f1

[TonyD]

Funny how all the presenters and commentators both Sky and BBC seem to think what happened was fine and Max “deservedly” won the race. 
Having your nose in the trough can certainly make people talk bullshit. 

Robbie Savage is the only person in the media that gave it straight on 606 tonight.

[ozzjim]

Merc not said a word to the media and left the track, and lodged official intention to appeal. For the good of the sport, they should take this all the way to the court of arbitration for sport.

As to why people don't like Horner..... invoking the memory of Nikki Lauda to support his argument is just about as apt a summary of his shittiness as it comes, knowing full well how close Lewis, Toto Wolf and Lauda were.

[Beard82]

See the apeal was rejected.

The biggest issue I would say, is someone like me watched this, and thought this is quite good - maybe I should get more into this. 

Then watch something like that, and think - well this is a load of shite.  Its like watching WWE

I dont really care about who won, but that seemed massively unfair - and without at least a pretence of fairness, its not a sport.

I get that no sport is fair, cos always there will be underdog(s) - but this is like giving the title to the team that finished second in the league.

The more money in a sport, the shitter it becomes.  Is anything in football more entertaining than 20 years ago - no course it isn't.

The players are fitter - and coached better, but at the end of the day, is its not any more entertaining. 

[Jon Crofts]

Max Verstappen F1 World Champion 2021*

*Decided by a man in a suit to please the TV men in suits.

[Risso]

I don’t follow F1 closely.  Why the anti Horner sentiment?

He supports Coventry City.

[Jon Crofts]

I don’t follow F1 closely.  Why the anti Horner sentiment?

He supports Coventry City.

Karen Horner as he’s now known.

[Meanwood Villa]

I'm sure I've read multiple accounts of FIA favouring Mercedes and Hamilton so I'm a bit confused about the talk of a fix in favour of Red Bull and Verstappen.

[olaftab]

It seems that the race Director has fair amount of discretion to allow a race to take place regardless of  some infringement of other rules. That's how it should be but  how is it a fair race when you know already that due to hard worked advantage gained over 57 laps the car in the lead is in no position to compete when it's gain has been eliminated?

[London Villan]

If MV pitted why didnt hamilton pit after. He was ahead of him on the track?

[Beard82]

If MV pitted why didnt hamilton pit after. He was ahead of him on the track?

From what I could understand is they didnt know if the race would restart, so if hamilton pitted he could have been behind MV - and if it didnt restart (which looked likely) then they would have finished second?

[Brazilian Villain]

I don’t follow F1 closely.  Why the anti Horner sentiment?

Haven't followed the thread but I think it might be because he lives in the UK and pays tax here.

[Nunkin1965]

If MV pitted why didnt hamilton pit after. He was ahead of him on the track?

Yes I think it was all about track position at the time. Hamilton would have lost it.
They would have run through the options apart from the contrived one that followed.
From what I could understand is they didnt know if the race would restart, so if hamilton pitted he could have been behind MV - and if it didnt restart (which looked likely) then they would have finished second?

[Ad@m]

If MV pitted why didnt hamilton pit after. He was ahead of him on the track?

The safety car was out. So by the time Hamilton got back round to the pit lane he didn't have a gap to pit and get back out in front. It was essentially a free pit stop for Verstappen.

What should've happened is that as soon as it was clear it would take a while to sort the track out from the Latifi crash the race should've been red flagged. That would've meant Hamilton and Verstappen could race it out to the end but they'd both be on fresh tyres. But as soon as he sent the safety car out Masi put himself in a situation where he had to decide who was going to be world champion which should never happen.

Masi has got to go. He's unfit to be race director and this is the worst way for Verstappen to win his first title.

[Nunkin1965]

If MV pitted why didnt hamilton pit after. He was ahead of him on the track?

The safety car was out. So by the time Hamilton got back round to the pit lane he didn't have a gap to pit and get back out in front. It was essentially a free pit stop for Verstappen.

What should've happened is that as soon as it was clear it would take a while to sort the track out from the Latifi crash the race should've been red flagged. That would've meant Hamilton and Verstappen could race it out to the end but they'd both be on fresh tyres. But as soon as he sent the safety car out Masi put himself in a situation where he had to decide who was going to be world champion which should never happen.

Masi has got to go. He's unfit to be race director and this is the worst way for Verstappen to win his first title.

100% agree.
Mercedes brought a barrister along as they knew potentially events might require one.
I do feel for Max as this overshadows his achievement.

Next year will be tougher because essentially Mercedes have developed next seasons car early at the expense of this years and hello here comes George Russell!

[ozzjim]

Russell in the second merc today and max doesn't have that free pit. Lewis has battled the 2 red bulls alone at times this season.

As for the FIA favouring Lewis, rubbish. Them not getting tough with Max early this season set the tone, and allowed him to bully his way through the season.

His victory today was hollow, as is his world title. I sincerely hope ferrari and Mclaren close the gap and red bull struggle next season. Oh and that Geri gives Horner crabs.