I do not follow F1 at all so go easy here please, but why do some people hate Lewis Hamilton? What am I missing? I naively just support anyone English in all sports so am a bit confused.
Honestly it's just been boring watching him win it every year. As a person he's great and uses the sport to raise some important issues most recently his support for BLM and the way he has highlighted human rights abuses LGBT issues in the Middle East.
But he's a tedious racer and having the same person and car win it year after year is an issue for me.
I understand this point of view (as explained in my post regarding Schumacher) but I think you’re blaming Hamilton for having the best car (also as I did with Schumacher). This season was fantastic because it was a battle between two cars that were evenly matched. Verstappen showed how good a driver he was in the first half of the season, Hamilton in the second half. If Hamilton was in a vastly superior car again, I’d understand your POV a bit more. I’d also understand more if your issue was with Mercedes.
But Hamilton a “tedious racer”? Nah, not having that.
"Bono these tyres are gone" becomes a bit tedious when he wins with a 10s gap week in week out
Let's be honest, the Merc was a vastly superior car after they took the new engine in Brazil. But I'll concede that the Red Bull was the better car early on in the season.
Of course my issue is also with Mercedes but Bottas was never going to win a championship.
100% if every season throughout the Tubo Hybrid era had been like this one I wouldn't be so desperate for him to lose but he's only really had any competition in 2 of those years. The Mercedes car was utterly dominant in every season but this one.
Lewis Hamilton was definitely disadvantaged by the decision taken re the safety car. As they obviously can't go back to the position they were in when the safety car was introduced, is there anything in the rules that would allow for the championship to be shared?
There is no possible outcome of the race after appeal that would have them on the same points and Max without the extra win advantage.
Exactly - the race was being run under two different sets of rules. How do we know Sainz could have competed for the win without being stuck behind back markers who hadn’t been moved out.
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
@bobmunro I’m assuming bookies will have already paid out on Max winning both the race and the title? What happens if the result is reversed on any appeal?
Paddy Power, unsurprisingly, have paid out on both results.
The majority of bookmakers will, if the result is overturned. Paddy just using it for PR.
Thanks, hope it doesn’t affect your Christmas Bonus 😉
My family will not eat this Christmas - but don’t let that worry you.
I’ve emailed Marcus Rashford and he will be round with a hamper, will your butter be available to open the main gates at the end of your drive for him?
Fortnum & Mason hamper or he can do one!
He’s just sticking the ‘Gentlemen’s Relish’ in now
@bobmunro I’m assuming bookies will have already paid out on Max winning both the race and the title? What happens if the result is reversed on any appeal?
Paddy Power, unsurprisingly, have paid out on both results.
The majority of bookmakers will, if the result is overturned. Paddy just using it for PR.
Thanks, hope it doesn’t affect your Christmas Bonus 😉
My family will not eat this Christmas - but don’t let that worry you.
I’ve emailed Marcus Rashford and he will be round with a hamper, will your butter be available to open the main gates at the end of your drive for him?
Fortnum & Mason hamper or he can do one!
He’s just sticking the ‘Gentlemen’s Relish’ in now
Lovely - then I will tell my butler to usher him in and direct him to the tradesmen's entrance.
BBC reporting that a barrister (presumably English ?) has accompanied the Mercedes protest team into the 'appeal room' .. there's no mention if said barrister is wearing his wig and robe
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
It would seem Lewis would have won with the Williams crash IF the Race Director had applied the rules correctly and not make them up on the spot.
Yes, there seem to be three routes that would have given verstappen a chance:
a) allow all the cars to unlap themselves slightly sooner, runs a risk of driving in unsafe conditions so was not chosen
B ) recognise welly easily after the crash that red flagging the race would provide a fairer finale and one befitting the year
c ) do what they did which was by the time Massi got his head together the only way to have a last lap under race conditions.
ideally they would have gone with b) does look like c) is probably against the rules but I would be surprised if it were now overturned
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
Who has said it was contrived?
Isn’t there a notion that the way the last few laps unfolded has meant an ‘unsafe’ result? The last few laps were the way they were because of the crash weren’t they? Does that simply point to a correct result ultimately, even if the rules were applied in an amateurish way rather than being applied in order to favour a particular driver?
