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

[ringo]

Hamilton deserved this Championship. Those who think Max deserves it more, are ignoring that he was beaten over a season under racing conditions. At no point can we say Hamilton had any advantage because of irregularity in the regulations. Both drivers when racing on track, Hamilton has been the victor, the better racer, and the faster driver.
He has 7, so it's not like he needed this one, but it should not go down in this way with artificial advantages given to another driver so he can win. Max got his azz handed to him today, he should not be champion. It was 1 mercedes vs 2 redbull and Hamilton still outclassed them.
But lets leave it to the courts. If Mercedes win the case next year or whenever, and lewis get his championship silently, i think thats the just decision.
A sport cannot operate with manipulated rules. And Mercedes should not have to be robbed by a regulation breach. Even if they fire Masi, it's not enough. This is similar to using performance enhancing drugs in athletics, and usually, medals are taken away and handed to the rightful winners years later.

Any how Lewis is still champion to real fans of racing. This year is tainted and weak championship for red bull. I expect Lewis to convincingly take next year's. History will look back on this in a bad light.

If you simply "delete" this race, Max is the WDC. Hamilton did an amazing job this season, but Max was marginally better. I do think Masi should go though, he's been an absolute disaster for F1.

Who else thinks the same? #MasiToGo ?

No. by regulation the Grand Prix took place. So you cannot delete it. Whatever happened after the safety car is invalid as the minute the sporting regulations were breached by the regulator, the sport was no longer a grandprix, it was something else. That FIA Grand Prix ended on lap 57.
The irony is how the same safety car was used in Belgium to make sure max got a free win, and half points. The whole year has been handing Max points and wins through the race director.

12.5 at Spa, and the stolen pole in Brazil..3. And then this stolen win. It's crazy, but it's just more adversity that Lewis usually comes out better from. If this is Max's, then it will always be remembered this way.. not for his skills or speed, or race craft; of which he lacked.

[Pany]

Hamilton deserved this Championship. Those who think Max deserves it more, are ignoring that he was beaten over a season under racing conditions. At no point can we say Hamilton had any advantage because of irregularity in the regulations. Both drivers when racing on track, Hamilton has been the victor, the better racer, and the faster driver.
He has 7, so it's not like he needed this one, but it should not go down in this way with artificial advantages given to another driver so he can win. Max got his azz handed to him today, he should not be champion. It was 1 mercedes vs 2 redbull and Hamilton still outclassed them.
But lets leave it to the courts. If Mercedes win the case next year or whenever, and lewis get his championship silently, i think thats the just decision.
A sport cannot operate with manipulated rules. And Mercedes should not have to be robbed by a regulation breach. Even if they fire Masi, it's not enough. This is similar to using performance enhancing drugs in athletics, and usually, medals are taken away and handed to the rightful winners years later.

Any how Lewis is still champion to real fans of racing. This year is tainted and weak championship for red bull. I expect Lewis to convincingly take next year's. History will look back on this in a bad light.

I guess u are mercedes fanatic. Lewis did nothing special untile extra engine power came for the last ceitical races. For the 8th year in a row. When there is technical and economic dominance of a single team, hisorrically the f1 system reacts in a way or an other. So we all should gratefull to redbull, honda and max,.only them capable to bring back sporty nd real competition this year finally.

[El Scorchio]

I still can't grasp why there wasn't a red flag. The crash would clearly take long to clear, so if they wanted so desperately for the season to end with the cars racing, a red flag was the best decision.

Yup that would have been a little fairer, or just, hey, follow their own safety car procedures properly, once they called for it?

Yes it would have been a big anticlimax ending the season under the safety car but the guy who deserved to win the race would have won the race, at least.

As I’ve said a few times, were the race 59 laps then it’s just tough luck for Hamilton and a miracle for Verstappen but the fact they purposely ignored their own regulations and made up some new ones to end the safety car sooner than they should have done, that’s no longer luck. That’s engineering a race result.

[Big Tea]

"We'll see about next year."

Did Hamilton reveal his imminent retirement?

I expected Hamilton to announce his retirement if he won this championship, but it seems he has motivation to stay on.

