Formula 1

He had discretion over what happened with the safety car etc. his discretion is

 

Who thinks Lewis got away lightly after going over the run off area when Max tried overtaking him on lap one? Everyone knew Lewis had a faster car on the straights and the fact that Red Bull was on pole could show it is quicker through the corners. Therefore a overtake into a corner is the most likely way for Max to overtake. It wasn’t a out of control lung (2 footed flying tackle eg) he kept his car under control and made Lewis make a decision. Either brake or crash and Lewis couldn’t afford a crash. There’s been many overtakes like that all season , some by Lewis some Max.

 

Agreed I keep seeing these comments all over saying Mercedes should have pitted, I sorry to say the people saying this aren't grasping the tactics of a F1 race.
Mercedes only option was to stay out.

 

I've caught up with this thread and for anyone to suggest it is just bad luck or the like is just talking nonsense. Luck isn't orchestrated by a bloke sat in an office at the side of a track. He was pressured by Horner to do something and crumbled. It was not a fair outcome and all the Mercedes decisions were with the rules in mind. To suddenly change them "at discretion" right at the end makes a mockery of the sport. There shouldn't be any ambiguity and it has happened time and time again this season. Masi is a disgrace and should resign, for starters.

 

One thing I still don't understand is that both mercedes and the race director said that Lewis had given the advantage back after the corner but how and when did that happen?

 

There were three courses of action that would have been preferable -

Let them complete it under the safety car, Red Bull would complain about the lack of a restart but ultimately would've lost fair and square.

Restart behind the safety car with the lapped runners in place, and if Max can overtake them all & Lewis in one lap then fair play to him.

Red flag it and restart with both on new tyres for a five-lap shootout. Best man wins.

Instead they chose to let one competitor with brand new tyres take a run at a guy with nearly 40 laps in his. It wasn't competitive, it was a farce. It was a decision taken fully aware of the inevitable outcome. They have handed a driver a race win and the Championship with it.

 

On a side note
why did Lewis go so wide into that corner on the restart after the safety car pulled off
He must have known MV would drive the car into the first gap he saw.
Why didn't he drive a defensive line ,if MV went wide to overtake he could have pushed him further wide towards the outside /off the track
coming from the outside in he would have no other option to back off out
which is exactly what happened.
He did the same thing earlier in the race at the same corner and Perez dived up the inside and overtook him.
if he had pushed him wide it may have gained him a precious second or two.

 

I don't even think Mercedes had a soft tyres change option available to them ?
to make it fair
there race strategy was to run long on harder tyres and be strong at the end when Red bull tyres would be toast

 

In the cold light of day..
It’s still ********..

 

& to make it worse. ******** has been added to the swear filter.
********

 

Don't think Lewis thought he'd take the first opportunity, Lewis needed a different line going into the next few turns due to the wide run offs. Probably thought a defensive there would have helped. Either way would have been futile, he'd got new shoes on so was always going to pass him on that circuit.

 

If the race Director has discretion and that is an open discretion then there are no rules.

That’s quite a bold statement to make to defend his actions.

 

Still banging on about that I see. Agree that if LH was still ahead after the corner I can't see any advantage being given back. However the glaring point is that MV when barrelling into the corner (yet again) forcing Hamilton into either leaving the track or colliding. It is not even as if MV tried to tern left. Any camera angle shows he went more ore less straight on at the left hander making little or no attempt to leave LH enough room. Taking the racing line is only allowed in the Regs. if you are completely clear of the following car which he wasn't .
This is what the other drivers are complaining about re MV and want clarification as there is now no consistency in whether or not to apply the rule. If every driver did the same and unlike Hamilton did not give way and take evasive action (except at Silverstone where he stood his ground) there would be very few cars left on track by the end of the race- Hard racing is one thing, forcing other drivers off track is another. MV will be emboldened to continue that tactic now he has got away with it and won the WDC.
And for those that claim LH does the same on chicanes. He does NOT. if he is fully ahead on the first turn he takes the racing line on the second part and opens the steering to use the outer edge of the track. If a drive like MV keeps his foot in he then has to go off track making it appear as though he has been forced off, rather than slotting in behind. It is not just rules MV ignores it is basic racing etiquette.

EDIT: AH! I get it... "Red Bull complained about that, but race director Michael Masi shrugged them off, saying Verstappen had forced Hamilton off the track and any advantage gained had been given back." The "advantage" referred to was MV forcing LH off track and thus would have gained a place. However LH used the run off to maintain the place he had prior to the incident. Hence "advantage" meant (MV) given back.

 

Well it is the Panto season! He’s right behind you Lewis. Oh no he isn’t, oh……. bugger

 

Yesterday was the worst thing I've seen in any elite level sporting event. Truly shocking to witness a governing body deliberately engineer a result in favour of one competitor.

There's not much else to it.

I still can't believe it actually happened. The FIA reminds me of FIFA under Sepp Blatter. Arrogant, questionable morals and completely lacking accountability and integrity.

Mental.