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
BBC reporting that a barrister (presumably English ?) has accompanied the Mercedes protest team into the 'appeal room' .. there's no mention if said barrister is wearing his wig and robe
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
To me, admittedly ignorant of the finer points of the sport, the shenanigans at the start when Lewis Hamilton took a short cut was balanced out by the shenanigans at the end. Max Verstappen is a worthy world champion because he was brave enough to visit Kwik fit when Hamilton stayed out on the track. I like Hamilton and wanted him to win, but there is some compensation that the ultra nationalists are pissed off.
What a twat you are.
So you are calling me a twat for saying that Hamilton could’ve changed his tyres earlier?
Don’t be so fucking obtuse. You know very well why you are being called out as a twat.
So it’s being ultra nationalist for a Brit to want a Brit to win? 80,000 at Wembley cheering for England are all ultra nationalists. Or the Irish at Landsdowne Road, or the Chinese in Beijing? I get the impression you take every opportunity to knock anything British.
The comments here are about rules and the decisions around those rules.
Of course people can root for a protagonist if they want to. I deliberately used the word ‘ultra’. I have worked with and known some absolutely wonderful Crystal Palace fans and am easy with their support for that club, but the Crystal Palace ‘ultras’ are a different kettle of fish as far as I am concerned. I commented in my post about the rules and decisions, did you miss that bit, perhaps it is you who is being obtuse. I don’t knock everything British, these islands have a wonderful landscape for a start.
I try not to respond to your trolling anymore because I find it tiresome. But the reason people pile in on you is because you try to introduce politics into every thread. This thread is about formula one and you bring in right wing nationalistic comments. You do yourself no favours mate.
I am afraid you’re simply wrong.
Anyway back to the race, if there is some kind of suspicious mystery regarding Perez retiring, is there also a suspicious mystery regarding the Williams crash which seemed to me to be the main factor regarding how the race finished? Would Lewis Hamilton have won without the Williams crash?
No conspiracy there, as Williams are very much in Mercedes camp. Latifi’s crash only helped Red Bull. If it had happened two laps later it might’ve raised some eyebrows though. 😳
The Williams crash and track debris ushered in the safety car and all that followed. It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won. It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
@bobmunro I’m assuming bookies will have already paid out on Max winning both the race and the title? What happens if the result is reversed on any appeal?
Paddy Power, unsurprisingly, have paid out on both results.
The majority of bookmakers will, if the result is overturned. Paddy just using it for PR.
Thanks, hope it doesn’t affect your Christmas Bonus 😉
My family will not eat this Christmas - but don’t let that worry you.
I’ve emailed Marcus Rashford and he will be round with a hamper, will your butter be available to open the main gates at the end of your drive for him?
Fortnum & Mason hamper or he can do one!
He’s just sticking the ‘Gentlemen’s Relish’ in now
Given the other thread shouldn’t that be ‘mens’ relish these days ?
Over the past few months I have found myself listening to the F1 commentary and becoming more interested in motorsport in general (particularly the BSB, which has been a revelation due to the skill, speed and drama). In the past few weeks with LH's fightback against MS, it has gripped me and I have been paying attention to F1 for the first time ever, pretty much.
However, I have been left befuddled by what I have heard in this afternoon's race. Hamilton was poised to achieve something amazing given how he was dead and buried in the championship a few weeks ago. Today he raced brilliantly and built up a considerable lead....then it was decided by the powers that be that he shouldn't win.
They allowed his rival to move up to his shoulder then presented LH with Hobson's choice. Go into the pits to get tyres which aren't knackered, come out behind MV and lose....or: Carry on racing on knackered tyres, and lose.
What a farce this so called 'sport' is, when arbitrary rules can be made up on the spot in order to ensure that the best marketing outcome is achieved (i.e a Verstappen win). Merit? Forget it.
Feel sorry for LH who has been robbed of a superlative achievement which has denied him of the recognition that he deserves as one of the truly outstanding sportsmen of his, or any, generation. He might not do himself any favours with his at times naive, privileged, wokery; but none of his detracts from his unarguable status as a sporting titan who should go down in history for his incredible sporting achievements.
