Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021Formula 1

[AshenGraey]

It is a pity that the last few laps marred what has otherwise been a great season, and even the race yesterday was a masterclass in how to fight against a far superior car.

Max was pretty much defeated by the middle of the race, but Checo and a series of smart strategic decisions by Max and RB got him back into the race, and irrespective of the race director's decisions Max was just meters behind Lewis by the last few laps and ought to have been right on his gearbox but for the delayed decision to let the lapped cars pass the SC.

It's a shame that RB's genuinely excellent teamwork and decisions yesterday are being ignored here, albeit admittedly it's impossible to ignore Masi's influence on the race too. But the upshot is that Max was within striking distance of Lewis on merit even though the Mercedes has been the far better car for the last 4 races. RB needed a stroke of luck and arguably got two in quick succession - Latifi's accident followed by Masi's (in)decision. Merc, on the other hand, needed Masi to play it in their favour by keeping Max off Lewis's gearbox, since otherwise they had been out-played strategically and they knew that Lewis would lose if the race were to restart with the cars in their proper order.

Actually I don't think that's quite right. Max was not catching Lewis fast enough to win this race. With 10 laps to go he was still 12 seconds behind on fresher tires with 6 laps to go he was still hovering around the 10 seconds mark. Max relative to Lewis did not have the pace to win that race outright. You could see that even after he got less than 2 seconds behind Lewis after he got held up by Perez (which I have to say was really awesome at defending unlike the current champion. He kept it in between the lines and there was no foul play) Max couldn't keep up and Lewis just opened the gap again. Red Bull really needed that "miracle" to have Max win that race such was Lewis' pace.

 

[MagpieRacer]

You need to remove the “whole season” from this. The fact is Lewis was equal on points too and dominating the race.

Then all of a sudden the rules change without cause. I personally wouldn’t feel great about a victory like that. And many RB fans I know agree.

If you honestly think that the decision was not influenced by Max and Horner then I’m not sure what to tell you.

Why would we remove the whole season? This is a championship, consisting of 22 races. Why would we remove what went before? Max is in the car, he’s not influenced anyone, Wolff is as guilty as Horner all throughout yesterday for trying to influence the safety cars AND even if Masi followed the rules and let every car through at the point he said he wouldn’t, they would have still been together and had at least 1 lap to race. So I’d argue nothing changes whether the rules are followed or not.

Heck I’d even argue even with 5 cars between them, they all jump out of the way before turn 4 and Max catches and passes Lewis before the end anyway.

Either way. Regardless of how the restart was handled, no matter how big your #Blessed44 tattoo is, it takes nothing away from BOTH drivers performances in the 21 races prior. And as I said, flip the roles around, if Mercedes’ pitted Hamilton and Verstappen stayed out for track position, safety car gets botched and Hamilton passes for the win, you wouldn’t be complaining.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Coming next year, random race starts.

Why wait for five lights, the Race Director will make things spicy by starting the race after a number of lights they pick on a whim!

 

[pumaATTACK]

Why would we remove the whole season? This is a championship, consisting of 22 races. Why would we remove what went before? Max is in the car, he’s not influenced anyone, Wolff is as guilty as Horner all throughout yesterday for trying to influence the safety cars AND even if Masi followed the rules and let every car through at the point he said he wouldn’t, they would have still been together and had at least 1 lap to race. So I’d argue nothing changes whether the rules are followed or not.

Heck I’d even argue even with 5 cars between them, they all jump out of the way before turn 4 and Max catches and passes Lewis before the end anyway.

Either way. Regardless of how the restart was handled, no matter how big your #Blessed44 tattoo is, it takes nothing away from BOTH drivers performances in the 21 races prior. And as I said, flip the roles around, if Mercedes’ pitted Hamilton and Verstappen stayed out for track position, safety car gets botched and Hamilton passes for the win, you wouldn’t be complaining.

You need to remove the whole season because it came down to that one decision. Without it Max is not champion. Lewis was on equal points so Max didn't earn it before this race....

Max needed intervention and got it. If you feel great about that, then thats your choice.

 

[pumaATTACK]

Which also applies to Wolff as he stated there shouldn't have been a VSC for Giovanazzi's car. If any team principal is found to do this (mainly to manipulate the race for their own driver) they should be penalized.

Agreed that a team should not impact any safety decision. And keep in mind they still had a VSC for Giovanazzi so Toto didn't influence any change there.

 

[MagpieRacer]

You need to remove the whole season because it came down to that one decision. Without it Max is not champion. Lewis was on equal points so Max didn't earn it before this race....

Max needed intervention and got it. If you feel great about that, then thats your choice.

Don’t be so ridiculous.