I realise it is very easy for me to say this being in the camp of the guy who came out on top, really can you imagine the magic of another year (hoping we have some parity between cars) WC vs WC. He's not retiring, I don't think he possibly can now given his stature and character. One can hope.

I am glad Max won, but I would be equally as happy had Lewis won. The fracas today was not about the drivers or even the teams, they did what they had to do. I have felt Hamilton was jaded with racing and was looking to 'peruse other avenues' as they put it at the time of retiring. He looks to have enjoyed this last few races and sees Max as a worthy competitor, and it may relight his enthusiasm and stand the rest of the palaver he has to go through to get his time on track

[Mchamilton]

Hamilton deserved this Championship. Those who think Max deserves it more, are ignoring that he was beaten over a season under racing conditions. At no point can we say Hamilton had any advantage because of irregularity in the regulations. Both drivers when racing on track, Hamilton has been the victor, the better racer, and the faster driver.
He has 7, so it's not like he needed this one, but it should not go down in this way with artificial advantages given to another driver so he can win. Max got his azz handed to him today, he should not be champion. It was 1 mercedes vs 2 redbull and Hamilton still outclassed them.
But lets leave it to the courts. If Mercedes win the case next year or whenever, and lewis get his championship silently, i think thats the just decision.
A sport cannot operate with manipulated rules. And Mercedes should not have to be robbed by a regulation breach. Even if they fire Masi, it's not enough. This is similar to using performance enhancing drugs in athletics, and usually, medals are taken away and handed to the rightful winners years later.

Any how Lewis is still champion to real fans of racing. This year is tainted and weak championship for red bull. I expect Lewis to convincingly take next year's. History will look back on this in a bad light.

If you simply "delete" this race, Max is the WDC. Hamilton did an amazing job this season, but Max was marginally better. I do think Masi should go though, he's been an absolute disaster for F1.

Who else thinks the same? #MasiToGo ?

Delete the Spa 'race' too and he isnt

[jz11]

regarding the red flag, that indeed would have been fair to both Max and Lewis, both would be on softs, but then I'm 98% sure they would have to resort to that reminder that they'll (stewards) deduct points if something happens and they both are out, which would mean the championship would be decided by stewards, not the best option again, and I'm quite sure it wouldn't be in Maxes favor considering how the L1 thing was treated

[dwhight]

What about Mercedes breaking the spirit of the rules by putting in new engines every few races just so they can "spice" up their engine power. What about Silverstone and Hungary. You could argue things for both sides. The upshot is, both drivers have been the standout drivers this year and neither deserved to lose, but one of them had to, today it was Lewis. He benefitted from good fortune in 2008, Max had the good fortune in 2021. To say Max had benefitted more than Lewis over the season from FIA decisions is plainly wrong.

[Poleman]

Now since the frustration and the dust has settled,i want to say that i couldn't care less if Verstappen got the championship or Hamilton. I won't lose any sleep if my favorite driver didn't get the trophy today im not the one being paid millions and i still have to go to work tomorrow and deal with all the daily sh*t in our lives.

Having said that and leaving tin foiled hats aside and preferences, how can someone say that Verstappen DESERVED the championship and the win today? If you showed this race to your mom or girlfriend or anyone impartial for that matter who would say was the best man and deserved to win?Lewis destroyed Max today and actually both Redbull cars in fact.I can't get my head around that.

My main issue is why people think he deserved it MORE.Your argument is that he deserved it because he was better over the season but then again so did Hamilton that turned all the tables with 4 back to back wins (including his WIN today) and brought things to the final round.Also to all the people after Jeddah saying "May the best man win" in the final race ask yourselves,did the best man really win today?

Apologies in advance for the long post!

[F1doc]

Overall a sad day for F1. An unsatisfactory outcome to the end of the season. There had to be one to lose out at the very least, but here everyone has lost out. I for one have lost interest. I've been following F1 for decades. Usually after the season finale, I would feel desperate for the the winter off season to end and a new season of testing and racing to begin. I have no enthusiasm right now.

