Formula 1 2021-2022 Off-Season and Mid-season break threadFormula 1

[Famine]

Looks like he got his manbag caught on the doorhandle on the way into the physio's room.

 

[andrea]

Maybe its just me but from that angle, I cannot unsee this:

View attachment 1114463

Nando: First Blood

 

[Jimlaad43]

Thanks Pierre and Yuki...

 

[05XR8]

Look like his audition for Sniper, in Training Day, at the dinner table: "I got my **** pushed in, BIG TIME, Bro!"

 

[WiisardNic]

Looks so different without the stands and barriers.

Especially with the pedestrian/chain barriers.

Yep.
On a side note in 1988 Prost scored the most points in the season but was not champion because of some weird rule that only a number of results counted. By models everything counts standards Prost would have been champion by being "better" by collecting more points.

Also by more modern standards Senna would have been disqualified from 1990 results.

While the kudos in some peoples opinions goes to the better driver who didn't get the title... So I sort of rate 88,89,90 in favour or Prost,Senna,Prost

I wouldn't really say it's a 'weird' rule though. The counting of a certain number of results had been in place in some manner since the inception of the World Championship, and the counting of all results has been been in place since.

Although, I agree wholeheartedly about the Prost/Senna/Prost rating

 

[Liquid]

 

[AshenGraey]

Can't say that I'm surprised! Figured someone's head was going to roll for this to appease some hurt feelings and angers.

 

[NICKname]

I wonder who Mercedes will choose to be the new race director. They're bound to win a bunch more championships now.

 

[Famine]

Well, Masi's done the job he was asked to do and now he's been sneaked out of the door while everyone was looking at the new Ferrari...

 

[MagpieRacer]

Michael Masi removed as F1 race director as part of FIA restructure in wake of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Michael Masi is removed as F1 race director as part of a restructure at governing body the FIA in the wake of last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

www.bbc.co.uk

2 race directors will alternate and will also be assisted by Herbie Blash who was deputy race director under Charlie Whiting as well as a remote VAR style race director as well. A new layer will provide a platform for team communication and they won't be able to communicate directly with the race directors.

 

[andrea]

"So you're saying that I will be offered a new position with a higher pay and will no longer need to travel 25 weeks a year? I see that as an absolute win." - Masi (probably)

 

[daan]

The words scape and goat spring to mind.

Circumstance made it an impossible decision. It was a decision he shouldn't have made but bigger, more powerful, whinier boys forced him to do it and then ran away.

 

[AshenGraey]

The words scape and goat spring to mind.

Circumstance made it an impossible decision. It was a decision he shouldn't have made but bigger, more powerful, whinier boys forced him to do it and then ran away.

He could have avoided all that had he just red flag the race when the crash happened. Oh well, what's done is done.
What we have now are new regs, new cars, new race directors for a brand new season, let's see how things shake up.

 

[daan]

He could have avoided all that had he just red flag the race when the crash happened.

But that's doing something different too. Latifi's single car accident did not warrant a red flag. If he had been upside down and on fire then sure throw the red flag but he wasn't.

 

[MagpieRacer]

But that's doing something different too. Latifi's single car accident did not warrant a red flag. If he had been upside down and on fire then sure throw the red flag but he wasn't.

And if they didn't move the lapped cars, which he didn't have to, Verstappen could have still won anyway.

 

[C-ZETA]

While Masi may not be entirely to blame for Abu Dhabi - outside influences did more than their fair share - it was he who pulled the trigger, as it were. He had to go.

On the one hand, I'm quite suspicious of the virtual race control they've introduced - could be anything really, need more clarification on that. On the other, Eduardo Freitas being a replacement is 100% the right call. He wouldn't have taken any bull from the radio messages we won't be able to hear any more (and thank god). I'm not familiar with Niels Wittich's work, hopefully he'll be at least as strong a race director.

 

[AshenGraey]

But that's doing something different too. Latifi's single car accident did not warrant a red flag. If he had been upside down and on fire then sure throw the red flag but he wasn't.

That may be true but I think most people would have taken that option over the controversial ending that we all got. As previously mentioned, what's done is done. There's no point arguing about it anymore and he's gone now and whether that's for the best or worst, we'll just have to wait and see how everything unfold when the lights go out at the first race of the season.

 

[FoxMulder]

F1 made decisions for added drama like broadcasting communications to the race director, then got shocked when things got to where it did. More people might not help any.

I don’t get how f1 can’t deal with lapped cars better. Letting them all through takes forever and they should be able to find a way to just drop them to the back.

 

[-Fred-]

I'm not familiar with Niels Wittich's work, hopefully he'll be at least as strong a race director.

He was DTM's race director. And that championship didn't end up in controversy last season, oh no absolutely not.

 

[GroupB]

Regardless of what happened and who’s to blame, Masi had demonstrated that he was easily pushed around by the team bosses, and he had to go in order to avoid more of the same.

