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

[basti313]

Hmm dirty driving? How about opening a gap after the sc, that wasnt clean. What about leaving more than 10 car lengths very obviously? Not very sporty is it? Gamemanship vs dirty continental tactics as the islander would say. In the end it didn't really matter, max' tire gamble didn't work out. Max isn't dotd out of nowhere though, it is a very local sentiment that somehow max is to blame for lewis being reluctant to overtake there ( and lose the position on the straight after Drs, which max showed worked perfectly). I would not be surprised if the FIA hands out 5 to lewis for causing a collision, that was more than 50% on the guy behind. Again, not that it matters. But this place bias is off the charts.

Didn't they announce a reprimand for the overtake against Max? Makes three for Ham = 10 place grid drop next race?

[SparkyAMG]

For me, the 'brake-test' incident was down to a lack of timely communication on the FIA's part, although Red Bull's radio message to let Hamilton passed 'stategically' doesn't do Verstappen any favours as if he has slowed down erratically in order to game the DRS detection the stewards are less likely to turn a blind eye.

Still, I don't expect anything further to come from it. Of greater concern is Max's continued disregard of fair racing. Guilty of multiple instances throughout the race and showing absolutely no contrition. Expect more of the same on Abu Dhabi if they're near each other on track.

[Incognito]

Was anyone actually surprised by the events today?

Verstappen knows that all he needs to do is a repeat of Monza so he's been mysteriously unable to brake or turn for corners for several races now, although only whenever Hamilton is around. Horner has defended him to the hilt, Massi and the FIA have let him get away with it. And today is the predictable consequence.

Pathetic. In a way, Verstappen is the least to blame. The others are all grown-ups and it's their jobs to know better.

What we saw today, and six car widths off the track previously, and at numerous other barges off the track this season, is not F1. It's not racing. It's pathetic and, fundamentally, disappointing.

I don't care who wins the Championships. It's just one year. But is this Destruction Derby really what we want the sport to be? Really?

What a sad f***ing day.

***
Oh, and this track was a mess. I, for one, am shocked as there were absolutely no clear indications in the run up that this sort of mess was nigh-guaranteed. At least no one was seriously injured, thankfully.

[PlatinumZealot]

Is Hamilton's formation lap infringement being investigated?

It's not a formation lap. It's a race restart.

[TwanV]

Dirty driving? How?

[mzivtins]

Was anyone actually surprised by the events today?

Verstappen knows that all he needs to do is a repeat of Monza so he's been mysteriously unable to brake or turn for corners for several races now, although only whenever Hamilton is around. Horner has defended him to the hilt, Massi and the FIA have let him get away with it. And today is the predictable consequence.

Pathetic. In a way, Verstappen is the least to blame. The others are all grown-ups and it's their jobs to know better.

What we saw today, and six car widths off the track previously, and at numerous other barges off the track this season, is not F1. It's not racing. It's pathetic and, fundamentally, disappointing.

I don't care who wins the Championships. It's just one year. But is this Destruction Derby really what we want the sport to be? Really?

What a sad f***ing day.

***
Oh, and this track was a mess. I, for one, am shocked as there were absolutely no clear indications in the run up that this sort of mess was nigh-guaranteed. At least no one was seriously injured, thankfully.

They were seriously Injured, in f2 fitipaldi was flown to hospital with injuries to his legs.

It's just blind luck nothing worse happened to f1 drivers, but you are right, a bit of a shameful weekend, I love risk, but this was a bit of an unnessecary risk style track imo

[pantherxxx]

Max slowed down gradually and there was no sudden braking or sudden change of speed as seen in the telemetry. It is incomprehensible why Hamilton went into Verstappen instead of simply overtaking him, it's Hamilton's fault.

[mzivtins]

Dirty driving? How?

Love how max even threw off the helicam tracking hahaha

[Bill_Kar]

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

Does the fact that BOTH sides think he is biased the other way not indicate he has it about right?

In a football match, if the referee doesn't give a clear penalty to team A, and then doesn't give a clear penalty to team B, then both of them are going to shout bad things, but the referee just made two clear mistakes. So, no I don't think he got something right.

[basti313]

Reminder to self: if HAM and VER are close on track and both trying for the corner(s), stay away from race thread because it explodes with HAM biased fans. I am not saying Max didnt do anything wrong. But to say HAM was only the victim... thats not how racing works. This is racing.
I'll stay away from the race thread and leave it to it.

Why today?
The nice thing is that everyone is right today.
Those who claim Max ist faster than Lewis are right. The Q lap of Lewis was just a safety lap, Max was stellar. No idea where he took that (part) lap from.
Those who claim that Lewis is the better driver are of course also right. Because he did not crash the car in Q and managed to stay clear of Max in the race (ok partially).
Those who say Max ia driving dirty, of course...
Those who say Lewis is driving dirty as well...yes, of course...
Lucky Lewis...I have no idea how the front wing can survive and the car is ready to do fastest laps with this front wing...for any other driver it would have ended in the wall with the front wing under the car after touching Ocon already.
Unlucky Lewis...the red flag, of course.

It might be really a week of harmony

[Bill_Kar]

I can't believe that MV said that both him and LH run out of the track when he clearly FORCED Hamilton off.

He is delusional. At least he could man up and own responsibility about that particular incident.

[tpe]

Reminder to self: if HAM and VER are close on track and both trying for the corner(s), stay away from race thread because it explodes with HAM biased fans. I am not saying Max didnt do anything wrong. But to say HAM was only the victim... thats not how racing works. This is racing.
I'll stay away from the race thread and leave it to it.

Why today?
The nice thing is that everyone is right today.
Those who claim Max ist faster than Lewis are right. The Q lap of Lewis was just a safety lap, Max was stellar. No idea where he took that (part) lap from.
Those who claim that Lewis is the better driver are of course also right. Because he did not crash the car in Q and managed to stay clear of Max in the race (ok partially).
Those who say Max ia driving dirty, of course...
Those who say Lewis is driving dirty as well...yes, of course...
Lucky Lewis...I have no idea how the front wing can survive and the car is ready to do fastest laps with this front wing...for any other driver it would have ended in the wall with the front wing under the car after touching Ocon already.
Unlucky Lewis...the red flag, of course.

It might be really a week of harmony

Hell yes!

[ringo]

The losers of the weekend are the fans.
The cry about wanting more extreme racing, less run off and more walls and gravel traps that drivers respect because of fear or being in an accident.
Tilke makes the perfect track.. that makes F-1 looks fast again, has risk and fear built into each corner, and the fans dont want it any more?

I like this track, and I think it should stay on the calendar. It separates the men from the boys, and it humbles the sim driver F-1 pilots.

[Jolle]

Dirty driving? How?

Love how max even threw off the helicam tracking hahaha

It’s quite clear here that Verstappen slows down, then slows down even more and moves to the middle of the track. Not intentionally to cause a collision but very dangerous driving.

[Starkblood80]

Max slowed down gradually and there was no sudden braking or sudden change of speed as seen in the telemetry. It is incomprehensible why Hamilton went into Verstappen instead of simply overtaking him, it's Hamilton's fault.

Have you seen the telemetry then?