The 2016 F1 WDC Title Dumpster Topic

[Restomaniac]

They are free to race but Lewis was not doing that he was deliberately trying to compromise his team mate in the race. Mercedes had a car that would be well clear in front of others if it weren't for Lewis's dirty antics.

Of course he can do that when he sets up his own race team like Lewis racing but not when he is driving for Mercedes team. Especially when in Monaco Nico already let Lewis through when team asked him to do so.

Dirty antics?
Tell me do you think Hamilton should have just given Rosberg the title on a plate?

'Free to race' surely means just that? Or shouldn't it?

If Lewis was only 'free' to race flat out for the flag, then effectively you'd have Merc deciding the title via team orders.

Nico was free to catch up and pass, had he had the gumption / ability to do so.

Exactly.

[mwillems]

Well, how you treat your team and your teammate puts a certain picture on you, doesn't it?
I agree with the sportsmanship: I do not really care about the two and their personal reasons. But it is VERY interesting how it will be dealed within the team. Taking a look at the Merc company values and their incredible hard way to sack people who do not comply, this would be a clear sack in the Merc company. But, of course, this is something else here. Wolff's words were quite hard, so he needs to take action, otherwise he is the weak blanket many think of him. If anyone in the Merc team (Paddy, Wolff or Lauda) would like to do Ham any harm, they would put him on the bench for 3 races and tell him "good luck with the WDC 2017". But I rather hope and think Ham will lift the company's revenue and the christmas gratification for the normal employees with his penalty.

So for me the action they take is the real interesting point. I fear that they will do nothing.


Well, Schu, Senna, Prost and so on were driving on racing tracks with gravel and barriers. Running Nico off the lines on a parking space does not make much sense.


Again: This is not the first race in Abu Dhabi and this is not the first time one Merc has no chance to overtake the other Merc. Ham did it clever, he stopped on the apexes in S3 and put his foot down hard in S1 and S2.
Sorry, but you simply have no idea about modern F1 if you think Ros could have just attacked.

Why fear them doing nothing?

Sorry, "fear" was the wrong word. Actually I think it will be entertaining when Ham and Ros get the acknowledgement, that they can ignore the things the team tells them to do. I expect the same order among the teams like this year next year and Ros and Ham driving against each other with really unleashing "their ruthless streak" would at least spice it up a bit.

Agreed Not sure how it will play next year. Rosberg seemed content to have won the title despite Hamiltons tactics so who knows how next year will start. He doesn't seem to hold a grudge, nor to be too aggressive and I think he would fear taking Hamilton on - one on one. Or maybe he's going to grow a bit with the title under his belt. That, plus the regs makes for a lot of unknowns next year.

[dans79]

He doesn't seem to hold a grudge, nor to be too aggressive and I think he would fear taking Hamilton on - one on one.

Spa 2014?

[mwillems]

He doesn't seem to hold a grudge, nor to be too aggressive and I think he would fear taking Hamilton on - one on one.

Spa 2014?

True. So who knows what will happen next season.

[basti313]

Why fear them doing nothing?

Sorry, "fear" was the wrong word. Actually I think it will be entertaining when Ham and Ros get the acknowledgement, that they can ignore the things the team tells them to do. I expect the same order among the teams like this year next year and Ros and Ham driving against each other with really unleashing "their ruthless streak" would at least spice it up a bit.

Agreed Not sure how it will play next year. Rosberg seemed content to have won the title despite Hamiltons tactics so who knows how next year will start. He doesn't seem to hold a grudge, nor to be too aggressive and I think he would fear taking Hamilton on - one on one. Or maybe he's going to grow a bit with the title under his belt. That, plus the regs makes for a lot of unknowns next year.

2017: Well...Merc having the best PU, the best PU integration, one of the best aero teams...and the big one: One year without opponents just to develop the 2017 car. Plus free tokens for the best engine development on the grid. No idea why they should not be ahead like this season.