Agreed that a team should not impact any safety decision. And keep in mind they still had a VSC for Giovanazzi so Toto didn't influence any change there.

How do you know Toto didn’t influence that? He came on the radio and begged for no safety car, how do we know that didn’t influence Masi in not putting a safety car out?

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

You need to remove the whole season because it came down to that one decision. Without it Max is not champion. Lewis was on equal points so Max didn't earn it before this race....

Max needed intervention and got it. If you feel great about that, then thats your choice.

They would have to revisit each race and review the decisions made. The ultimate courtroom drama coming to Netflix spring 2022: Contrive to Survive

 

[pumaATTACK]

Don’t be so ridiculous.

How do you know Toto didn’t influence that? He came on the radio and begged for no safety car, how do we know that didn’t influence Masi in not putting a safety car out?

Explain how Max won it before that race, with them being tied? I am not taking any shot at Max's season and his accomplishments, he had an amazing season. But to say he deserved the championship because he was tied going into the last race and being behind Lewis at the last race is super odd. No doubt Max drove himself into a championship position but he still needed to finish on more points than Lewis. He hadn't earned it beforehand.

 

[Barra333]

And keep in mind they still had a VSC for Giovanazzi so Toto didn't influence any change there.

Toto accepted that the VSC was a given. He was begging to keep the actual safety car off track.

 

[Famine]

no matter how big your #Blessed44 tattoo is

Yeah, no. You don't have to be a Hamilton fan to suggest that the Race Director creating new rules which contradict his own previous edicts at a crucial moment is a bad thing.

This isn't "if you're not with Verstappen you're with Hamilton", or vice versa, and never has been. It is not helpful to discussion to pretend otherwise.

Wolff is as guilty as Horner all throughout yesterday for trying to influence the safety cars

And was also called out for it in this thread. I know, because I did it and I wasn't exactly alone. Turns out you can hold both the opinion that Wolff was wrong to call to sacrifice safety for racing and the opinion that Horner was wrong to call for special treatment and new legislation at the same time.

Weirdly, both got what they wanted, though Wolff's request was only fractionally likely to be denied as the incident didn't merit a full SC.

 

[pumaATTACK]

Toto accepted that the VSC was a given. He was begging to keep the actual safety car off track.

if thats the case then I am wrong. I don't think any team should impact the safety of the other drivers and marshals.

 

[Barra333]

if thats the case then I am wrong. I don't think any team should impact the safety of the other drivers and marshals.

I had to do a sanity check. First 14sec of this.

 

[O604]

In addition to Jon Todt leaving FIA. I read Ross Brawn is also leaving F1 (are they both going back to Ferrari?). IMO hard people to replace.

https://www.grandprix.com/news/brawn-symonds-to-lose-top-f1-jobs.html

 

[OutlawQuadrnt]

Still annoyed at that outcome yesterday.

Not sure how any Max or Redbull fan can enjoy that either. Let alone how Max or Horner can feel satisfied. Such a hollow, fabricated title. Would feel super cheap to me.

I honestly couldn't enjoy seeing them ultimately adjusting the result and, therefore, awarding the WDC to Hamilton either. There's not much joy missing out on F1 history that could've unfolded that night and instead being awarded well down the road via a legal proceeding.

The damage is done. What could've been something special for either driver is forever stained in controversy, quite possibly the biggest in this sport's history. In the attempt to maximize the significant of this year's championship, they shattered it into a million pieces and there is no way to fix it.

 

[pumaATTACK]

I honestly couldn't enjoy seeing them ultimately adjusting the result and, therefore, awarding the WDC to Hamilton either. There's not much joy missing out on F1 history that could've unfolded that night and instead being awarded well down the road via a legal proceeding.

The damage is done. What could've been something special for either driver is forever stained in controversy, quite possibly the biggest in this sport's history. In the attempt to maximize the significant of this year's championship, they shattered it into a million pieces and there is no way to fix it.

Agreed and I don’t want it overturned in court. That just feels gross.

 

[ND4SPD]

I guess you're a Hamilton/Mercedes fan since you chose to ignore that Toto was trying to influence SC calls too?

I think the difference here was that Masi decided on no lapped cars be able to unlap themselves and then having Horner on the radio asking for the lapped cars to be waved through which everyone knew would most likely change the outcome of the race and championship. Then minutes later Masi reversed his decision to only let a few strategically placed lap cars to go through leaving Ham a sitting duck for Verstappen with brand new softs. The whole situation was just strange to me.

 

[Blitz24]

Agreed and I don’t want it overturned in court. That just feels gross.

Thirded. If for some reason Mercedes AMG pushes FIA to change the result via a court ruling, it would be even worse for the sport.

