2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Jeddah, Dec 03 - 05

[El Scorchio]

Damon hill seems pretty disgusted. Didn’t really hesitate when the Schumacher comparisons were brought up.

[BlueCheetah66]

You have to wonder how much Massi constantly being on the phone to Red Bull pit wall influenced his erroneous decision to let RB know about Maxs instructions before letting Merc know, not leavibg enough time to have both drivers with the right info at the right time.

When you think about it, its incredibly dangerous that he told RB before Mercedes. If they were closer at the time, it may have been a much bigger crash. The FIA need to have a long review of their performance this season and make changes for 2022

[cirrusflyer]

He is being called to the stewards for brake checking, so it's a slam dunk fact, they have the braking traces they can see an event that doesn't fit with the sporting code.

Did you watched the race?

Max slowing down/brakeing and waveing ... Where/how would you pass him if you were behind?

[PhillipM]

The main problem is Michael Masi. He is incompetent, people lose the jobs every day for far less significant reasons.

Yep, said it before and I'll say it again, Masi has been out of his depth since day one. He seems to equate arrogance and taking cheap shots with somehow doing his job right.

[JPBD1990]

I don’t understand Mercedes’ asking the FIA IF they can pass. The track is green? Max is slowing? Why is Lewis also slowing down behind him in the middle of a flat out straight? It’s so bizarre. I can’t imagine… what if max was just breaking down? Is Lewis going to slow to a halt behind him and retire? It’s just so… bizarre.

[wogx]

Hamilton could overtake him. Instead of this, he decided to lift off, reduced 4 gears and hit Verstappen.

PS. That message timing was just perfect

[JamesS]

People questioning why Lewis didn't just go past Max when he slowed, come on, engage your brain (looking at you Paul Di Resta):

1) Max is known for moving under braking, going this way and the other way
2) Lewis may have been thinking there is a VSC or SC ahead - There had been several already
3) The drivers get penalised for not seeing a tiny flag whilst driving at 200 mph

[Restomaniac]

I don’t understand Mercedes’ asking the FIA IF they can pass. The track is green? Max is slowing? Why is Lewis also slowing down behind him in the middle of a flat out straight? It’s so bizarre. I can’t imagine… what if max was just breaking down? Is Lewis going to slow to a halt behind him and retire? It’s just so… bizarre.

Have you not been watching? Hamilton sees a slowing Verstappen with no idea why. Alarm bells would be going off in Hamilton’s mind.

[Bill_Kar]

Horner saying that Hamilton went off the circuit as well on the turn 1 divebomb is peak ridiculous Christian.

[the poster below]

I think there was quite a long delay between the incident in question and the "giving the place" move? Anyone know how many laps? Could've contributed to Hamilton's questions over why Verstappen slowed down in a way that lacked clarity, absent the message from his team

[tpe]

People questioning why Lewis didn't just go past Max when he slowed, come on, engage your brain (looking at you Paul Di Resta):

1) Max is known for moving under braking, going this way and the other way
2) Lewis may have been thinking there is a VSC or SC ahead - There had been several already
3) The drivers get penalised for not seeing a tiny flag whilst driving at 200 mph

Obviously he was afraid of something dirty is coming from Max, or a SC was deployed.
But I think worse case scenario would be to give his position back.
Anyway, for the incident I blame FIA, Mercedes, both MV & LH 2ith that order.

[SchuMassa]

By the way, why wasn't Bottas investigated for that completely unsportmanslike move on Verstappen? He clearly backed off to hold Max up when the Safety Car was sent out for the first time.

[Mogster]

It’s hardly surprising Hamilton was wary of trying to pass him….

[jz11]

I don’t understand Mercedes’ asking the FIA IF they can pass. The track is green? Max is slowing? Why is Lewis also slowing down behind him in the middle of a flat out straight? It’s so bizarre. I can’t imagine… what if max was just breaking down? Is Lewis going to slow to a halt behind him and retire? It’s just so… bizarre.

in all seriousness, he probably didn't know what to expect from Max, considering how he was defending, but yeah, Lewis totally misred the situation on the track, had Max not slowed down as much, there could even be a chance for him to earn a penalty for causing the collision (remember Vettel ramming Lewis in Baku?), but that would be negated by the fact that Max did slow down "unnecessarily" trying to exploit the DRS detection zone and the straight to regain the place

I think the shots after the race of Lewis show the effort it took to get the win here, he looked spent

edit: regarding how much fault lies with Masi in this, is there an actual procedure written how to inform teams/drivers when they are to give up a place in situation like this? I mean - RB got told first, obviously, and Max reacted quickly realizing the approaching opportunity, and then Merc were told, and the chain of command is such that Masi talks to Merc representative, then this persons tells it to race engineer who then informs the driver, it obviously takes time, maybe RBR the structure is shorter so driver hears it quicker, anyway, easy peasy fix - just tell the trailing driver team first! so they are aware that it will happen, Lewis got told (if the message was in sync) basically at the same moment he hit Maxes car

[zeph]

That was NUTS! I’m sure we’re gonna go over one hundred pages discussing this, so I’ll just say I’m happy to see them going to the final round with equal points.
It’s gonna be goood.