Grudge: Ros has a big grudge. They got him on the balls after Spa 2014, so I do not agree with that. The game changer was Austin 2015. I think Ham vs. Ros will be like this year: Whoever does not bottle his Q laps will start ahead. Then it will be all first lap incidents and no further on track battles. So if Wolff tells a number on backing the opponent into Vestappen or Vettel, the Merc employees will not have to fear about their Christmas party.

[Phil]

Congratulations Nico Rosberg.

I'm rally happy for him for winning it. To win it against a team-mate like Hamilton is a major feat. In my opinion - the crucial decisive action was in Barcelona, when IMO he was fully aware what he was doing when he ruthlessly blocked Hamilton off the track fully aware that he was in the wrong mode. Sometimes, in order to be WDC, it requires a bit of ruthlessness. To put this last race all down to Lewis being exactly that while ignoring decisive moments like Monaco '14, or Spa '14, or even this year Austria.. well, as I said - humans tend to have very short memories.

Personally, I would have hoped for a bit less less whining from Rosberg when Hamilton was doing the only logical thing - that being backing him into traffic. He had a choice; he could have driven for the win, gone for pole or even attempted to drive more aggressive to attempt a pass on his team-mate, yet once again he was passive. Fair play to him, it still worked out in the end.

On the other hand, Hamiltons drive was masterful. To come off with more wins and still not win it, is hard. I don't agree that the guy with the most points is always the most deserving. IMO Rosberg is not the deserving champion of this year given the circumstances, though I do congratulate him for achieving it none-the-less.

PS: Nice seeing them applaud each other on stage. Even if some of it was simply down to being diplomatic, it was nice seeing regardless.

PPS: No one is bigger than the team. I am happy Lewis's tactics didn't influence the WDC. If it had, it might have been a choice between winning a WDC but being fired (for going against the team). No one is bigger than the team. Ever. Yes, the team failed Hamilton this year, but it still doesn't make the driver bigger than the whole of the team.

[dans79]

To put this last race all down to Lewis being exactly that while ignoring decisive moments like Monaco '14, or Spa '14, or even this year Austria.. well, as I said - humans tend to have very short memories.

Or as my mother used to like to say, selective memories!

[ScottB]

I'm not sure why Nico would hold a grudge over Lewis' tactics. I'd be amazed if he didn't see that coming, it was the only option he had!

It's not quite the same as them deliberately crashing into each other for example. They've had far more volatile encounters than today's race.

[Alguck]

I'm also surprised there's even a discussion about Lewis' behaviour today in the race.
I and nobody else really could expect him to do anything different and I think it's quite alright he tried what he could. Of course if the team had an agreement, it's a different story for them and the drivers, but I as a fan don't care.

What's disgusting is his nothing but childish behaviour off the track in his interviews ("I know who's the real champion, and so does he", "I won the past four races and used to win races back when we were kids karting, so nothing really changed" etc.). To me those mindgames are not part of the sport, not when you're trying this hard to play with your opponents head.
Therefore I couldn't be more glad Rosberg is champion and yes, he deserves it.

To all the statistics guys (although it's been brought up already): Take a look at 2008, Massa's win count and his technical failures. If you want to give Lewis the title this year, then take it from him in 2008. Still 3x WDC.
It's all nonsense when things are this tight. If someone grabs the title with just one win, we can have a discussion, but with 9 wins… grow up.

[Sonador]

I do not get it why people are calling Rosberg a undeserving champion.

When Lewis Hamilton won the title in 2008, nobody said he was undeserving and Massa should be champion because he has had 3 dnf's. Common guys give credit were credit is due.
Rosberg kept the titlefight straigtforward and focussed on himself, Hamilton was putting massive amounts of pressure on Rosberg, inside the team and outside via media, as well ontrack. Rosberg just kept going, kept it together and save, to win the title, it takes great mental strenght and massive amounts of selfdisipline to do something like that.