If I were him, I'd walk away. The whole sham is fixed. F1 is so corrupt, it's a joke.
^^^^ .. terrific post .. I suspect Hamilton still has ambitions to match or overtake Schumacher's record .. age/time is not on his side .. I wonder if this whole fiasco has been engineered to keep the Schumacher legend alive .. probably not, BUT what did lead to this obvious piss take of a frame up ?
Mercedes protesting against the result is a bit pathetic tbh. I thought the people making decisions today got a lot of things wrong but they ain't going to admit it. The best Mercedes could get is a void race and that would leave Verstapen champion anyway.
I don’t think it’s pathetic when the whole world can see it was rigged.
personally dont think it was rigged - just a very poor split second decision that was a halfway house between two different ways of finishing the race that don't actually exist in the rulebook. Smacks of some one panicking in a high pressure situation.
Over the past few months I have found myself listening to the F1 commentary and becoming more interested in motorsport in general (particularly the BSB, which has been a revelation due to the skill, speed and drama). In the past few weeks with LH's fightback against MS, it has gripped me and I have been paying attention to F1 for the first time ever, pretty much.
However, I have been left befuddled by what I have heard in this afternoon's race. Hamilton was poised to achieve something amazing given how he was dead and buried in the championship a few weeks ago. Today he raced brilliantly and built up a considerable lead....then it was decided by the powers that be that he shouldn't win.
They allowed his rival to move up to his shoulder then presented LH with Hobson's choice. Go into the pits to get tyres which aren't knackered, come out behind MV and lose....or: Carry on racing on knackered tyres, and lose.
What a farce this so called 'sport' is, when arbitrary rules can be made up on the spot in order to ensure that the best marketing outcome is achieved (i.e a Verstappen win). Merit? Forget it.
Feel sorry for LH who has been robbed of a superlative achievement which has denied him of the recognition that he deserves as one of the truly outstanding sportsmen of his, or any, generation. He might not do himself any favours with his at times naive, privileged, wokery; but none of his detracts from his unarguable status as a sporting titan who should go down in history for his incredible sporting achievements.
If I were him, I'd walk away. The whole sham is fixed. F1 is so corrupt, it's a joke.
What really annoys me about today is there was absolutely no need for that drama at the end and all the chaos which now surrounds it. This season has been fantastic and I'm sure there are many new fans of F1 as a result as well as many returning who probably haven't watched for years.
When drama starts being manufactured like it was today F1 moves away from being a sport and becomes more like wrestling, which is sports entertainment with a pre determined winner. I don't think the result was rigged like people are suggesting but I do believe the decision was based purely around the added drama it would create. That is fundamentally wrong and like another poster suggested it is like awarding a penalty in the last minute just for added drama, knowing the decision was incorrect.
The result now is that Verstappen should be celebrating his first World title but is sat in limbo waiting for an outcome. Alternatively if the result is overturned then surely the victory would feel very hollow for Hamilton.
What an absolute mess. There is no sport i can think of that seems to repeatedly shoot itself in the foot like F1 does on an ongoing basis.
I think a couple of things come out of this Championship. Firstly it has been very exciting and a testament to that is that my wife watched the race today. Secondly, the rules need to be seriously re-considered along with the power of the race director. They should be clear to all and consistent and the race director should take on the role of policing them.
In both of the last two races, a clearly inferior package was given a leg up due to accidents. The whole race today was decided on the final lap despite being it effectively over with 10 laps to go. Yes it is exciting but it isn't good for the sport, long term, when it becomes farcical.
You could hear from the communications that Masi was out of his depth. I said he should have been sacked after the last race and as we know in football, when the referee becomes the talking point, something is wrong. If this wasn't the final race I could see the possibility of a Mercedes appeal having a chance, but it can't now that Verstappen has been crowned.
I think this outcome has shown us that we have a true champion in Hamilton. The greatest that has ever been and why there isn't a f*ing statue in Trafalgar Square representing that is what we should be debating. Hamilton will come back from this and ultimately it will enhance his legacy.
I’ll tell you who won’t recover from this …. Masi.
He basically made a critical error - in that even if he chose to let lapped competitors unlap themselves then you need to leave another lap to restart. He basically invented the only solution that would allow Max a chance to win.