 

[GroupB]

Horner thanking him certainly didn’t help this:

 

[pumaATTACK]

I had to do a sanity check. First 14sec of this.

Thanks. Yeah he shouldn’t be begging for no safety car. If the situation warrants one then it should be deployed.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Yeah, no. You don't have to be a Hamilton fan to suggest that the Race Director creating new rules which contradict his own previous edicts at a crucial moment is a bad thing.

This isn't "if you're not with Verstappen you're with Hamilton", or vice versa, and never has been. It is not helpful to discussion to pretend otherwise.

And was also called out for it in this thread. I know, because I did it and I wasn't exactly alone. Turns out you can hold both the opinion that Wolff was wrong to call to sacrifice safety for racing and the opinion that Horner was wrong to call for special treatment and new legislation at the same time.

Weirdly, both got what they wanted, though Wolff's request was only fractionally likely to be denied as the incident didn't merit a full SC.

I’m not saying the decisions were right. I’m merely arguing against the notion that somehow the championship is undeserved. Once again, most race wins, most laps led, longest time in championship lead, most podiums. Can’t just scrap off the previous 21 races because your favourite driver didn’t win.

So you’re right, you don’t have to be a fan of either driver to know what happened was wrong. But that wasn’t the point I was making, and that wasn’t the point I was fighting.

 

[ND4SPD]

Horner thanking him certainly didn’t help this:
View attachment 1099287

It was a badly timed joke for Horner to say what he said yesterday. It was pretty obvious he just wanted to add more fuel to the fire. Which really wasn't needed, especially for Latifi's sake. I can only imagine how he feels now...

 

[OJBrit]

Agreed and I don’t want it overturned in court. That just feels gross.

Then what do you want? Option A is wrong, Option B would be correct but feels to be wrong. Can't have something both ways.

 

[Blitz24]

Then what do you want? Option A is wrong, Option B would be correct but feels to be wrong. Can't have something both ways.

View attachment 1099288

Except Option B only works if it is done quickly enough to fix Option A. To have a race result overturned via a court ruling on a non-racing incident mars the sport even worse. Option A was bad and I feel the FIA needs to visit this in the offseason to prevent it from happening again, but Option B only would open the door to a long and unnecessary court battle. This isn't crashgate or Schumacher running into Villeneuve, this is a poor interpretation by the race director of the sport's own rules.

 

[kungtotte_]

This season is what it is at this point, can't do much about it. But this line of protest might raise the important issue of how the rules are written and enforced in Formula 1 going forward which is important if we want to have an actual sport or if it's just going to be a TV show.

So it's less about actually changing the results of the race/season, and more about making sure this farce doesn't repeat itself next year.

Doubt we'll see any real change though.

 

[novcze]

Nobody wanted to see finish behind safety car. So Race Director decided and it looks like he have the right to do so.

Stewards dismiss Mercedes’ Abu Dhabi Grand Prix protests, as team lodge intention to appeal | Formula 1®

The FIA has dismissed Mercedes protest over events at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which saw Max Verstappen crowned drivers' champion for the first time after a late Safety Car was called.

www.formula1.com

"A document released by the FIA on Sunday night read: "Article 15.3 allows the Race Director to control the use of the safety car, which in our determination includes its deployment and withdrawal.


"Although Article 48.12 may not have been applied fully, in relation to the safety car returning to the pits at the end of the following lap, Article 48.13 overrides that and once the message 'Safety Car in this lap' has been displayed, it is mandatory to withdraw the safety car at the end of that lap.

"That notwithstanding Mercedes’ request that the Stewards remediate the matter by amending the classification to reflect the positions at the end of the penultimate lap, this is a step that the Stewards believe is effectively shortening the race retrospectively, and hence not appropriate.

"Accordingly, the Protest is dismissed.""

 

[Veinz]

Now this thread will definitely break the record for most pages

 

[O604]

Horner thanking him certainly didn’t help this:
View attachment 1099287

Kind of funny since Latifi's parents own Saputo Dairies and Sofina Foods (both huge conglomerates here in Canada). He could literally give them for free milk and salami for life in return. So people taking it seriously must believe he's a real penny pincher.

 

[Pupik]

Well, at least we got through an entire season without Scuderia Ferrari getting any special favors.

 

[Blitz24]

Well, at least we got through an entire season without Scuderia Ferrari getting any special favors.

Start a rumor that Perez intentionally parked it so that Sainz could get podium. Oops.

 

[Scaff]

So Race Director decided and it looks like he have the right to do so.

The problem with that is twofold. It contradicts his own words and actions in the past, and it technically allows the race director to change any rule, at any point.