It is just Silly to me that people questions that he is deserving or not!

Hamilton will be back, and with a point to proof!
I'm looking forward to seeing that unfold on track, he is one of the all time greats in F1 nobody can argue with that, not even a lost title wil put a smudge on his reputation or skilset.

I wil also be interesseted to see what a title does to Rosbergs motivation and driving.
Should be good combined with more competetion.

[Just_a_fan]

Rosberg was at best driving at midfield pace in Monaco.

and? did HAM overtake him? or did ROS moved aside as requested by the team?

Different situation entirely. In Monaco Hamilton was chasing for a team win and Rosberg had no chance of doing so. Letting Hamilton through was in the best interest of the team and its aim of winning the constructors' title. Today, the whole thing was about which driver in the team would win the driver's title. That was between the drivers. Hamilton was going to win the race so the team's winning record would not be harmed.

The team were wrong to get involved today, either way. The cardinal rule is "don't crash in to each other", after that, let them race.

It was another example of managers trying manage where they didn't need to. They just looked silly.

Shame they didn't do a better job of managing the engine manufacturing process at the beginning of the season...

[superdowg316]

It doesn't matter if you bang on about win and pole comparisons or how many car elements each driver used, the fact of the matter is Nico Rosberg scored 385 points to Lewis Hamilton's 380. Therefore, by having the most points scored over 21 races, Nico Rosberg is the World Champion. He had the better luck, he was more consistant and in the end, he had the most points. That makes him a well deserving World Champion. I would say the same if Hamilton had won the Championship.

Anyways, congrats to Nico for the title, hope he enjoys it and role on 2017.

[ringo]

I do not get it why people are calling Rosberg a undeserving champion.

When Lewis Hamilton won the title in 2008, nobody said he was undeserving and Massa should be champion because he has had 3 dnf's. Common guys give credit were credit is due.
Rosberg kept the titlefight straigtforward and focussed on himself, Hamilton was putting massive amounts of pressure on Rosberg, inside the team and outside via media, as well ontrack. Rosberg just kept going, kept it together and save, to win the title, it takes great mental strenght and massive amounts of selfdisipline to do something like that.

It is just Silly to me that people questions that he is deserving or not!

Hamilton will be back, and with a point to proof!
I'm looking forward to seeing that unfold on track, he is one of the all time greats in F1 nobody can argue with that, not even a lost title wil put a smudge on his reputation or skilset.

I wil also be interesseted to see what a title does to Rosbergs motivation and driving.
Should be good combined with more competetion.

I think he was very hungry these past 6 years at mercedes, so i expect that hunger to die down, and he will be more mellow and less ruthless. I don't expect a harder rosberg next year. He will relax a bit possibly for the worse.

As for Lewis and the team, if rosberg was backed into fourth, it wouldn't matter, still 1 & 2 in the driver championship.

[ringo]

Oh i also like to add this gem:

Vettel did not want to overtake Nico... he didn't want lewis to be 4xWDC, and he prefered it going to his countryman.
Vettel could have passed nico ages before but had second thoughts.

[RedNEO]

Rosberg was at best driving at midfield pace in Monaco.

and? did HAM overtake him? or did ROS moved aside as requested by the team?

Different situation entirely. In Monaco Hamilton was chasing for a team win and Rosberg had no chance of doing so. Letting Hamilton through was in the best interest of the team and its aim of winning the constructors' title. Today, the whole thing was about which driver in the team would win the driver's title. That was between the drivers. Hamilton was going to win the race so the team's winning record would not be harmed.

The team were wrong to get involved today, either way. The cardinal rule is "don't crash in to each other", after that, let them race.

It was another example of managers trying manage where they didn't need to. They just looked silly.

Shame they didn't do a better job of managing the engine manufacturing process at the beginning of the season...

Lewis could have still won the championship if he didn't fluff his starts. Both drivers had ups and downs but over a season the better man won. Congratulations again Nico Rosberg on a hard fought win!