 

[C-ZETA]

He was DTM's race director. And that championship didn't end up in controversy last season, oh no absolutely not.

Was that entirely his fault though? It seems like there's not a lot any race director can do about two championship contenders crippling their cars, nor a manufacturer implementing team orders, however blatant they were.

 

[O604]

Why wouldn't they announce the new position? Doesn't sound like the mafia at all.

"Michael Masi will be replaced as Formula 1 Race Director and offered a new position within the FIA as part of a series of changes following the governing body’s analysis into last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix."

 

[MagpieRacer]

Why wouldn't they announce the new position? Doesn't sound like the mafia at all.

"Michael Masi will be replaced as Formula 1 Race Director and offered a new position within the FIA as part of a series of changes following the governing body’s analysis into last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix."

Probably because it won't have anything to do with F1 and/or hasn't been offered and/or accepted yet.

 

[TypeRDC5]

The words scape and goat spring to mind.

Circumstance made it an impossible decision. It was a decision he shouldn't have made but bigger, more powerful, whinier boys forced him to do it and then ran away.

He would've been slated regardless of his decision on the day.
I wouldn't have liked to have been in his position at that time.

He had to go, imagine the reaction if he made another decision that favoured red bull in 2022 regardless of the circumstances.

 

[sillybilly]

Especially with the pedestrian/chain barriers.

I wouldn't really say it's a 'weird' rule though. The counting of a certain number of results had been in place in some manner since the inception of the World Championship, and the counting of all results has been been in place since.

Although, I agree wholeheartedly about the Prost/Senna/Prost rating

Things you learn, I though the selective points were only in some of the 60s and 80s but stand corrected. As far as I knot 1988 was the only year a driver other than the champion scored the most points, and maybe once in the early 60s a driver ranked 3rd who had 2nd most points and other than those odd / weird(?) incidents it didn't change the results?

I still think it's weird, maybe there is logic that it was to counter the affect of mechanical reliability in early days, but is there any other championship competitions that use a selective results counting system?

"So you're saying that I will be offered a new position with a higher pay and will no longer need to travel 25 weeks a year? I see that as an absolute win." - Masi (probably)

"And I stay employed and get a big cash bonus if I just sign this confidentially deed to not reveal who called in the orders?" - Masi (probably)

And if they didn't move the lapped cars, which he didn't have to, Verstappen could have still won anyway.

This is the clincher for me, the move changed it from an almost certain win to a certain win. Who really needed it to be 99% instead of 90%?

Michael Masi removed as F1 race director as part of FIA restructure in wake of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Michael Masi is removed as F1 race director as part of a restructure at governing body the FIA in the wake of last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

www.bbc.co.uk

2 race directors will alternate and will also be assisted by Herbie Blash who was deputy race director under Charlie Whiting as well as a remote VAR style race director as well. A new layer will provide a platform for team communication and they won't be able to communicate directly with the race directors.

2 race director puppets with alternate... (probably)

 

[Jimlaad43]

@sillybilly, please don't double post, let alone quadruple post...

 

[sillybilly]

While Masi may not be entirely to blame for Abu Dhabi - outside influences did more than their fair share - it was he who pulled the trigger, as it were. He had to go.

On the one hand, I'm quite suspicious of the virtual race control they've introduced - could be anything really, need more clarification on that. On the other, Eduardo Freitas being a replacement is 100% the right call. He wouldn't have taken any bull from the radio messages we won't be able to hear any more (and thank god). I'm not familiar with Niels Wittich's work, hopefully he'll be at least as strong a race director.

Letting through 5 cars and leaving 3 behind is so illogical in the context of the race, 2 of the drivers left behind had grabbed new tyre and should have had an advantage in their midfield battles...

That decision looks like hollywood thinking not a race director thinking... I just hope that he gets a really good payout.

EDIT: sorry for multiple posts. end.

 

[Liquid]

As far as I knot 1988 was the only year a driver other than the champion scored the most points, and maybe once in the early 60s a driver ranked 3rd who had 2nd most points and other than those odd / weird(?) incidents it didn't change the results?

John Surtees' 1964 title was also won on dropped scores.

It doesn't matter if it 'only' affected the championship twice, once or never at all. Dropped scores have always been a horrific idea on principle; if only the best eleven results count, then just have eleven races.

 

[GroupB]

A big component of the dropped score system was the fact that many teams and drivers did not contest all the rounds in those days.
The same was also true in the WRC, where the factory teams would cherry-pick the rounds that offered the best chance of a strong result. Some events only paid points for the drivers championship instead of both drivers & manufacturers, and these rounds were often ignored.

 

[PeterJB]

Most years they got away with having dropped scores as the cars were so unreliable it was a miracle if you even finished eleven races in a season.