So they let the lapped cars between them through, but not the lapped cars behind Max. Mercedes has a legitimate beef, as do any lapped cars that were not let through .
So they let the lapped cars between them through, but not the lapped cars behind Max. Mercedes has a legitimate beef, as do any lapped cars that were not let through .
Keith Tanner said:alfadriver said:Mercedes had a chance to pit, and blew it.
They would have lost position, I think. And with a normal safety car, that would have been the end of the race.
Red Bull had no answer for Lewis's speed. They just got some very, very lucky breaks.
Seems that going into that last corner before the SC came out, they had time- there was an 11 sec gap- which would have been barely enough to make it close.
But it sucks that they changed the procedure just to get one racing lap when they knew that the slower car had the advantage.
The way this season has gone, could it possibly have ended in a way that wasn't controversial? It almost seems right that a race management decision affected the finish.
Personally, seems cheesy.
Max Verstappen world champion*
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
Luck over speed. See that in NACAR, too.
Max and Lewis both have such incredible composure. I'm blown away by them.
So Max doesn't win on merit... but on race control berkeleyery.
Lol, poor Carlos. Nice podium dude.
Also: Checo as wing man of the year award.
What a season!
If I remember right, 5 of those points that Max had over Lewis came from the whatever-it-was at Spa. I guess that doesn't decide the overall, but still.
The off season will certainly be more interesting now.
Unbelievable composure by Hamilton, minutes after losing the title. Can't wait for next season.
Is Toto going to assassinate Latifi?
Also, it is pretty cool to see Alonso's GP2 engine developed that far. Sad to see Honda go. Again.
Yes, if there is one thing that is really nice about this whole debacle, it's Honda winning. Good for them.
Even my wife, who is not at all interested in racing, heard the commentators break down what had just happened and even she mentioned that what they did looked pretty sketchy.
"A championship isn't decided in a single race"
Salty in here. Too much luck involved over the short term. As if luck hasn't swung both ways this season. Who could be mad if either drive won the championship? They were both head and shoulders above everyone else and each had their fair share of luck. Hell, look at the call at the beginning of the race....
In reply to accordionfolder :
Ah yes, the decision at the beginning of the race, which was entirely inconsequential as Lewis was clearly the faster driver at every point in the race is in some way equivalent to race control screwing with procedure in a desperate attempt to not finish under a safety car.
I think we just witnessed the NASCAR-ification of F1. Not sure i'm a fan. Congratulations to Max.
In reply to accordionfolder :
I agree. Luck swings, breaks swing, decisions swing. It's a tough one for Lewis and his peeps but a great season. Here is to 2022
And protests have been launched.
I noticed Sky sports didn't even try to talk to Toto, at least on ESPN'S coverage.
In reply to MrFancypants :
That was an example of a single decision varying in swing depending on which side of the fence you're on. Max got lucky this race, it's not like he wrecked Latifi and then forced the FIA to make a decision.
He didn't win the championship by being lucky in a single race.
"That's motor racing"
I'm still concerned for Latifi's well-being.
In reply to accordionfolder :
True, but race control manipulated the end of the race to get that last lap in. They might as well have just done a "green-white-checker" because that's straight out of the NASCAR playbook.
I wouldn't be surprised if another seat opens up at Williams for 2022.
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 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. If the clerk of the course considers track conditions are unsuitable for overtaking the message "OVERTAKING WILL NOT BE PERMITTED" will be sent to all Competitors via the official messaging system.
I think Mercedes Lawyers will be busy tonight.
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