Formula 1 decider

[JackSomething]

Daylight robbery.

That is not sport. Hamilton was miles ahead.

For a casual follower of F1 who only watched today because the race was on Channel 4, that was baffling.

Hard to understand how Hamilton didn't have to give the place back to Verstappen when he went off track, although I've heard commentators saying they were applying the same interpretation of the rules that Verstappen benefited from in Brazil?

But then at the end, wtf was that? Hamilton can't pit because he would be behind Verstappen and passing him before the end would have been difficult, but he maintains his lead even on old tyres. Then somebody well down the field crashes, the race directors decide last minute to let the lapped cars through, but only the ones between Hamilton and Verstappen rather than all of them (because then the race would have ended under safety car), making it pretty easy for Verstappen to pass on his fresh soft tyres.

What a shit sport if you can do everything right and be leading comfortably only for someone else's mistake to lose you the race. I imagine Mercedes will appeal and like the pretty shitty sport F1 is, the championship will actually be decided off the race track.

 

[Cooperman]

I imagine Mercedes will appeal and like the pretty shitty sport F1 is, the championship will actually be decided off the race track.

It’s likely the case that it has already been decided off the race track.

 

[Neath_Jack]

Daylight robbery.

That is not sport. Hamilton was miles ahead.

For a casual follower of F1 who only watched today because the race was on Channel 4, that was baffling.

Hard to understand how Hamilton didn't have to give the place back to Verstappen when he went off track, although I've heard commentators saying they were applying the same interpretation of the rules that Verstappen benefited from in Brazil?

But then at the end, wtf was that? Hamilton can't pit because he would be behind Verstappen and passing him before the end would have been difficult, but he maintains his lead even on old tyres. Then somebody well down the field crashes, the race directors decide last minute to let the lapped cars through, but only the ones between Hamilton and Verstappen rather than all of them (because then the race would have ended under safety car), making it pretty easy for Verstappen to pass on his fresh soft tyres.

What a s**t sport if you can do everything right and be leading comfortably only for someone else's mistake to lose you the race. I imagine Mercedes will appeal and like the pretty shitty sport F1 is, the championship will actually be decided off the race track.

My feelings as well pretty much, and a perfect example of why it's a daft "sport".

 

[JackSomething]

I'm not exactly going to be filled with sympathy for 7 time world champion and multi-millionaire (£300m career earnings apparently) Lewis Hamilton, but he was pretty classy at the end there.

Not hard to imagine the difference had the roles been reversed.

 

[Cooperman]

Race Control initially said no lapped cars would be allowed to overtake, but changed it suddenly that only the ones in front of Max should clear!!

A total fvcking disgrace!!

We need to wait and find out of the race director has applied the rules in full, or whether he has bent rules in a way that could influence the race result. Either way there was only going to be one winner once he’d made his decision.

 

[BrynCartwright]

Complete farce of a race, decided by committee off the track. Lewis deserved to win. The whole safety car situation where all cars can get back together and change tyres without losing track position is just bullshit. Perhaps next year Verstappen can win it fairly. I'm very angry.

 

[WalterBoyd]

Mercedes have launched 2 appeals.

Race director can't ( he did though) change the rules to have an exciting last lap.

Bryn, you are right, farce. This will lose racing more fans than it gains.

 

[CygnusX1]

We need to wait and find out of the race director has applied the rules in full, or whether he has bent rules in a way that could influence the race result. Either way there was only going to be one winner once he’d made his decision.

I don’t think that decision would have been made if the entire championship and driver race positions had been different.
Mercedes now quite rightly protesting the result

 

[Swanluke]

Absolutely farcical. Fia have been clueless all year and a number of incidents have had everyone scratching their head. Any other race that ends under a safety car

 

[PSumbler]

We need to wait and find out of the race director has applied the rules in full, or whether he has bent rules in a way that could influence the race result. Either way there was only going to be one winner once he’d made his decision.

I don’t think that decision would have been made if the entire championship and driver race positions had been different.
Mercedes now quite rightly protesting the result

Any appeal will fail

The stewards screwed up on lap 1 by not asking Hamilton to give up the position

I wonder what Wolff would be thinking had the roles been completely reversed on the last lap.

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Race Control initially said no lapped cars would be allowed to overtake, but changed it suddenly that only the ones in front of Max should clear!!

A total fvcking disgrace!!

We need to wait and find out of the race director has applied the rules in full, or whether he has bent rules in a way that could influence the race result. Either way there was only going to be one winner once he’d made his decision.

Michael Masi should have allowed the other 3 lapped cars also pass the safety car, but as you say that sudden change of the rules was only an advantage to Red Bull.

 

[JackSomething]

I don’t think that decision would have been made if the entire championship and driver race positions had been different.
Mercedes now quite rightly protesting the result

Any appeal will fail

The stewards screwed up on lap 1 by not asking Hamilton to give up the position

I wonder what Wolff would be thinking had the roles been completely reversed on the last lap.

Wolff would be celebrating and leaving it to Red Bull to complain (as Mercedes have done). But I can guarantee the response from Horner and Verstappen to being screwed like Hamilton has been would have been epic. Toys out of the pram wouldn't come close to describing it.

 

[Cooperman]

Any other race that ends under a safety car

That’s probably right. It’s now got to be determined whether Michael Masi has applied any rules incorrectly and / or played the hand of god and created a scenario that would only produce one winner.

 

[Swanluke]

It's just a real shame that it came down to a decision where there was no 50/50 chance. Lewis was sitting duck on those tyres. Yes maybe should of pitted but drove brilliantly on those tyres. I feel sick for him. Well done to Max though.

 

[Cooperman]

We need to wait and find out of the race director has applied the rules in full, or whether he has bent rules in a way that could influence the race result. Either way there was only going to be one winner once he’d made his decision.

Michael Masi should have allowed the other 3 lapped cars also pass the safety car, but as you say that sudden change of the rules was only an advantage to Red Bull.

How would the outcome have been any different if he had allowed the other three cars passed?