The right thing to do and some very pointed wording in that statement. I think Merc and Lewis come out of it all the better...
Susie having her say. Again - carefully worded so as not to look to be detracting from Max and laying it all on Masi. If this hasn't been worded or at the very least approved by Toto/Marc I would be surprised - the message is quite clear as to who they hold responsible. He's gone for sure...
https://twitter.com/Susie_Wolff/status/1471400042527346689?s=20
If checo says it, who cares.
If it doesn’t make Max slower then why wouldn’t they listen to Checo? Don’t forget they didn’t win the constructors’ this year, and I’d suggest that the main reason for that is that Bottas started races further up the grid than Perez.
n0b0dy0ftheg0at
Free MemberOfficial withdraw of result protest.
Disappointed, in as much as I don’t see the FIA doing enough under their own investigation, to give many of us faith in racing rules being applied fairly.
Just keep an eye on what Mercedes say/do next year to see if there are still concerns about them being applied fairly. Once bitten n all that
Tenner that Lewis drops the trophy on Max's foot tonight - breaking his toes and putting him out for the first few months of 2022! 🤣🤣🏆
the-muffin-man
Full MemberTenner that Lewis drops the trophy on Max’s foot tonight – breaking his toes and putting him out for the first few months of 2022! 🤣🤣🏆
Bet driving one footed would barely slow either of those 2!
It'll be interesting to see how the great and good of the motorsport world respond when the WDC and WCC titles are officially presented tonight.
It will all be very civil and to the 'script'.
It’ll be interesting to see how the great and good of the motorsport world respond when the WDC and WCC titles are officially presented tonight.
They'll clap politely and pretend that all is well.
Merc and LH have come out of this very well - everyone knows they should have won both Championships but even without that, to win Constructors for 8 years in a row is amazing. There's the counter issue of if they're too dominant - the Lance Armstrong of the motorsport world maybe. 😉
Is it just F1 tonight or other series presented too (never really paid attention before)? As they royally ****ed the deciding GT3 race too!
Bez
If it doesn’t make Max slower then why wouldn’t they listen to Checo? Don’t forget they didn’t win the constructors’ this year, and I’d suggest that the main reason for that is that Bottas started races further up the grid than Perez.
I should have said "If checo wants something different to Max, who cares".
Obviously if both think it will be a benefit then they will do it. But obviously the team will put greater weight on their top drivers opinions.
Is it just F1 tonight or other series presented too
I think it's every series presided over by the FIA, possibly including the announcement of who will be the new FIA president.
Susie Wolff has articulated my feelings perfectly. Thank you, Susie.
waits for it…..
That is not how I read Merc's statement Michael!!
I fear for the life of that parody account. 🙂
Yeah - if that's Masi's real Twitter feed I'll eat my skiddy undercrackers! 💩
Susie WolffMercedes AMG Petronas PR team has articulated my feelings perfectly. Thank you,SusieMercedes
FTFY 😉
I’d imagine there was quite a bit of negotiating between the FIA and Mercedes in order for Mercedes to release that statement using the wording they gave. It’ll be interesting to see what comes of it, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the negotiations included “guarantees”
the more Masi tweets, the less I think he’s helping
Susie Wolff - Former racing driver and current CEO of a racing team. Someone with far more knowledge of the rules and the situation. She may be bias, being both British and the wife of Toto, but it was a personal statement backed up by knowledge.
if that’s Masi’s real Twitter feed I’ll eat my skiddy undercrackers!
From the Twitter bio for that account. I think your undercrackers are safe (from being eaten, probably not safe in general!)
Current FIA Race Director for the Formula 1 series 🏎️
Hobbies: postponing races 🕒, red flagging sessions 🚩 and penalizing masterclass drivers 🐐
Susie Wolff – Former racing driver and current CEO of a racing team. Someone with far more knowledge of the rules and the situation. She may be bias, being both British and the wife of Toto, but it was a personal statement backed up by knowledge.
Yes I am well aware of that but if her statement was not at least cleared by Merc I'll eat my hat...
A lawyer’s perspective on the way the rules can and can’t be interpreted, and what an appeal panel of legally qualified adjudicators would likely conclude.
Just putting more pressure on the FIA to meet some of Merc's demands given Lewis is still by far the sport's biggest global brand or does he mean it? Answers on a postcard
Chatter on twitter that Merc and Lewis not going to awards ceremony... not seen anything official tho.
Reg 6.6 The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual
FIA Prize Giving ceremony.
Planet F1 has a quote from Toto saying he and Lewis aren't going....someone else is representing Merc
Reg 6.6 The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual
FIA Prize Giving ceremony.
I think there is another reg stating what the procedure is regarding lapped cars and the SC. Can't remember what it is though.
