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

[e30ernest]

If he did overtake him under the safety car, that should be a penalty. Plain and simple. They won't apply it, he'll get a reprimand and liberty will hvae the winner they wanted all along. It's just a total fix, that race should've been red flagged or finished under the safety car. It's no longer a sport.

The replay was pretty clear, so it should be an open and shut case. However, I do agree with you it is unlikely Max will get penalized here. There's just too much on the line now.

[Restomaniac]

The FIA have screwed this up SO much. My bet? They revert the result per the rules and fire Masi as the sacrificial lamb.

Well all I can say is there will be some really unhappy people both in the sport and out of it and that Masi deserves the boot!

It doesn’t need any ‘what ifs’ though. Per the rules the race would have finished behind the SC the very second Masi decided to allow cars to unlap themselves if rules were followed. Any court anywhere when looking at those rules would see that. The fact Masi blatantly ignored them could also easily be seen gross misconduct.

[selvam_e2002]

Yes. We as a fan need a fare and clear race. This year is lots of mistake from FIA. If this race would be like other race, they would finished with Safety car. Why we have rules? see the reply from Masi... it is a motor sport... ya it is motor sports but why you have rules?

[McL-H]

I believe someone should sit down with Masi and reflect on the decisions he made. Give him some insight into his actions so he can learn not to make these mistakes again. I believe he is a good guy that can improve himself as race director. I am not for firing him. It is a tough spot to fulfil and letting him go is not a guarantee for a better future.

[Ryar]

If he did overtake him under the safety car, that should be a penalty. Plain and simple. They won't apply it, he'll get a reprimand and liberty will hvae the winner they wanted all along. It's just a total fix, that race should've been red flagged or finished under the safety car. It's no longer a sport.

Just re-watched the onboard. Looks like he did.

An overtake under SC, is a position gained. Did Max gain position under SC? No. Has that happened in the past where under safety car, the car ahead and behind are side by side, or nose ahead of car behind? Yes. DId the leader not start in his position when it was a go? Yes he did.

[DChemTech]

If he did overtake him under the safety car, that should be a penalty. Plain and simple. They won't apply it, he'll get a reprimand and liberty will hvae the winner they wanted all along. It's just a total fix, that race should've been red flagged or finished under the safety car. It's no longer a sport.

He did not overtake. Perhaps the nosecone was slightly ahead because Hamilton braked, but he immediately backed out making it inconsequential.
A penalty on these grounds would be ridiculous. Max won on strategy, but the FIA boned it. A new era should start with a new official, Masi tried and failed.

[El Scorchio]

It’s unbelievable that both drivers really behaved well and drive great races but the FIA still independently found a way to **** it all up and ruin the race and the season.

Have to agree with you there. And just why. RB won on strategy if the regular restart procedure was followed, or MB won on strategy if they left the SC to finish, but FIA somehow made it controversial by screwing around with overtaking.

Exactly. They just did what they always do and half arsed their own rules and fudged it. It’s a more farcical end to the season than any of us could have imagined!

Verstappen and Hamilton should both hold their heads up high though. None of this was either of their fault.

If the race was 59 laps long then all the procedure can play out properly and although it’s tough for Hamilton, Verstappen can win controversy free. Masi was in a tough spot as the championship was resting on his decision, but he abandoned protocol out of desperation to get the mess we got.

Ah well. Hopefully the joker goes back to working on Aussie lawnmower racing or whatever he was doing before he was given a job he’s not capable of doing!

[Redragon]

There were two controversial decisions during the race that benefited each side. But at the end of the day Redbull risked twice by pitting during safety cars, the first one they even wait to the second round to pit that could have been a big mistake if " virtual safety " was ended at that time. They were lucky. Glad to see the last lap as I didn't care who won, I wanted racing. Also Max has to pass on track. Hamilton could have cover any chances but he didn't on turn 5 despite verstapen started too early. Toto can complain but he was requesting no a "yellow flag" on the virtual safety after they didn't pit, something that he can't do as safety is first.

[siskue2005]

Seems like Max did overtake Lewis under SC

[Redragon]

There were two controversial decisions during the race that benefited each side. But at the end of the day Redbull risked twice by pitting during safety cars, the first one they even wait to the second round to pit that could have been a big mistake if " virtual safety " was ended at that time. They were lucky. Glad to see the last lap as I didn't care who won, I wanted racing. Also Max has to pass on track. Hamilton could have cover any chances but he didn't on turn 5 despite verstapen started too early. Toto can complain but he was requesting no a "yellow flag" on the virtual safety after they didn't pit, something that he can't do as safety is first.

[djones]

Some people seem to have the opinion that "what's done is done" and to just leave the protests. But the rules are rules and multiple ones have been broken.

They are not rules where there is scope for interpretation or intent. They are quite literally black and white rules that have been broken.

The result of this race simply has to be changed. The sport is in more disrepute now than if they just change it to ensure rules were complied with.

[Just Passing By]

I'm not a fan of either Hamilton or Verstappen, but this is not right for me how it comes to end ...

Finish behind the SC would be right than?

The season as a whole is full of controversial decisions, stretching the rules, not reacting to the events on the track or directly interfering in them. As for this race, Hamilton was supposed to give possition to Max after cutting the track, and the procedure on SC was supposed to be carried out as always. It's not the job of the judges to take care of the show on the track ...This way, the controversies will stay forever.

[bonjon1979]

There's two points here regarding the safety car, all lapped cars should've been let past. And then it would only be the following lap that they were allowed to go racing. And then there's the overtaking under the safety car. It's a total mess. He's not fit for purpose.

[oT v1]

If he did overtake him under the safety car, that should be a penalty. Plain and simple. They won't apply it, he'll get a reprimand and liberty will hvae the winner they wanted all along. It's just a total fix, that race should've been red flagged or finished under the safety car. It's no longer a sport.

Just re-watched the onboard. Looks like he did.

An overtake under SC, is a position gained. Did Max gain position under SC? No. Has that happened in the past where under safety car, the car ahead and behind are side by side, or nose ahead of car behind? Yes. DId the leader not start in his position when it was a go? Yes he did.

Huh? No Ryar, he’s not allowed to go past him at all. No overtaking before the safety car line. Lewis becomes the ‘pace car’ before the restart

[e30ernest]

If he did overtake him under the safety car, that should be a penalty. Plain and simple. They won't apply it, he'll get a reprimand and liberty will hvae the winner they wanted all along. It's just a total fix, that race should've been red flagged or finished under the safety car. It's no longer a sport.

Just re-watched the onboard. Looks like he did.

An overtake under SC, is a position gained. Did Max gain position under SC? No. Has that happened in the past where under safety car, the car ahead and behind are side by side, or nose ahead of car behind? Yes. DId the leader not start in his position when it was a go? Yes he did.

The rules are pretty clear in this case. His nose moved ahead, so he did gain a position no matter how fleeting. Jolyon and Aitken agreed that was a slam dunk case of overtaking under the safety car, especially since Max did not need to be side by side with Lewis at that point of the circuit.