F1 2021

[Andicis]

1 minute ago, Remy the hare said:

I think in my opinion he’s overhyped. He’s been very very fortunate that he’s raced in an era for a team with total dominance and only during the Rosberg years did he not get things all his own way. Furthermore he’s raced an era of more racers per season and unreal reliability, so of course he will break all records. 

I don't agree, but the opinion is fine. You do come across as very bitter when talking about Lewis, more so than perhaps I would be about somebody I just thought was overhyped! 

[Alph]

44 minutes ago, Remy the hare said:

Surely you want to see a competition? Hamilton has sleepwalked his way through the last 4 years with no competition. I say thank god for Max actually making a season of it. If it wasn’t for him Hamilton would have won again with 5 races to spare, the way the so called GOAT normally likes to operate. 

Definitely happy for more competition. Today would be one of the most viewed races in years? It was set to be a thriller. The excitement as the lights went out!

The dig at the end I don't understand. I'm sure any driver in history would prefer to sail around in first with a boring win after win. 

"So called GOAT"... the records are there. But besides that he's shown that under whatever pressure, whether fighting against other drivers or against his own car or even against his own teammate that he's there pushing the absolute limits year after year. 

There's drivers on the grid like Alonso and Hamilton that everyone knows are going to demand the best from them. 7 world titles handed to him by the fastest car isn't exactly fair in my opinion 

[Alph]

6 minutes ago, Remy the hare said:

I think in my opinion he’s overhyped. He’s been very very fortunate that he’s raced in an era for a team with total dominance and only during the Rosberg years did he not get things all his own way. Furthermore he’s raced an era of more racers per season and unreal reliability, so of course he will break all records. 

Fortunate or earned? 

Similar has been said about the likes of Messi. Could he do it on a cold November evening in Stoke? 

Does he have to? Have Mercedes done him any favours or is it mutual benefit. They've got the best driver in the best car? Would they swap him for many on the grid? 

Are there many better under pressure? Better at wheel to wheel racing? Consistent in qualifying? At managing the car? 

Genuinely wondering what your take on it is. How many drivers on the grid could do what he's done? Is in unfair to assume it took everything out of Rosberg? 

[Comrade 86]

21 minutes ago, Remy the hare said:

He never uttered the word “majority”. So you are wrong. He said “on the balance” meaning taking everything into consideration. Your just twisting words to suit.

So 'taking everything into consideration', Newey states that Max has had the faster car. Ok mate, let's go with your version of it then shall we? ?

[Andicis]

4 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Consistent in qualifying? At managing the car? 

Lewis is amazing at all aspects of his driving, but in recent years it's apparent how much of a master he is at managing his car. When he was younger he had to retire from a reasonable amount of races each season from making mistakes with more aggressive driving. Now he never makes mistakes at managing his car, he does it perfectly, just look at how he looked after his tyres today! He maintained a 10 second gap with 40 lap old hard tyres. 

[Rev]

I think it's just a shame that tonight, with the eyes of the world on F1, that they've engineered a result that seems incomprehensible, and manifestly unfair, and let newcomers to the sport think it's fair game and how the sport runs itself.

You can't just tear up the rulebook on the last lap of a season, and expect the losing team to accept it.

 

 

 

 

[Gaspode]

Let’s not forget that Hamilton‘s car was disqualified from qualifying in Brazil because the rear wing opened 0.2mm (i.e. a gnat’s testicle) more than it should have - the FIA quoted the regulations and there was no argument to be made against their punishment. Yet they’ve just rewritten far more far-reaching regulations on the fly in order to make the end of the race ‘exciting’. An absolute farce….
It doesn’t matter who is the best driver or who deserves to be Champion - the whole integrity of the sport has been destroyed in one idiotic act from a race director that has shown himself to be either out of his depth or corrupt in his determination to have a different driver win the title….

[TigerTedd]

If they wanted to make the end really exciting, they could have told Mercedes’ what they were about to decide, and allowed them chance to pit. A straight shoot out for one lap with them both on fresh tyres, that would have been a fair fight, and very exciting to watch (still not particularly fair as Hamilton had built up a commanding lead fair and square, but at least a little more palatable). 

this wasn’t exciting, cos it was obvious what was going to happen. At that point, with there’s in the star they were, it was a Ferrari racing a Lada. That’s not an exciting race. 

[Jubbs]

13 hours ago, JoetheRam said:

Red Bull I think were ungentlemanly in their conduct by allowing Perez to weave around and park it on the exit of corners to obstruct Hamilton. Not unlawful and all the other teams would likely have done the same but it left a sour taste. Can't imagine Jim Clark or Graham Hill doing that.