I am pretty sure that the FIA would be happy to invent another rule along the lines of 'but at the discretion of the awards host a driver can be excused of attending' or something 😀
Full story here on what Toto said:
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12497203/lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-says-he-can-give-no-assurances-british-star-will-continue-in-f1-after-abu-dhabi-pain(Note is has been updated since I first posted the link)
I hope Merc and Lewis do go, LH may not have the title but he does have the moral high-ground and it would be a shame to undermine this.
It reminds me a bit of Damon Hill in 94, having a title snatched away from him in strange circumstances but being very dignified about it and coming back stronger.
Reg 6.6 The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony.
For the FIA to attempt to enforce that under the current circumstances would be grotesque.
For the FIA to attempt to enforce that under the current circumstances would be grotesque.
I think Merc are just doing it to troll the FIA. If the FIA try to enforce it, Merc can fight it in court and the media on the grounds of selective enforcement of regulations. That will give Merc and Hamilton the day in court they want without making them look like the guys who are trying to steal a title. The only thing they can really do is ignore it, but that makes them look weak.
It'll be interesting to see if Michael Massi has the brass neck/is allowed to show up to the party tonight...
It’ll be interesting to see if Michael Massi has the brass neck/is allowed to show up to the party tonight…
Well I heard he said he's not going to go, then Horner sent him a message and now "any" of him is going.
No Toto or Lewis tonight
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/hamilton-wolff-to-miss-fia-prize-giving-gala/6885862/
Article 6.6 of F1's Sporting Regulations states: "The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony."
Lets see if they uphold or just change to suit
No Toto or Lewis tonight
I had thought up till now he had been very gracious in defeat and he had gone further up in my estimation.
Now, whilst I can see why he may have made this decision, I am a little disappointed as it would have been the classy thing to do.
Now, whilst I can see why he may have made this decision, I am a little disappointed as it would have been the classy thing to do.
I agree and interestingly Toto has said he is not going because of the respect he has for Lewis so it sounds like Lewis doesn't want to go and Toto has his back.
Do you think Max would be going if the positions were reversed? I suspect not. He couldn't even stay on a podium when he was soundly beaten fair and square
This is just going to drag on and on isn't it. The repercussions of this are bringing the sport into previously imaginable levels of disrepute and there is certainly a chance Lewis could walk away from F1 for good, which would be a tragic outcome. It could even make Mercedes withdraw from the sport all together.
The more I think about it, there is only one way this can be resolved fairly; void the result and have a race re-run, funded entirely by the FIA. They cocked this up and it's down to them to right the wrong. They can't just void the result of the race and we have effectively a 21 race calendar. Red Bull know that if the roles were reversed, they'd be in the same boat. And given how they haven't covered themselves in glory this year, a bit of good sportsmanship would go a long, long way to restoring a bit of respect for them. A football match would be re-played if a similar thing happened.
Heck, it could even work for F1 and the FIA from a marketing point of view. Imagine given how much coverage the fallout of this has created and just how many people would tune in watch the re-run. It's fair, sets the record straight and we can all enjoy another race with two drivers at the peak of their powers going hammer and tongs in a fair fight.
Maybe Lewis isn't trying to signal anything in not going, he just doesn't want to go.
Can you blame him?
Could easily justify not attending because of Omicron, prioritising social events, as per Prof Whitty's suggestion.
No way would they ever re-run the race, nor would any of the teams support it. This is the end of the longest season in F1 history, they are now going full-bore into 2022 build and test, which is also the biggest change in regs in decades, and they have very little time until the testing season starts. I'd wager there isn't one team that wants a rematch - some of the drivers would have to shuffle back to their previous employers!
Now, whilst I can see why he may have made this decision, I am a little disappointed as it would have been the classy thing to do.
I'd say the opposite personally. If you don't agree with something then turning up and politely clapping along is a bit two faced. Classier to say no thanks. Like people who turn down honours.
Maybe Lewis isn’t trying to signal anything in not going, he just doesn’t want to go.
Can you blame him?
Could easily justify not attending because of Omicron, prioritising social events, as per Prof Whitty’s suggestion.
It's in Paris, which locks down, tomorrow or the day after. Not sure I'd be going even if I'd won the damn thing...
If Mercedes turned up, the event would be excruciating and a total car crash (pun intended.)
Could have ended up like the east coast / west coast beef between Suge Knight and Diddy at the hip-hop awards ceremony back in the day.
As it is, I expect Whinger Spice to give it the full David Brent.
I had thought up till now he had been very gracious in defeat and he had gone further up in my estimation.
Lewis and Mercedes are boycotting it because it's the FIA, not because Redbull/Max won.
This has NOTHING to do with them being good sportsmen, this is about the FIA completely screwing them and then having the brass neck to try and find a way to wriggle out of their cock upon dismissing Mercedes protest.
