[M Hybrid V8]

Originally Posted by dmatre

The article you cite speaks of consistency, not of which rule/section takes precedence in the event that two conflict.

If we are free to pick & choose which are important, then why is 48.12 more important than 15.3, which gives the race director control over the safety car, and mentions nothing about lap cars or any other parameter?

But does the rule mean Masi can decide to do whatever he wants in such situations, or that he has the ultimate authority in the correct application of the rules?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59631665

[dmatre]

Originally Posted by M2CS

But does the rule mean Masi can decide to do whatever he wants in such situations, or that he has the ultimate authority in the correct application of the rules?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59631665

That is the question, isn't it? If the rules give him the power, then he has the power.

When you look at the intention behind the rules, the intention of 48.12 was to get lap cars out of the way and let the leaders race without interference, after a safety car period. Was the intention not followed?

Mercedes opted not once, but twice, to stay out on worn tires during a safety car period, even though they had both pace and time in hand.

Lewis was undoubtedly headed toward an 8th championship, but poor luck (Poor Latifi) and poor pit wall decisions snatched it away at the last moment. Both Lewis and Valteri knew what was coming after they failed to pit for fresh tires. But in today's society, if you can't win on the field of play, take it to the courts...

[M Hybrid V8]

Originally Posted by dmatre

That is the question, isn't it? If the rules give him the power, then he has the power.

When you look at the intention behind the rules, the intention of 48.12 was to get lap cars out of the way and let the leaders race without interference, after a safety car period. Was the intention not followed?

Mercedes opted not once, but twice, to stay out on worn tires during a safety car period, even though they had both pace and time in hand.

Lewis was undoubtedly headed toward an 8th championship, but poor luck (Poor Latifi) and poor pit wall decisions snatched it away at the last moment. Both Lewis and Valteri knew what was coming after they failed to pit for fresh tires. But in today's society, if you can't win on the field of play, take it to the courts...

The intention of 48.12 is to get ALL lapped cars pass the safety car, not just some of them. Moreover, the rule state the safety car will end on the following lap, not the same lap. So as you can tell, the rules were broken. Now you're using hindsight to say Mercedes had opportunity to pit. How can Mercedes have known 48.12 was going to be broken or overruled? It has never been modified before and Masi himself specifically pointed out that rule last year at the Nurburgring GP. Understand that if the rule is not broken and HAM pits, Mercedes would have just handed Max the title on a silver platter.

So do you really think Mercedes would choose to pit HAM based on an assumption that Masi might change rules on the fly? If so, how would they know exactly which rules were to be modified? Masi even went back and forth on the rules live on air, first no lapped car were allowed to overtake, then RB complained and now all of a sudden he's rushing to allow some of them to overtake. That's just not how a legitimate sport does business. The rules mean everything otherwise teams cannot make strategy decisions.

Redbull only pitted because they had nothing to lose due to the fact they were losing the race, not because they were aware of a rule modification that was about to take place. They begged Masi to assist them and he caved in.

Fortunately for Redbull and F1 as a whole, Mercedes can't take their appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport. They have overturned championships before. But as it stands, Mercedes can only appeal to the FIA who undoubtedly are in damage control and will not want to further prove they're running a clown show.

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Last lap seen from behind. Amazing footage.

https://mobile.twitter.com/JamesJohn...18952748392450

VER's move into T5 was a thing of beauty. Incredible control under braking, just enough of a block to disrupt HAM's corner momentum, and maximum drive on exit given the compromised racing line.

I'm surprised HAM didn't expect it. If he had, he could have delayed in the initial phase of the corner instead of being disrupted/blocked mid corner (0:53-0:54 in the video). Set up for a late apex behind VER and maximum drive out. That side by side moment killed HAM's corner exit, and even still it was a race into T6.

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

VER's move into T5 was a thing of beauty. Incredible control under braking, just enough of a block to disrupt HAM's corner momentum, and maximum drive on exit given the compromised racing line.

I'm surprised HAM didn't expect it. If he had, he could have delayed in the initial phase of the corner instead of being disrupted/blocked mid corner (0:53-0:54 in the video). Set up for a late apex behind VER and maximum drive out. That side by side moment killed HAM's corner exit, and even still it was a race into T5.

This! At that particular moment I thought: WTH! That gap is so wide and could fit Toto's ego twice

Talking about a 7 times WDC and his (lack of?) experience....well done Max....


Cheers
Robin

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by Robin_NL

This! At that particular moment I thought: WTH! That gap is so wide and could fit Toto's ego twice

Talking about a 7 times WDC and his (lack of?) experience....well done Max....


Cheers
Robin

He's just still taking guys by surprise under braking.

This footage is also great. HAM is initially fading a bit left (protecting) into the T5 brake zone. Already deep into the brake zone, HAM probably concludes it's too late, VER isn't coming here. So, then he sets up wide to maximize corner exit, protect down the next straight. If HAM doesn't and VER takes the wider line, VER gets the much better drive onto the straight.

But the moment HAM fades back right, VER reacts and dives to the inside. Millisecond decision & reaction, perfectly executed, in the space of a few dozen meters at 180 mph, or whatever it is there... just nuts.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...AXbwn2sQ6.html

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

He's just still taking guys by surprise under braking.

This footage is also great. HAM is initially fading a bit left (protecting) into the T5 brake zone. Already deep into the brake zone, HAM probably concludes it's too late, VER isn't coming here. So, then he sets up wide to maximize corner exit, protect down the next straight. If HAM doesn't and VER takes the wider line, VER gets the much better drive onto the straight.

