F1 2021 – spoilers here

Perhaps Lewis has told Merc he still expects his WC win bonus though. But, yes for sure, his reputation as one of the GOATs is enhanced by this more than it would be than having 8 titles with one of those won in the courts. Indeed the latter may tarnish his image some.

And Merc started their 2022 car a fair while ago so maybe he is quietly confident the 8th will still come. Team orders to Russell that he is No2 until that point and then he can go for it himself?

I’d imagine that with 7 titles and the expectations of at least being in the pointy end for more seasons makes it easier to be a bit more relaxed about losing this one.

I’m truly hoping that Merc properly pwn RB next season! Wasn’t the theory earlier this year that RB were putting most of their eggs in this years basket and Merc had started to look towards 2022 and that’s why they were a bit slow to start with the new reg’s?

@swavis – and Max likes his car set up in a very particular way (hence why his team mates struggle a bit as the fundamental car design aids Max’s setup) and that may not be possible to achieve under the new regs.

I see Lewis just received a knighthood to add to his recently earned sainthood. He is the only real winner in this s*** storm.

thegreatape

The other problem the FIA have is that if they get rid of Masi and make him the scapegoat, then what’s stopping him spilling the beans on the whole thing. Some sort of NDA I suppose.

thols2

I think a lot of people agree that Max is too aggressive and steps over the line quite often, but nobody seriously denies that he is incredibly talented and has put in some stunning drives this year. The irony is that if Max just learned to be a bit more patient and collect the points instead of pushing everything to the absolute limit, he would have wrapped up the title quite comfortably. That’s what kept Hamilton in contention – he was willing to back out of potential crashes and collect the points. They both drove superbly, Hamilton a bit more intelligently, Verstappen pushing to the limit without looking at the bigger picture. I wish that Hamilton had won the title, but Verstappen is a deserving champion.

Agreed.

Also he drove (largely) within the rules, as they were being implemented/enforced. It’s that last part I have an issue with. If it’s not enforced, it’s effectively legal.

That’s the thing – Max didn’t drive superbly – he was bloody awful all through the year

Lol no, he drove some amazing races (and qualifying), yes he drove like a dick a few times but then so do most drivers over the course of a season.

I notice he has stayed silent whereas after Brazil and Saudi he was out defending his and the stewards decisions.

I’d say that’s more due to the potential legal stuff that may happen this time around

I hope at least Max fans stop booing Lewis at next year’s GPs, it’s just pathetic

Max likes his car set up in a very particular way (hence why his team mates struggle a bit as the fundamental car design aids Max’s setup) and that may not be possible to achieve under the new regs.

This is a huge misunderstanding of what has happened with Red Bull, Merc, and McLaren. Those cars are all difficult to drive at the limit because the engineers looked at the wind tunnel and track test data and worked towards designing the fastest car they could. They expect top drivers to be able to adapt to the car, they haven’t designed the car to suit a particular driver (because you will generally end up with a slower car that way). The Merc is difficult to get into it’s optimum operating window, but Hamilton is better able to achieve that then Bottas. The Red Bull has a nervous rear end, but Verstappen has the confidence and reflexes to deal with that. No engineer or driver is going to deliberately make the car nervous, it’s just a by-product of how the rear aerodynamics work. I would be very surprised if Max and Lewis didn’t adapt very easily to the new cars. If Merc or Red Bull turn out to be off the pace at the start of next year, it will be because the car is not good enough, not because one of those two can’t adapt to a car with different characteristics.

Team Statement – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/tgrBjrNkcz

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 16, 2021

Official 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 going forward.

They expect top drivers to be able to adapt to the car, they haven’t designed the car to suit a particular driver (because you will generally end up with a slower car that way). The Merc is difficult to get into it’s optimum operating window, but Hamilton is better able to achieve that then Bottas. The Red Bull has a nervous rear end, but Verstappen has the confidence and reflexes to deal with that.

Yeah but if Max continually gives the feedback that he can go faster if the rear is less nervous then they will work towards that goal. If checo says it, who cares.

Thols, there’s a lot you say that I don’t agree with, but this is absolutely right

I would be very surprised if Max and Lewis didn’t adapt very easily to the new cars. If Merc or Red Bull turn out to be off the pace at the start of next year, it will be because the car is not good enough, not because one of those two can’t adapt to a car with different characteristics.

Max will (and Lewis too) have a setup preference, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t adapt and wring the neck of something that doesn’t work exactly as he’d hope.

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…

pic.twitter.com/KXvFEzRCSR

— Susie Wolff (@Susie_Wolff) December 16, 2021

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 Member

Official 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 Member

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! 🤣🤣🏆

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.

As you can see, @MercedesAMGF1 has acknowledged that my decision was, in fact, correct. Hopefully, they can bounce back for the 2022 season. https://t.co/NjYAercYdv

— Michael Masi (@MichaelMasiF1) December 16, 2021

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 Wolff Mercedes 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…

https://medium.com/@gwkj1/analysing-the-fia-rulebook-after-the-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-a-lawyers-perspective-571ca3810060

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

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

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.