2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina, Dec 10 - 12

[Phil]

I did not think it was a brake-test and I still don't.

I dont really want to go into it (and we shouldnt) - but i’ll just say that there was zero reason to be anywhere near the brakes. Doesnt matter how hard they were applied. Applying brakes in that situation is surely only ever going to yield one outcome.

[Shrieker]

If he's third again in quali and it looks like it's going to be a hopeless case chasing after Lewis, do you think they might like half fuel him, so he can get close to Lewis ?

AFAIK, deliberately underfueling the car is perfectly legal. You only need to adhere to the minimum weight limit, right ?

Don't they have to notify how much fuel is in the car? Surely there would be absolute raised eyebrows at a car which must finish the race not being fuelled enough to do so. Also I really don't think RBR would for a moment do that.

In isolation, maybe it would be plausible to expect what you say. But look at their statements after the race... If things get desperate, they %100 have a special concoction as a last resort.

[Phil]

In other words, no matter how bad the offense, a disqualification of the entire championship is surely never even going to be considered.

They don't have to throw him out of the championship, they can just dock him championchip points (1 point specifically), it's in the sporting code!

https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files ... 2021_0.pdf

12.4.5 For all the FIA Championships, cups, challenges,
trophies or series, the stewards may also decide to impose
the following penalties: Suspension for one or more
Competitions, withdrawal of points for the Championship,
cup, challenge, trophy, series.

Good find. But is there precedent for this? IMO this will never happen. The stewards have already shown and demonstrated that they dont want to issue penalties that have an (direct) effect on the championship…

[mstar]

Well we have Connerly and Derek Warwick as driving stewards this weekend. Derek is very strict on driving standards -always has been. I don't think they will hesitate to throw the book at lewis or max.
I am glad we don't have Piro and V. Luizzi who handled Brazil atrociously with no investigation.

[dans79]

In other words, no matter how bad the offense, a disqualification of the entire championship is surely never even going to be considered.

They don't have to throw him out of the championship, they can just dock him championchip points (1 point specifically), it's in the sporting code!

https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files ... 2021_0.pdf

12.4.5 For all the FIA Championships, cups, challenges,
trophies or series, the stewards may also decide to impose
the following penalties: Suspension for one or more
Competitions, withdrawal of points for the Championship,
cup, challenge, trophy, series.

Good find. But is there precedent for this? IMO this will never happen. The stewards have already shown and demonstrated that they dont want to issue penalties that have an (direct) effect on the championship…

I'm blanking on if it ever happened to a driver, but Racing point had 15 points deducted from their total last year for copying brake ducts!

[Tim.Wright]

Good find. But is there precedent for this? IMO this will never happen. The stewards have already shown and demonstrated that they dont want to issue penalties that have an (direct) effect on the championship…

Schumacher had all of his points in 1997 removed after the crash with Villeneuve.
McLaren lost all their points in 2007 for the espionage case.

[NathanOlder]

They don't have to throw him out of the championship, they can just dock him championchip points (1 point specifically), it's in the sporting code!

https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files ... 2021_0.pdf

Good find. But is there precedent for this? IMO this will never happen. The stewards have already shown and demonstrated that they dont want to issue penalties that have an (direct) effect on the championship…

I'm blanking on if it ever happened to a driver, but Racing point had 15 points deducted from their total last year for copying brake ducts!

Don't forget the fia took 2 points away from Villeneuve in 97 after the penultimate race of the season in Japan. He ignored yellow flags in a practice session and he had to race under appeal as the stewards disqualified him before the race. They let him race under appeal and he finished 5th. He led the championship by 1 point after this which would have meant Schumacher couldn't have tried the dirty move he did like 94. Instant they lost the appeal, Michael had a 1 point lead, Michael tried his dirty move luckily it didn't work and Jacques still finished and won the crown. All that for ignoring yellow flags in practice although he was a repeat offender of this. So they went very hard on him and it took 2 points away from him, and the lead of the championship at a very very crucial time.

So if Max tries a brake test again, then he too should have harsh penalties.

[Wouter]

Good news
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/100835/v ... f-max.html

Good news that they have a steward like that man? Good news for whom?

Connelly often involved in Verstappen penalties

At the 2017 United States Grand Prix, Connelly was also one of the stewards when Verstappen received a time penalty for overtaking Kimi Raikkonen off-track on the final lap. The Dutchman was then removed from the podium ceremony, and the penalty was especially notable because other drivers who went four wheels off the track that weekend were not penalised.