But the moment HAM fades back right, VER reacts and dives to the inside. Millisecond decision & reaction, perfectly executed, in the space of a few dozen meters at 180 mph, or whatever it is there... just nuts.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...AXbwn2sQ6.html

Cheers
Robin

[M5Rick]

By the time everyone was sorted by Mikey (for how he sees fit in the circumstances notwithstanding whatever rules apply indirectly) the remaining lap and a half was in race mode and that's what the drivers and the fans wanted.

[Robin_NL]

Mercedes definitely* deserves the constructor's championship. Lewis' Benz is way faster than Max' RBR.

Cheers
Robin






* I posted a video of Jos Verstappen doubting Mercedes' intentions and cheating.....

[MontyB1]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Last lap seen from behind. Amazing footage.

https://mobile.twitter.com/JamesJohn...18952748392450

I'm surprised that the team didn't protest the weaving during that second strait as well as the others when you watch it again. They have certainly given penalties for less before.

[M Hybrid V8]

[forza1976]

Originally Posted by M2CS

That was awesome!!!

[M Hybrid V8]

Originally Posted by forza1976

That was awesome!!!

This one is good as well!

[M5Rick]

Max and Checo having a hug

[e90335e36m3]

Just stopping by to say Hamilton got gapped bad.

[MontyB1]

[M Hybrid V8]

Originally Posted by MontyB1

He did a good job staying neutral and sticking to the facts.

[EnVe46]

While Im no track rat I do understand the dynamics quite a bit... If you think HAM was going to be able to brake as hard and as late as VER could, you clearly don't belong in this debate. Moreover, the fact that HAM knew he couldn't tells you a bit more about it.

VER had a hell of a year and it was extremely entertaining all season. That said, he didn't win this race which led to the championship by his ability. Luck was on his side. There was no pit advantage RB did that yielded these results. The more and more Im reading into it and looking at it from a nonbiased position, Im starting to really see the arguments several are making against the decision MASI made. At the end of the day, the results are the results, nothing can change them. HAM deserved the win based off this races performance, if you can't see that you're blinded by bias/hate. Sounds familiar and consistent for 2021...........

[BurtBMW]

Originally Posted by M2CS

I think Michael Masi needs to be terminated effective immediately. Purposely overriding rules to give another team an advantage to win a championship cannot be tolerated in any sport. If ratings are what they're after, F1 might as well hire Michael Bay as their race director and let him script Hollywood-style races where the cars driven by Vin Diesel and The Rock go racing through cities with traffic and pedestrians while fleeing the police.

It's impossible for any team to know when a race director is going to break (aka override) the rulebook. Had the FIA's rulebook been followed, the race would've ended under a safety car, but Max wasn't catching Lewis before the safety car anyway. So Mercedes gets punished & disadvantaged for assuming the FIA would adhere to their own rules regarding the handling of safety cars?!

Masi = Terminated

I completely agree. Regardless of a boring finish or not the rules have to be followed so that the FIA can retain their authority over F1. They need to not have direct lines between the team and the race director if this is what is going to happen.

[Artemis]

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...lqwPraGo0.html

"PALMER: Whatever you thought of the Abu Dhabi outcome, Verstappen was a worthy champion in 2021
(...)
Max has never been afraid to tough it out against Lewis, as he regularly puts his car into risky positions in the heat of battle, and he certainly isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of acceptability with the stewards either, particularly demonstrated in the manic race in Saudi Arabia.
But through it all, his uncompromising racing nature has made a seven-time champion’s life incredibly difficult, in a season where the top two have been battling each other an inordinate amount of times.
In all his seasons of championship battles, I don’t think Hamilton has ever faced a driver as ruthless in combat as Verstappen.
Even in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen attacked with the mentality of pure aggression on the opening lap against Hamilton – a move I thought was extremely aggressive, but legitimate. Then again in the title-clinching move on the final lap."

[///M Power-Belgium]

[QUOTE=Killed by Death;28357124]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Hammy should have used #1 while he could

Can't wait to see the new avatar!!!

From the moment that MAX puts the number 1 on ..I'll pull a snapshot and that will be my new avatar .
Honestly .I really liked number 33 , but actually MAX really deserves to be the number 1 ..

On the other hand : Too bad for all the MAX fans with Red Bull T-Shirts ,Polo-Shirts, cap and other stuff with the number 33.
From now on they have to buy number 1 , smart move by MAX !

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by StatenEye

Look how close Verstappen and Perez were yet Bottas was miles back from Lewis. If it were ALL car why isn't Bottas performing better? Lewis was on harder tires and still pulled from Max after Perez held him up when Max was on fresh tires... Max locked the tires in quali and ruined a set. Then on race day Max tried to end the race early sending Lewis off track... It was clear to me. Also, I don't understand why only LH benefits from the mysterious Merc PU and not Bottas, can you explain that pls?

Originally Posted by Bartledoo

I would never say “it’s all car.” Lewis is one of the best of all time. Try to keep track of who you are judging, and which group we may or may not belong to. I’m in the “appreciates both Lewis and Max equally” group.

Further, Hamilton is on another level relative Bottas. This is clear to see because they are in the SAME car. That’s how you make a fair assessment of pace - same car, same tires, etc. There are hundreds of millions of dollars in divergent design philosophies and you think it’s a good comparison?

I’m sure many things are “clear” to you. Doesn’t mean there is a factual basis. Then again, everyone has different “facts” in even the most basic instances.

Lol. One instance where Perez is remotely close to Max over a race and you're using it as an example? What about the majority of the season where that wasn't the case..

I'm definitely no Lewis fan, and was happy to see someone win it other then him, and Max certainly deserved it after his performance over the season. But as Bartledoo mentioned, I'm also in the appreciate both camp. Both Max and Lewis are exceptional talents, Senna and Schumacher level, one just has more accolades then the other at the moment. Bottas and Perez are both excellent drivers, but neither is near the level of their teammates, and that's a FACT.