Not a chance, that was phenomenal hard racing from Checo, nothing ungentlemanly about it.

[Malagaram]

15 hours ago, RandomAccessMemory said:

Exactly, the rule states the safety car will come in at the end of the following lap (which would have been the final lap) after the last lapped car goes past the leader, not about 5 seconds later at the end of the same lap!

You’d be going in the wrong direction, the EFL are based in Preston ?

You are right but there is an office in London

[Rambam]

I’m interested to know why Ferrari have not bothered to appeal against the bizarre decision to only allow the cars between Lewis and Max to unlap themselves. So Sainz was not part of the race? He had back markers in front of him. Therefore he could not challenge Max, or indeed Lewis. Also Max didn’t need to watch his back as he tried to overtake Lewis. 
No, Masi wanted a ‘shoot out’ between the front two; a Hollywood finish, where inevitably there was only going to be one outcome. 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Rambam

[RadioactiveWaste]

1 hour ago, Rambam said:

I’m interested to know why Ferrari have not bothered to appeal against the bizarre decision to only allow the cars between Lewis and Max to unlap themselves. So Sainz was not part of the race? He had back markers in front of him. Therefore he could not challenge Max, or indeed Lewis. Also Max didn’t need to watch his back as he tried to overtake Lewis. 
No, Masi wanted a ‘shoot out’ between the front two; a Hollywood finish, where inevitably there was only going to be one outcome. 

That is a good point. I suspect with P3 in the constructor championship secure and Carlos set for p5 in the drivers they didn't have much reason to feel put out by it - but it's a legitimate point and if things with McLaren had been colder they'd probably have made the point.

[RadioactiveWaste]

My F1 2021 Awards:

Best driver:

Gasly - single handedly scored almost as much as Ocon and Alonso combined.

Best team effort:

Alpine - improved the car a lot over the season, Ocon matures and Fernando gets his grizzle on.

Best new guy to a team:

Sainz - not many had him ahead of Leclerc going into the season

Best Rookie:

Mick Schumacher

Best race:

Imola

Worst race:

Spa. Wasn't even a race. Should never have been declared a result.

Hero of the season:

Lando - I still feel for him after Sochi.

Funniest moments:

Mazespin living up to his nickname most weekends.

George Russell crashing into Bottas then jumping out the car to start weak pish boy punching his helmet.

Perez binning it on the formation lap at Spa.

Vettle's breaks being on fire and his team not giving a toss because they're all working on the boss's son's car.

Bottas playing skittles in Hungary.

Alonso defending Hamilton in Hungary.

Worst moments:

Anything Michael Massi did.

Vettle's podium DQ for insufficient fuel sample (heartbreaking because there was fuel in the system but it didn't drain back into the tank)

Kimi retirement.

The Silverstone crash. It was a bad one and a minor miracle the Max was unhurt - a real testimony to modern safety.

The post Silverstone rbr character assassination of Lewis Hamilton. It was a mistake that caused it, no more, no less. Lewis was making a genuine attempt and got it wrong at high speed. The character assassination was unwarranted.

The death of a Marshall at a brands hatch club racing meet. OK, not F1, but all Motorsport relies on volunteer Marshalls to ensure safety.

Most disappointing driver:

Honey badger - sorry Danny Ric, but you've sucked this season, I know, you know it, Netflix knows it.

Best drive:

Lewis at Interlagos

 

 

 

[Mostyn6]

[SSD]

Think we need to stop blaming Red Bull for this mess. They had to be creative and their strategy was excellent. Mercs played it cautious and they were on the end of a very dodgy call which I think people need to accept and move on.

It's good to see Lewis acting with class and dignity. I don't agree with some of his personal opinions however the man is one of the best sportsman around. I can't say the same for Toto Wolff. He clearly tried to influence the race control regarding the safety car which is dangerous, selfish and embarrassing to the sport. It's like having managers gobbing off at the referee when they know it's not the right decision, I can't stand it. What an entitled so so.

Massi has to go, not just for yesterday's shambles but for the entire season. Baffling calls against both the big teams, zero consistency in the rules. If the FIA want to try this "umpires decision" ruling during the race then write it clearly. It's a mess, great entertainment but it's like watching Stuart Atwell ref the Derby Forest game every weekend. 

[Leicester Ram]

Can’t say I’m an F1 expert, I’m a very casual fan but what’s struck me about this is how the money, technology and outrageously detailed coverage involved in sports these days shines such a glaring light on poor officiating.