- 2016 Japanese Grand Prix. "At the time, Connelly wanted to penalise Verstappen for an incident with Lewis Hamilton at the chicane, but the other three stewards didn't think it was necessary. Connelly then went to Mercedes to urge the team to complain. Team principal Toto Wolff, who was already on the plane, eventually had the complaint withdrawn before it was dealt with",

Remarkably, Connelly has been the main steward for the last three consecutive races.

Connelly has been a steward in 6 races so far:
Belgium, Zandvoort, Italy, Russia, Qatar, SA.

In these 6 races, Max Verstappen has been awarded 6 penalties:
Italy: 3 grid penalty for next race after collision with Hamilton
Qatar: 5 grid penalty for ignoring double yellow flag
SA: 5 sec penalty for restarting 1 to Lewis Hamilton and 10 sec penalty for impeding Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has only been awarded penalties in SA for impeding in practice €25,000 and no further action for double yellow.

Outside these 6 races, no incidents were reported about Max Verstappen and no penalties were handed out.

[thestig84]

Good find. But is there precedent for this? IMO this will never happen. The stewards have already shown and demonstrated that they dont want to issue penalties that have an (direct) effect on the championship…

Schumacher had all of his points in 1997 removed after the crash with Villeneuve.
McLaren lost all their points in 2007 for the espionage case.

Villeneuve still managed to finish in Jerez and win the WDC though. Throwing Schumacher out wasnt a penalty that had any direct effect on the destination of the championship. It was more like MVs 10 sec penalty in Saudi....more to show they were doing something.

[ambientnoiz]

I'm really getting sick of the mods deleting my posts that are completely relevant and not defamatory in the slightest. I was just trying to present an objective idea and the possibilities/ramifications of that idea that I would've loved to get the feedback of the members of this forum.

In this day in age, I think the stewards won't DQ max even if he intentionally drives into Lewis. That said, I believe IMHO that RBR and Max are definitely carefully planning scenarios to create a plan b situation in which to have plausible deniability and look 100% unintentional in a collision with Lewis. It's almost guaranteed from the team management's comments, and Max previous and consistent (consistently a habitual line-stepper that-is) driving style, that if he can't beat Lewis clean, he WILL do whatever it takes to win.

So yeah, unless Lewis can dodge like Neo, my vote is on Max winning. He doesn't care if he wins with DNF. Winning is winning to him. Abu Dhabi is going to be craziest race of all time.

[aral]

Please , no more rehash of Jeddah. This thread is about Abu Dhabi !

[Schuttelberg]

<Please , no more rehash of Jeddah. This thread is about Abu Dhabi !>

As far as Abu Dhabi is concerned, it is a walk for Lewis. The fact that Max has come this far is a miracle. The fact that someone from this generation is taking it to Max and beating him is a testament to Lewis' talent.

Pretty much period for me. But there is no comparison in terms of car performance with the Merc and the Bull in the last few races as far as I am concerned.

[MV8]

Did you see this?
I don't know what is FIA doing tbh

[NathanOlder]

Good news
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/100835/v ... f-max.html

Good news that they have a steward like that man? Good news for whom?

Connelly often involved in Verstappen penalties

At the 2017 United States Grand Prix, Connelly was also one of the stewards when Verstappen received a time penalty for overtaking Kimi Raikkonen off-track on the final lap. The Dutchman was then removed from the podium ceremony, and the penalty was especially notable because other drivers who went four wheels off the track that weekend were not penalised.

- 2016 Japanese Grand Prix. "At the time, Connelly wanted to penalise Verstappen for an incident with Lewis Hamilton at the chicane, but the other three stewards didn't think it was necessary. Connelly then went to Mercedes to urge the team to complain. Team principal Toto Wolff, who was already on the plane, eventually had the complaint withdrawn before it was dealt with",

Remarkably, Connelly has been the main steward for the last three consecutive races.

Connelly has been a steward in 6 races so far:
Belgium, Zandvoort, Italy, Russia, Qatar, SA.

In these 6 races, Max Verstappen has been awarded 6 penalties:
Italy: 3 grid penalty for next race after collision with Hamilton
Qatar: 5 grid penalty for ignoring double yellow flag
SA: 5 sec penalty for restarting 1 to Lewis Hamilton and 10 sec penalty for impeding Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has only been awarded penalties in SA for impeding in practice €25,000 and no further action for double yellow.

Outside these 6 races, no incidents were reported about Max Verstappen and no penalties were handed out.

Its good news as those incidents were all dealt with correctly enough.

[tpe]

Did you see this?
I don't know what is FIA doing tbh

Seriously?
What the heck is this? Are they try to create more drama?
Or we all are so sensitive now and see things that simply don't exist?