[radosav]

From mine point of view RB strategy departement were at much higher level than Merc's. Red Bull made fast and precision decisions during qualy and race.
Their strategy was spot on.

that is because they had the 2nd spot, they could react, and for them it boiled down essentially to do whatever the Lewis/Merc doesn't, because on the same exact strategy Lewis would always win, that was clear enough when Max couldn't close down the 17sec gap as quickly as he would have wanted (and expected) on the new hards, it went down to 12 (which was due to Lewis having to lap 4 car train) with what 8-9 laps before the SC came out?

what really interests me now (something we will never know because of the SC) is how much tire was left on LH car, how close he was to the cliff and did Max had any hope there, I'd guess - very little, he would probably end up some 3-4sec behind at the end if Lewis didn't get a puncture, he has always been extremely good (and lucky) with these mickey mouse tires

mixed feelings about this, I do think it was gifted to Max, which wasn't how I hoped he would win, but then again, that decision that even no investigation was necessary for cutting the track and not gaining an advantage (like retaining track position isn't an advantage any more...), and the fact that he lost 30-50 points due to how his direct competitors drove, I feel he deserved the crown, even when it basically fell into his lap there at the end

next season with the new cars can't come fast enough... so we can forget this one, way too much drama and controversy especially because of the weak race director and poor stewarding

I think in the future they should make the race directors channel one way only - he can give directions but doesn't need to explain himself then or go into discussions, that horse trading or even straight out demands (Toto wtf...) makes this whole thing look like circus, a la WWF

alonso said after the race that trophy should be split in two,that both drivers were on extremely high level all season, and that luck today went in Max's way and that decided the result

[f1jcw]

What about Mercedes breaking the spirit of the rules by putting in new engines every few races just so they can "spice" up their engine power. What about Silverstone and Hungary. You could argue things for both sides. The upshot is, both drivers have been the standout drivers this year and neither deserved to lose, but one of them had to, today it was Lewis. He benefitted from good fortune in 2008, Max had the good fortune in 2021. To say Max had benefitted more than Lewis over the season from FIA decisions is plainly wrong.

Nothing illegal about changing engine and taking a penalty

Lewis got a penalty for silverstone

Lewis had nothing to do with hungry.

[Big Tea]

What about Mercedes breaking the spirit of the rules by putting in new engines every few races just so they can "spice" up their engine power. What about Silverstone and Hungary. You could argue things for both sides. The upshot is, both drivers have been the standout drivers this year and neither deserved to lose, but one of them had to, today it was Lewis. He benefitted from good fortune in 2008, Max had the good fortune in 2021. To say Max had benefitted more than Lewis over the season from FIA decisions is plainly wrong.

Where does it say they can not? In fact there is a procedure in place that allows a trade off of positions to allow it, which most teams have used. Red bull could have given max a new engine every race if they had wanted to?

[napoleon1981]

Hamilton deserved this Championship. Those who think Max deserves it more, are ignoring that he was beaten over a season under racing conditions. At no point can we say Hamilton had any advantage because of irregularity in the regulations. Both drivers when racing on track, Hamilton has been the victor, the better racer, and the faster driver.
He has 7, so it's not like he needed this one, but it should not go down in this way with artificial advantages given to another driver so he can win. Max got his azz handed to him today, he should not be champion. It was 1 mercedes vs 2 redbull and Hamilton still outclassed them.
But lets leave it to the courts. If Mercedes win the case next year or whenever, and lewis get his championship silently, i think thats the just decision.
A sport cannot operate with manipulated rules. And Mercedes should not have to be robbed by a regulation breach. Even if they fire Masi, it's not enough. This is similar to using performance enhancing drugs in athletics, and usually, medals are taken away and handed to the rightful winners years later.

Any how Lewis is still champion to real fans of racing. This year is tainted and weak championship for red bull. I expect Lewis to convincingly take next year's. History will look back on this in a bad light.

If you simply "delete" this race, Max is the WDC. Hamilton did an amazing job this season, but Max was marginally better. I do think Masi should go though, he's been an absolute disaster for F1.

Who else thinks the same? #MasiToGo ?

Delete the Spa 'race' too and he isnt

Delete Silverstone and he is. Looking at the whole year, we got the correct world champ.

[LionKing]

And so did Mercedes.
They could have pit to change tires. They have exactly the same opportunities and the choices in this race as the Red Bull.

[f1jcw]

Interesting post