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

[darkpino]

Performing in the given circumstances? When most have been on the line this season, i.e last race and this race, Max performed by:

-binning a safe pole position with a crash
-getting three penalties in one race for dangerous/illegal racing manouvres that would warrant grid penalty in any other situation
-walking off the podium celebrations when losing, because it was ”not fun”
-binning a set of mediums by destroying them in Q2, leaving him nowhere in stint 1 in the title decider
- getting the actual title through no means of his own, but by a race control decision that wants a show

And of course saying to the world that the FIA is against him, because they penalize what he genuinly and honestly considers to be fair racing (just watch SA again). Sure, Max is extremely fast, but nothing else about him speaks of a champion, especially not after a fabricated gift like yesterday.

On to 2022 where hopefully he will get to race drivers who are not as sensible and kind as Lewis when it comes to giving him the illegal space on track that he always demands. Then he will be in for some more nice penalties which will hopefully wreck his title chances for real. Maybe then he will realize how to properly conduct racing.

Enjoy your ”champ”!

In my opinion Max showed that when he has a bit overspeed (like Mercedes had since Silverstone) he’s more than capable to race in a fair way en leaving space to his competitors. That’s the thing: Lewis had a car which was superior in every way for almost a decade: he didn’t have to race hard and the one year he had (2016? Against Rosberg?) he lost also because he simply can’t.

That doesn’t take away the legend he is because 7 titles speak for them self even being in the quickest car. To get ready year after year to beat at least your team mate takes some dedication in my opinion! (Which maybe shows in the fact he was always a slow season starter).

Now regarding your comments: In my opinion Mercedes is the only ones who are the really sore losers here. Never have seen this before in professional sports (feels like deja vu this for me lol), the first two protests were pretty outrageous to me after all the luck the had with red flags and safety cars this season. Family Hamilton and Verstappen were really classy to each other (with a big wow to Hamilton after his loss for acting like that), somehow Mercedes can’t.

Last thing I want to add: I really feel for the #44 fans, pretty much the whole weekend looked in the bag till lap 57, in my opinion Lewis would have been the right race winner today so I understand his fans feeling cheated. Again Mercedes dropped the ball massively regarding strategy just like they’ve been doing all season (except Spain) so that is on them. But overall over the season I think Max/RBR we’re extremely unlucky with red flag situations/safety cars/and even being crashed out of the race by a certain team mate… ofcourse I’m biased but I think he had his share of luck yesterday which came just in time

One thing that is surprisingly overlooked is that Max’s gifted points at Spa, where no racing was even allowed to take place, proved to be completely decisive in the end. That is nothing short of disgraceful, and the FIA seriously need to have an investigation made of their whole operation.

I think one this that is surprisingly overlooked is that Masi has been a RD who never wants to finish the race behind the SC. Baku showed this as well but Hamilton himself didn’t took advantage of it. So neither Spa or Abu Dhabi wasn’t any different than other times this seaso

[DChemTech]

Well, records are surely being broken this year, including number of pages in the race thread

[Michelangelo]

If the drivers were reversed in the same scenario, it would be fans' reactions reversed as well. So this is most about feelings rather than absolute commitment to the sport regulations.
Red flag would have been a better choice as I think a tense title decider should not end behind a SC if not under extreme necessity. How it ended up is arguable, acceptably fair in my opinion, and I'd rate Max as a deserved winner. Congrats to both.

[proteus]

Great for the Netflix audience, i expect though.

Yea, and that's the a problem! Netflix, and the let them race mentality (that Horner likes to babble about so much), is ensuring that F1 will no longer be considered a sport!

Other way arround and you would be maybe fine with it?

[Michelangelo]

Well, records are surely being broken this year, including number of pages in the race thread

Do you know the current record? Any topic reached 200?

[Ryar]

Great for the Netflix audience, i expect though.

Yea, and that's the a problem! Netflix, and the let them race mentality (that Horner likes to babble about so much), is ensuring that F1 will no longer be considered a sport!

We got the best season since 2012 and a race director team who is willing to be aggressive unlike his predecessor who wouldnt even start a race if someone from the stand spits or it's cloudy. This has been the best F1 has been since 2012. This is the year where pushing someone off the race track wasn't acceptable unlike in the past, which resulted in penalties now. What's there to complain about.

[DChemTech]

Well, records are surely being broken this year, including number of pages in the race thread

Do you know the current record? Any topic reached 200?

150 in Silverstone I think

[Starscreamer]

Lots of cry and happy with the result
This race Lewis deserve the win but the true champion this year was for me Max
It was a miracle yesterday [-o<

[dans79]

This is the year where pushing someone off the race track wasn't acceptable unlike in the past, which resulted in penalties now. What's there to complain about.

Seems you weren't watching very closely!

[Datco]

Merc is just looking for a scapegoat. They messed up the strategy, they didn't pit on 2 safety cars opportunites. Their straight line speed meant they could easily pass even if they gave up track position. They sour and now blaming FIA. Sore losers.

