My main interest in racing sport was the Tour de France. I have watched both that and F1 on and off since the late 1980s.

I was even in the crowd at the end of the famous stage in Montelimar during the infamous Floyd Landis Tour de Farce. After all the scandals I only look at Le Tour casually. Of course, in the case of Le Tour it was ever thus.

It is horrible when you realise a sport you enjoy is as bent as ... something.

I reckon they'll end up nullifying today's result. It takes the wind out of Mercedes' sails, and Max still wins. Absolute joke that they did this. Masi has to go. The guy's an oaf.

I'm not sure it's bent, certainly not in the same way as the TdF from the mid-90s to the mid-00s, but the officials are inept, and that's probably worse.

I have to admit I'm not Lewis's biggest fan, but the outcome of this race has left a bad taste in my mouth and from where I'm standing he out drove Max and the RB team fair and square.

I've always thought that tyre changes under a red flag or safety car should not be allowed, today showed just how unfair this can be along with Massi's intervention and total fk up!

So rules are just a suggestion then. FIA couldn't admit they got it wrong. A dark day for F1.

Quote from: thebrighton on December 12, 2021, 07:04:27 PM
So rules are just a suggestion then. FIA couldn't admit they got it wrong. A dark day for F1.

Agreed.

Quote from: Mr Sprue on December 12, 2021, 06:48:49 PM

Lewis .....out drove Max and the RB team fair and square.

Totally agree

Quote from: Mr Sprue on December 12, 2021, 06:48:49 PM
I've always thought that tyre changes under a red flag or safety car should not be allowed,

I tend to agree, but, I would have no objection to that being allowed, provided the relevant driver then had to re-join the race at the back. 

Jean Todt is being interviewed on French TV right now.

He seems to be a little bit embarassed about today's race.

I just feel so very sorry for Lewis. It's obvious to me that F1, the FIA, or both, haven't liked the increase in volume of Lewis's profile these past few years and wanted to mute him. This season has been a fit-up job from day one! 

You know where this message comes from and I don't want to say anything about the rules here.
But apart from the interpretation of the rules - about which I do understand your sentiments - I think another reason for the result was the strategy of Mercedes.
They have not anticipated any possible disruption at all. They could have changed to hard tires much later, had another opportunity to change tyres when Max did (Lewis was faster on all tyres) and they could have gone for red tyres during the safety car.
The last one would have been a gamble but there is no way he could defend his position on those 47/48 laps old tyres if the race was to restart.
Strategy was just too defensive I think.

Jan

It's definitely true that they were hyper defensive today, and placed track position above all else. I don't know why they didn't pit Lewis under VSC earlier in the race.

He wouldn't have been able to defend in the situation they contrived. He may have done if Max had had to clear the lapped cars in the middle, as the rules state. Or if they'd let the lapped cars through the race simply would've ended under safety car.

The frustration is the 'making the rules up purely in the name of entertainment'. Lewis was the stronger driver for 57.5 laps, although has probably not been the stronger all season long. Max just comes across as an unpleasant chap; I'd sooner see a lot of other drivers have taken the championship.

It is difficult to be unbiased if a Dutch driver wins but I can understand how people feel about Max.
But to be honest I've lost my sympathy for Toto Wulf the last two races.

And big compliments to Lewis for his reaction after the race!!

Jan

Quote from: njee20 on December 12, 2021, 08:56:21 PM
It's definitely true that they were hyper defensive today, and placed track position above all else. I don't know why they didn't pit Lewis under VSC earlier in the race.

He wouldn't have been able to defend in the situation they contrived. He may have done if Max had had to clear the lapped cars in the middle, as the rules state. Or if they'd let the lapped cars through the race simply would've ended under safety car.

The frustration is the 'making the rules up purely in the name of entertainment'. Lewis was the stronger driver for 57.5 laps, although has probably not been the stronger all season long. Max just comes across as an unpleasant chap; I'd sooner see a lot of other drivers have taken the championship.

Valid point made. BUT! Why were ALL the lapped cars not allowed to pass before the race resumed? That always a procedure before why not this race?

That's what I'm saying; perhaps clearer if I'd said "or if they'd let ALL the lapped cars through the race simply would've ended under the safety car". The rules say that if lapped cars unlap themselves (it's not a given), then racing resumes on the lap after the last car has passed the safety car. What happened today was that Masi first said the lapped cars would not be allowed past, then said only the 5 between Lewis and Max would be, and then racing resumed that lap. He literally made the rules up to force a situation where there would be a 1 lap fight. He created a knife fight, and handed Max a gun.

@njee20

100% agree Nick.

You won't agree with me on this one and as much as I'm not a Hamilton fan. Could there maybe be a hint of a Schumacher conspiracy not to let Lewis surpass his tally?

I'm sure that F1 didn't want another Mercedes win. Domination is boring, and I'll wager this season has more people aware of what's going on in F1 than any of the preceding 20 or so! You're right though that I can't see how Schumacher can be even vaguely involved. If Mick had stuffed it into the wall instead of Latifi perhaps...