2021 Formula 1 Season

[J79]

Originally Posted by Bagor

As in all sports the referee should never be the headline.

Michael Masi the story behind the race.

Season

[Roger]

Originally Posted by J79

And the best part; I never have to watch this ‘sport’ again.
It’s a fake sport. It’s decided by a jury far too many times.

[LockedOut]

Hard to fathom what just happened. This is up there with 2008 and will be talked about forever in F1's future. It's like the total reverse of what happened to Lewis in 2008. Right at the end instead of winning the championship he loses the championship with some wackiness.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Max tries to take out Lewis on the first lap? Well I never.

I’m glad the stewards took no action. This was typical of Max. Dive deep into the corner, was never ahead of Lewis until after he blew past the apex and just didn’t brake. You can’t pass by just refusing to brake, missing the apex and cutting the guy off who was ahead at every point.

I’m only on lap 3 so I’m a bit behind.

I’m actually shocked that Crofty and Brundle are refusing to blame Max. Maybe they’re trying to avoid bias but they’re coming off weak here. Max clearly forces him off. This was Max obviously and intentionally playing chicken with Lewis. If Lewis doesn’t take evasive action, Max hits him.

[EldrickOnIce]

Is there any precedence for for only unlapping the cars between 1st and 2nd?
Until today I mean, which obviously sets one.
Per regulations “any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the Safety Car.”
Obviously the race would have ended under yellow had that been followed.

Was it a fair way to end the season? No
Was it the right way? Probably. Maybe?

Obviously this will be appealed, like there has been in nearly every race, but won't change anything. Nor should it.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Well with a 5 second lead and superior tire selection, it would seem there’s a huge advantage for Lewis.

Many things we can point to but for me, back to back mistakes by Max during qualy will be the difference this season.


Wow, Perez single handedly saving Max’s season.

[KelVarnsen]

Oh Cecil is going to be really salty soon

[Bagor]

Unsurprisingly Mercedes have launched a protest.

Bolded for emphasis.

39.12 If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" has been sent to all teams Competitors via the official messaging system, any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car. This will only apply to cars that were lapped at the time they crossed the Line at the end of the lap during which they crossed the first Safety Car line for the second time after the safety car was deployed. Having overtaken the cars on the lead lap and the safety car these cars should then proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking, and make every effort to take up position at the back of the line of cars behind the safety car. Whilst they are overtaking, and in order to ensure this may be carried out safely, the cars on the lead lap must always stay on the racing line unless deviating from it is unavoidable. Unless the clerk of the course considers the presence of the safety car is still necessary, once the last lapped car has passed the leader the safety car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap.

[Flabbibulin]

I am assuming Cecil is posting, but not reading. The incoming post in about 45 minutes should be something.

Ending the championship on a safety car or waiting for all the cars to unlap would have been disappointing- but probably forgotten. Can’t fault Masi for wanting the championship to end with racing. The tire change won the championship.

[dammage79]

That's a pretty flimsy protest of the restart. Mercs gotta try anything but damn. That's the babiest thing ever.

[Elkyiv]

I don't understand how the rules can be ignored for entertainment puposes. What if Latifi crashes on lap 57, then what? You're going to continue the race around him because you don't want to end the race under a safety car? It's insane to me.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by dammage79

That's a pretty flimsy protest of the restart. Mercs gotta try anything but damn. That's the babiest thing ever.

Apparently that's not the protest but that Max overtook Lewis whilst behind the safety car.
Which footage shows he did. By inches. Carries a 5s penalty.

[EldrickOnIce]

Hopefully 'We went car racing' are Masi's famous last words.
He has been weak throughout.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Apparently that's not the protest but that Max overtook Lewis whilst behind the safety car.
Which footage shows he did. By inches. Carries a 5s penalty.

I understand what they're protesting and it's still pretty flimsy. It's gamesmanship by both parties. Lewis definitely doesn't need to be tricking anyone into a 5s penalty either.

Set a speed limit for rolling restarts. That's the fix.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I understand what they're protesting and it's still pretty flimsy. It's gamesmanship by both parties. Lewis definitely doesn't need to be tricking anyone into a 5s penalty either.

Set a speed limit for rolling restarts. That's the fix.

I don't see how it's flimsy.
It's a black and white rule with a clear line.
Sure it's gamesmanship but part of the game is to push it to the limit without crossing the line.

Having said that I don't see it being upheld with something like he gave it back immediately being the excuse.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I don't see how it's flimsy.
It's a black and white rule with a clear line.
Sure it's gamesmanship but part of the game is to push it to the limit without crossing the line.

Having said that I don't see it being upheld with something like he gave it back immediately being the excuse.

2 inches can't be enough to overturn a championship. This is Prost/Senna level politicking.

Also FiA need to establish tighter rules on restarts. Have them use the pitlane button and no deviance allowed. No slowing and no speeding up until the flag line and the flag waves.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I’m speechless. What a crazy ending.

It was kind of a joke to only let those 4 cars by for the sake of entertainment but on the other hand, it gave us a lap of pure racing with no DRS and plus, I always think they release the lapped cars way too late and wait way too long before restarting. I think this was closer to what should normally be done. Release them as soon as the danger is cleared and then immediately restart.

The protest of Max passing Lewis is BS in my opinion. Who cares. Cars frequently pull up alongside each other during a SC due to the ebb and flow, warming tires etc.

If Max was ahead on the restart, I’d say protest away but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t.


I’m happy for Red Bull as I’ve been a massive RB fan for years. I still think Max is a dink and wish it was Danny Ric winning with RB.

Also, I hate Jos so much. He’s pure garbage. An abusive, woman beating, child abusing piece of ####.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by J79

And the best part; I never have to watch this ‘sport’ again.
It’s a fake sport. It’s decided by a jury far too many times.

Bye! We won’t miss you.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by dammage79

2 inches can't be enough to overturn a championship. This is Prost/Senna level politicking.

Why can't it? Because he only overtook him by inches?

You either apply the rule of law or you don't. He either overtook him and broke the rule or he didn't.

What next? He was only 1km over the limit in the pit lane?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

I am assuming Cecil is posting, but not reading. The incoming post in about 45 minutes should be something.

Ending the championship on a safety car or waiting for all the cars to unlap would have been disappointing- but probably forgotten. Can’t fault Masi for wanting the championship to end with racing. The tire change won the championship.

Yeah I agree totally with the 2nd paragraph. The way they did it was a bit shady though. But I completely understand that they wanted this to end on track.