither of us got in trouble or hurt.

'Hopefully we will try to make the rules a little bit clearer so we won't be in that position again.'

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso made a sarcastic comment on his Twitter account after the decision, tweeting: 'I think you are going to have fun in future races! You can defend position as you want and you can overtake outside the track! Enjoy!'

The point Alonso makes is a valid one, if Rosberg is adjudged to be in the right then why wasn't Lewis Hamilton punished for overtaking off the track?

That point was argued on VitalF1 via this blog feature from the F1podcast guys and has also been raised by other drivers.

Red Bull's Mark Webber said: 'I was surprised Lewis was allowed to keep his position.

'It was for sure a situation Lewis didn't want to put himself in either, finding himself completely off the track, but ultimately the move was allowed to be kept.

'I'm sure we'll talk a bit more about it in the drivers' briefing.'

While Hamilton's McLaren team-mate also asked the same question: 'The problem with that manoeuvre is if Nico doesn't get penalised for pushing off the track, that means Lewis overtook off track,

'One of them should have been penalised whereas they both got away with it. It's difficult to know where the line is then.'

The VitalF1 poll showed that most of the VitalF1 users felt that Rosberg was more to blame in the incidents.

48% believed Rosberg should have been penalised for both moves with Hamilton and Alonso.

11% felt he should have just been penalised for the move on Alonso, 2% just for the move on Hamilton, while 39% believed the decision to not penalise him was correct.