Anyone Gonna Watch The F1 Decider?

[gubbyduffer]

I actually forgot about Road Racing in general, good call! Allthough those guys are almost racing on as advanced bikes as the SBK championships with electronics, they show that motorsports take at least two balls.


The rules say that lapped cars can overtake the pacecar in case the race directors say so. In my opinion all cars should have done this according to the rules, but we never got to analyse if every car even could in a safe way. It was clear the 5 cars between max and lewis could do that in a safe way. Besides that, if we look at it from a tactical perspective, Mercedes chose track position instead of giving up seconds to change tyres while Redbull both times changed tyres and got the advantage of that.

There where enough incidents where Mercedes and/or Hamilton have not been penalized enough (Silverstone / Hungaroring) and where Max has earned his fair share of penalties. I admit the crash at Imola (was it? Turn one Max flew over the curbs and landed on Lewis his car) was bonkers and was totally unnecessary. I also agree with you that Jos is bit of an dick next to not being a very good racedriver (he did more miles in the gravel than on the turf) but he's not liked overall in the Netherlands. If you think Jos or Max are not likeable, you can't say Toto is in my opinion.

Next season will be a tougher one for all teams, but I do agree Mercedes will draw the longer straw.

I feel your point falls down early on. You agree all cars should be allowed to unlap as per the regulations. Teams make strategy based on the regulations. If all cars should be allowed to unlap, then the RD waits until it is checked to allow them all to do so, even if that means finishing under the safety car. You don't change or interpret such a rule for the sake of a spectacle. Of course Red Bull would be hounding weak Masi. The cards had become loaded in their favour. Its Masi's obligation to not pa der to this.

You forgot to mention that the safety car came in a lap too early, regardless of how many cars the RD allows to unlap themselves. The regs state that once the last unlapping car has passed the leader car, the safety cars will come into the pits "at the end if the following lap."
The official report to the protest released by FIA admits that reg 48.12 (I think) was not applied. Red Bulls argument was that 48.13 supercedes this reg, but I believe that to be a very poor defence.
We will agree to differ on Toto Wolff, but here in the UK Christian Horner gets FAR TOO much air time on C4 to put forward any points he wishes to make. I never see any Team Principals interviewed other that the occasional interview with Toto. Horner IMO is the most unlikeable man in F1. It's telling that Toto instigated a hand shake before the debacle in Abu Dhabi, but Horner only sought to chase down Toto for a hand shake after a gloating win.
I may never bother Verstappen or Horner, but myself and many millions of others will feel his championship win is tainted, and it's not really his fault. Michael Masi is the one to blame here.

 

[DanWil84]

It might be a strange move to suddenly apply a rule that was first not allowed, but the point is that we are also talking safety here, which is also mentioned in 15.3 according to the final verdict of the commission they complained to. This says the RD can use the safety car in any way, also for safety reasons. Why they used this rule for 3 or 4 laps with no needed safety measures on the rest of the track beats me, but like said there has been a lot of dubious calls gone in the direction of Lewis and Mercedes. Forgot Silverstone? 5 seconds for that incident? And then even celebrate?

Fair point to say Horner isn't a likeable man either, like said you see what you can see and you generally see Toto with either a grumpy face or absolutely livid, so I'll talk your word for it. I don't know Jos for real, but in his driving days I wasn't charmed of him either. Max clearly has his driving genes from Mom and in some way the temper of Dad.

On to next season, like said with the new wing package and smaller/wider tires it will be a walk in the park for Mercedes again.

 

[briarbuck]

Absolutely an incredible season and the finale was the cherry on top.

 

[gubbyduffer]

Next season should be interesting although Masi has to go and stewarding needs sorted out.

I honestly felt that Lewis made the move at Silverstone with the honest belief he could pass cleanly but misjudged it. I don't get that feeling from Max. He attacks every move with an air of entitlement.
Why should Lewis not celebrate at Silverstone? These comments by Verstappen are a sadder indictment of him that of Lewis. Verstappen went off track on lap 1. Lewis enquired how he was, his engineer told him he was ok and out of the car. I know a lot can happen in 90 minutes, but by the time Lewis took the podium news of any poor condition of Verstappen would have been relayed to him.
I almost laughed thinking of a reciprocal scenario where a sombre Max leads a minute silence of the Oranje Army from the top step of the podium at Zandvoort having put Lewis in the tyre wall on lap 1. Let's get real here because that wouldn't happen.
The other incident to which you refer was at Monza. Max made a desperate lunge from nowhere, from which his car slid over Lewis' head before beaching itself onto his car. Having dropped into neutral because the tyre stopped spinning for a few seconds, Max proceeded to drop it into gear and try to wheel spin off. He had no idea how Lewis was, whether his halo had been compromised or whether any debris may be caught in his tyres which may have been dangerous. Once he realised he was stuck, he exited the car and never looked back. Speaks volumes really.

 

[briarbuck]

Drive to Survive is going to be must watch TV. lol

Don't forget that Mercedes took out Both Red Bulls early on in the season. Karma?

 

[Fiddlepiper]

I will admit I’m not an avid follower of F1. But to someone from the “outside” the way the race was concluded seemed very bizarre.

As much as I can understand the want for a spectacle, deciding to let some but not all lapped cars pass seems a little unfair on Mercedes who had planned their strategy according to their perceived view of the rules.

Maybe next year the outcome could be decided by flipping a two headed coin? ?

 

[balkisobrains]

Grassroots small-tire no-prep vids are the best. Most everything else that used to be exciting is now a yawn. IOMTT is still bad-ass.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Senna & Schumacher were my favourite drivers and Max reminds me of them with his win at all costs mentality.
George Russell going up against Hamilton next year in equal machinery is going to be interesting.

 

[briarbuck]

Senna & Schumacher were my favourite drivers and Max reminds me of them with his win at all costs mentality.
George Russell going up against Hamilton next year in equal machinery is going to be interesting.

Indeed. I think the rivalry has reached that level. Similar in personalities as well. Iceman vs the Artist.

 

[Sonorisis]

Sir Lewis Hamilton, to you!