[Ryar]

This is the year where pushing someone off the race track wasn't acceptable unlike in the past, which resulted in penalties now. What's there to complain about.

Seems you weren't watching very closely!

I did. Someone who lost position, cut the corner and gained a lasting advantage.

[etusch]

you are just too excited for the test results "looking" bad for mercedes.

and after the first 3 races i see you crying here that mercedes is too strong again.
2 years ago everyone thought ferrari will be unbeatable after testing? And what happend?

I bet that if testing were in spain again the results were very different. Also hamilton saying redbull is stronger right now means not too much.
Hell guys, is this your first season?

viewtopic.php?p=958391#p958391


I have saved this message for today and now I am using it.

[Tvetovnato]

In my opinion Max showed that when he has a bit overspeed (like Mercedes had since Silverstone) he’s more than capable to race in a fair way en leaving space to his competitors. That’s the thing: Lewis had a car which was superior in every way for almost a decade: he didn’t have to race hard and the one year he had (2016? Against Rosberg?) he lost also because he simply can’t.

That doesn’t take away the legend he is because 7 titles speak for them self even being in the quickest car. To get ready year after year to beat at least your team mate takes some dedication in my opinion! (Which maybe shows in the fact he was always a slow season starter).

Now regarding your comments: In my opinion Mercedes is the only ones who are the really sore losers here. Never have seen this before in professional sports (feels like deja vu this for me lol), the first two protests were pretty outrageous to me after all the luck the had with red flags and safety cars this season. Family Hamilton and Verstappen were really classy to each other (with a big wow to Hamilton after his loss for acting like that), somehow Mercedes can’t.

Last thing I want to add: I really feel for the #44 fans, pretty much the whole weekend looked in the bag till lap 57, in my opinion Lewis would have been the right race winner today so I understand his fans feeling cheated. Again Mercedes dropped the ball massively regarding strategy just like they’ve been doing all season (except Spain) so that is on them. But overall over the season I think Max/RBR we’re extremely unlucky with red flag situations/safety cars/and even being crashed out of the race by a certain team mate… ofcourse I’m biased but I think he had his share of luck yesterday which came just in time

One thing that is surprisingly overlooked is that Max’s gifted points at Spa, where no racing was even allowed to take place, proved to be completely decisive in the end. That is nothing short of disgraceful, and the FIA seriously need to have an investigation made of their whole operation.

I think one this that is surprisingly overlooked is that Masi has been a RD who never wants to finish the race behind the SC. Baku showed this as well but Hamilton himself didn’t took advantage of it. So neither Spa or Abu Dhabi wasn’t any different than other times this seaso

There is no difference? I think it’s a huge difference driving two laps behind the SC with NO OVERTAKING allowed and calling it a race with points awarded, compared to letting drivers actually race. Spa was an even worse gift of points, since he actually did not have to do anything there to earn the points. And here the FIA were blatantly breaking their own rules to create a show. Despicable and a real sh*tshow, and most of all, not a sport.

[NathanOlder]

It wasn’t a gamble. Strategy is contingent on knowing the bounds of the ruleset in which you participate.

So Red Bull pitted because Red Bull knew the race would finish under safety car? (Or not.)

How did Mercedes know the race would finish under safety car, but Red Bull didn't.

The FIA need to recognize that they have a set of procedures amd protocols to follow and they cannot choose to change these because they don’t want the race to finish under a safety car.

If Red Bull also knew the race was going to finish under the safety car, why did they pit? That doesn't make sense.

I would counter that both Mercedes and Red Bull had the same reason to expect the race to finish under green flag with lapped cars to overtake, if at all possible.

Oh come on, I honestly thought you were more knowledgeable than that. I thought you followed F1 closely.

Anyone who has any idea knows that when a Safety Car is brought out that 2 things decide your strategy, 1 - if the car or cars ahead don't stop (so theres no chance of gaining track position). 2 - the gap behind you is big enough to stop without losing track position. If both these things happen then you pit for new tyres. Everyone who has any interest in F1 knows this. So even if there is a 99% chance the race will finish under SC, you still pit for new tyres as a standard procedure. There was no gamble for RedBull, they had a huge gap to 3rd. Even if they had a sticky wheel nut, they could put the other 3 wheels back on and continue.

Don't talk rubbish and claim that it doesn't make sense for RedBull to pit. the only thing that doesn't make sense is long time fans saying such rubbish.

[NathanOlder]

How did Mercedes know the race would finish under safety car, but Red Bull didn't.

Because it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that, according to the rules, you let by cars out of order and then it starts the lap after. 2 laps to go minus 2 laps to go equals zero.

So Red Bull aren't clever enough to work that out, and their pitting was a waste of time?

I'm sorry but that really doesn't make sense IMO. Mercedes had every opportunity to also pit and to expect a restart.

I'm lost for words, you really have no idea how the strategy unfolded and what both teams could and couldn't do.