He is cooked here and I don’t think we will see him in the hot seat again.
Comments
Let's be honest, the Merc was a vastly superior car after they took the new engine in Brazil. But I'll concede that the Red Bull was the better car early on in the season.
Of course my issue is also with Mercedes but Bottas was never going to win a championship.
100% if every season throughout the Tubo Hybrid era had been like this one I wouldn't be so desperate for him to lose but he's only really had any competition in 2 of those years. The Mercedes car was utterly dominant in every season but this one.
This is all playing into the owners' hands (and bank balance).
It looks to me that if it hadn’t have happened Lewis Hamilton would’ve won.
It doesn’t look to me like the Williams crash was contrived. I think that crash was the significant factor in the result because it couldn’t have been anticipated.
Who has said it was contrived?
Lovely - then I will tell my butler to usher him in and direct him to the tradesmen's entrance.
a) allow all the cars to unlap themselves slightly sooner, runs a risk of driving in unsafe conditions so was not chosen
c ) do what they did which was by the time Massi got his head together the only way to have a last lap under race conditions.
ideally they would have gone with b) does look like c) is probably against the rules but I would be surprised if it were now overturned
The last few laps were the way they were because of the crash weren’t they?
Does that simply point to a correct result ultimately, even if the rules were applied in an amateurish way rather than being applied in order to favour a particular driver?
However, I have been left befuddled by what I have heard in this afternoon's race. Hamilton was poised to achieve something amazing given how he was dead and buried in the championship a few weeks ago. Today he raced brilliantly and built up a considerable lead....then it was decided by the powers that be that he shouldn't win.
They allowed his rival to move up to his shoulder then presented LH with Hobson's choice.
Go into the pits to get tyres which aren't knackered, come out behind MV and lose....or:
Carry on racing on knackered tyres, and lose.
What a farce this so called 'sport' is, when arbitrary rules can be made up on the spot in order to ensure that the best marketing outcome is achieved (i.e a Verstappen win). Merit? Forget it.
Feel sorry for LH who has been robbed of a superlative achievement which has denied him of the recognition that he deserves as one of the truly outstanding sportsmen of his, or any, generation. He might not do himself any favours with his at times naive, privileged, wokery; but none of his detracts from his unarguable status as a sporting titan who should go down in history for his incredible sporting achievements.
If I were him, I'd walk away. The whole sham is fixed. F1 is so corrupt, it's a joke.
When drama starts being manufactured like it was today F1 moves away from being a sport and becomes more like wrestling, which is sports entertainment with a pre determined winner. I don't think the result was rigged like people are suggesting but I do believe the decision was based purely around the added drama it would create. That is fundamentally wrong and like another poster suggested it is like awarding a penalty in the last minute just for added drama, knowing the decision was incorrect.
The result now is that Verstappen should be celebrating his first World title but is sat in limbo waiting for an outcome. Alternatively if the result is overturned then surely the victory would feel very hollow for Hamilton.
What an absolute mess. There is no sport i can think of that seems to repeatedly shoot itself in the foot like F1 does on an ongoing basis.
when the flap on the rear wing opens on the straight in certain designated areas to aid overtaking.
basically reducing drag and increasing straight line speed
In both of the last two races, a clearly inferior package was given a leg up due to accidents. The whole race today was decided on the final lap despite being it effectively over with 10 laps to go. Yes it is exciting but it isn't good for the sport, long term, when it becomes farcical.
You could hear from the communications that Masi was out of his depth. I said he should have been sacked after the last race and as we know in football, when the referee becomes the talking point, something is wrong. If this wasn't the final race I could see the possibility of a Mercedes appeal having a chance, but it can't now that Verstappen has been crowned.
I think this outcome has shown us that we have a true champion in Hamilton. The greatest that has ever been and why there isn't a f*ing statue in Trafalgar Square representing that is what we should be debating. Hamilton will come back from this and ultimately it will enhance his legacy.
He basically made a critical error - in that even if he chose to let lapped competitors unlap themselves then you need to leave another lap to restart. He basically invented the only solution that would allow Max a chance to win.
He is cooked here and I don’t think we will see him in the hot seat again.