2021 F1 Thread

[CaptainCurtis]

A controversial ending was somewhat inevitable after the season we've just witnessed and the way this final race was hyped.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Interesting - so the lapped cars between leader and 2nd was not enough?!?!

 

[kelvedon]

Interesting - so the lapped cars between leader and 2nd was not enough?!?!

Toto didnt think so !

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Toto didnt think so !

Well then an appeal will probably be heard tonight (Abu Dhabi time)

 

[kelvedon]

Well then an appeal will probably be heard tonight (Abu Dhabi time)

But I don’t expect the FIA to reverse the race position

 

[Flashback]

Think the issue will be only select lapped cars were let through.
Not all of them which would have meant race ending under SC.

Highly unusual and really made the final lap not a race. Brand new Softs Vs 40+ lap old Hards is not a race, it's a forgone conclusion.

Well under the regs they don't have to let them through, and if they do let some through, they don't have to let them all through. Justice in my opinion given the shocking call on the first lap.

 

[kookaburra75]

I watched the replay of the race this morning, before the news so I wouldn't know what the outcome was. All I can say is wow! It had everything. I think Lewis and his father provided a positive display of sportsmanship, by going over to Red Bull and congratulating Max and his father. If the roles had been reversed, I'm not sure we would have seen the same display.
But, roll on 2022 with the new cars.

 

[snabbu]

An epic ending to an epic season. With everything else happening in 2021 at least this is something positive to remember.

 

[rogerkambah]

Well, that had more twists and turns than ferret racing in a maze - loved it and Ham's conduct was very impressive post race.

 

[kelvedon]

I fear Massi’s controversial input in this championship may become his downfall, and this article seems to agree with this.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/59631665

 

[Carrots]

Shock horror... a BBC article unhappy with the result.

 

[kookaburra75]

Shock horror... a BBC article unhappy with the result.

Although the BBC published this article a week ago, which makes for interesting reading. I like the quotes from Christian Horner, who intimated that Max's mother was a better racer than his father - having raced against her in his racing days.

Max Verstappen: Formula 1's 'bull fighter' & the family that shaped him

Max Verstappen was born to be an F1 driver - both his parents were racers. But his father effectively programmed him as one, too.

www.bbc.com

 

[moa999]

Close championship. Incident near the end that forces Masi to make calls.

Whatever happened he was going to get criticised by the losing side.

Ultimately he created a race at the end. Ham had one hand behind his back, but equally could have defended better.
I think the most critical decision was Merc deciding not to put Lewis twice. By his radio message Lewis knew it was a risk.

But that's racing.. Even with a 10 sec lead a late thunderstorm, burst tyre or safety car can ruin your race.

 

[jastel]

Lewis got his luck on Lap 1 when he "didnt gain an advantage" by going off the track and ending up 2 seconds in front.
Max got his luck on the Last Lap.
Weird decisions from race control and stewards all season.

It was a bad way for the season to end...and it will be even worse if the lawyers change anything now...as Masi said "Its Motor Racing Toto".

I was impressed that Lewis publicly congratulated Max...despite claiming the race was manipulated.
Mercedes clearly has a better PR department.

For next year I think all races should be on street circuits with walls...no going off and getting advantages there.

Hopefully the new car rules will make racing closer and 20 cars can compete instead of 2.

 

[eastwest101]

Lewis got his luck on Lap 1 when he "didnt gain an advantage" by going off the track and ending up 2 seconds in front.
Max got his luck on the Last Lap.
Weird decisions from race control and stewards all season.

It was a bad way for the season to end...and it will be even worse if the lawyers change anything now...as Masi said "Its Motor Racing Toto".

I was impressed that Lewis publicly congratulated Max...despite claiming the race was manipulated.
Mercedes clearly has a better PR department.

For next year I think all races should be on street circuits with walls...no going off and getting advantages there.

Hopefully the new car rules will make racing closer and 20 cars can compete instead of 2.

Agree with those comments, Masi was put in a difficult position by attempting to finish the race in racing conditions and had a bunch of difficult and contradictory rules to work to at the end. The first corner Verstappen/Hamilton incident was line ball and Hamilton had no real choice but to avoid an accident but I agree with many commentators that the stewards have not been entirely consistent. For the "close to the end of race crashes" I hope they change the unlap rule and send them all to the back of the grid rather than waste time unlapping themselves in the future. My problem with Masi is more about what happened at Spa this year and we were robbed of what would have possibly been one of the greatest Spa races in a few years.

Good sportsmanship display by Hamilton really set the tone for what could have been even a more difficult and fraught tone to the ending of the season. There is no doubt that Max Verstappen drove the wheels off that Red Bull all year, and matured as a racing driver to win the drivers championship in a car that is so obviously inferior to the Mercedes. Credit also to Perez for some tough but fair racing. Sad to see Honda leaving the sport again on a high note and as they finally have everything sorted out.

I only saw the highlights but how many headsets did Toto Wolf go through on the day?

Definately a better racing season this year than the previous few Mercedes processions.

 

[jb747]

Wasn’t the last decent F1 race at Hungary in 1989?

 

[moa999]

Wasn’t the last decent F1 race at Hungary in 1989?

Well a very similar controversy that year with the infamous Senna Prost crash a few races later at Suzuka that decided the championship

 

[Carrots]

I would've said Adelaide in 1995.... something about Hill and Schumacher.

 

[kelvedon]

Mercedes have decided withdraw the appeal of Abu Dhabi race results to the FIA International Court of Appeal, cementing VER as the 2021 world champion.
They seem to have been placated by the FIA’ s decision to conduct a "detailed analysis and clarification exercise" into the running of Sunday's race, with all the teams and drivers, "to draw any lessons from the situation.”
The statement acknowledged the controversy that followed Masi ‘s decision over the release of the safely car and that it led to ”an argument" that was "tarnishing the image of the championship and the due celebration"
Have they thrown Masi under a bus ?

Mercedes will not pursue appeal against F1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi result

Mercedes decide not to pursue their appeal against the results of the Formula 1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

www.bbc.com

 

[moa999]

Not clear.
The FIA statement could have been more supportive.
Eg. Suggesting that race officials have second to make decisions from a complex rulebook and variable circumstances.

But equally others from the FIA (eg. Brawn) have been more anti the behaviour of Toto and Horner, rather than commenting on Masi.

And Mercedes release comments that the rules have been used in "new" ways, which I think at least acknowledges that Masi at least might have had the power in 15.13 to do what he did (not withstanding 48).

You've got to remember that the rules were mostly written by Masi's predecessor Whiting who had been in the job for 20+ years, and was basically in charge of everything and the rules were written to protect his position.