There needs to be way, way more money invested in training the referees/race directors etc that have so much power over an entire sports reputation, the livelihoods/legacies of athletes and, ultimately, the happiness of so many fans across the globe.

Lewis was clearly robbed and Max’s first championship is clearly tainted; there will always be an asterisk. No one really wins and now everyone will argue about it forever, worst case scenario for the fans and FIA.

Imagine Derby somehow got into a position to stay up this season and it all went to pot on the final day of the season because some unfit, unqualified championship linesman couldn’t keep up with play? Bit too easy to imagine going off what we saw on Saturday (the fat lino, not Derby staying up).

Quality and consistent officiating is part of the “product” as much as the athletes, it’s so boring to spend all of MOTD talking about refs and even more boring to be talking about ducking rule 34.4b of the FIA handbook or whatever’s it is after what was supposed to be the most exciting race in a generation.

Technology can help them but they need to be smart, capable and accountable, not dithering old men who can’t handle the pressure. I’m 100% positive that we will look back on today’s officiating in 20/30 years and shake our heads at how laughable it was.

Also goes without saying that Christian Horner is one of the biggest cockwombles on the planet. How anyone can like that horrible little man is beyond me, if there are any fans of him on here then please try to explain why you like him to me.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Leicester Ram

[Alph]

Watch a couple of seasons of Drive to Survive on Netflix. If you still like Horner after that then you're a blood relative of Max Verstappen

[RadioactiveWaste]

45 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Watch a couple of seasons of Drive to Survive on Netflix. If you still like Horner after that then you're a blood relative of Max Verstappen

I really enjoy drive to survive and the series covering this season is going to be fun. But, it is the reality TV version of F1 rather than a factual documentary of the sport (IMO).

5 hours ago, Leicester Ram said:

Can’t say I’m an F1 expert, I’m a very casual fan but what’s struck me about this is how the money, technology and outrageously detailed coverage involved in sports these days shines such a glaring light on poor officiating.

There needs to be way, way more money invested in training the referees/race directors etc that have so much power over an entire sports reputation, the livelihoods/legacies of athletes and, ultimately, the happiness of so many fans across the globe.

Lewis was clearly robbed and Max’s first championship is clearly tainted; there will always be an asterisk. No one really wins and now everyone will argue about it forever, worst case scenario for the fans and FIA.

Imagine Derby somehow got into a position to stay up this season and it all went to pot on the final day of the season because some unfit, unqualified championship linesman couldn’t keep up with play? Bit too easy to imagine going off what we saw on Saturday (the fat lino, not Derby staying up).

Quality and consistent officiating is part of the “product” as much as the athletes, it’s so boring to spend all of MOTD talking about refs and even more boring to be talking about ducking rule 34.4b of the FIA handbook or whatever’s it is after what was supposed to be the most exciting race in a generation.

Technology can help them but they need to be smart, capable and accountable, not dithering old men who can’t handle the pressure. I’m 100% positive that we will look back on today’s officiating in 20/30 years and shake our heads at how laughable it was.

Also goes without saying that Christian Horner is one of the biggest cockwombles on the planet. How anyone can like that horrible little man is beyond me, if there are any fans of him on here then please try to explain why you like him to me.

I agree with you about the officiating,it's been abysmal, inconsistent, contrived towards entertainment/closing things up/drama/the show and it's not the way it should be done. The worst however was declaring that farce at Spa a result after precisely zero actual racing (just so they didn't have to refund a bunch of people)

F1 shot itself in the foot with that one on Sunday, because lots of first timers or not usually interested will have tuned in, and seen "oh, so the guy who was totally winning that got screwed just because"

I don't really consider the title tainted for Max, because over the season he's earned it, or, he's not done less than Lewis to earn it. I could have lived with either being the champion.

I do hope Lewis gives number 8 another magnificent effort next season and goes out on a high.

[Alph]

4 hours ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

 

I don't really consider the title tainted for Max, because over the season he's earned it, or, he's not done less than Lewis to earn it. I could have lived with either being the champion.

I almost agree except he did 1 thing less than Lewis. He was losing the Championship on the last lap in the last race and was stuck in traffic. 

But he's a worthy champion. 

[ziggyram59]

Really nice to see Lewis Hamilton receive his knighthood today. Well deserved. I think Lewis deserves to win the BBC Sports Personality Life Time Achievement Award for what he as achieved in Formula1. But knowing the BBC he won't.