F1 2021 – spoilers here

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.

Anyone spot what’s missing? This is quite a statement… #F1 #FormulaE. https://t.co/UINuPjoFgb

— Jennie Gow (@JennieGow) December 16, 2021

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.

@jimw

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.

Lewis and Mercedes are boycotting it because it’s the FIA, not because Redbull/Max won.

Well aware of this. Still of the same opinion.

https://mobile.twitter.com/RacingLines/status/1471509789142253572?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Maybe fia should be showing a bit more understanding in the circumstances.

Lewis and Mercedes are boycotting it

Again, Mercedes aren’t boycotting it…Toto and Lewis are. James Allison is going to collect the Constructors prize.

Well aware of this. Still of the same opinion.

So your response to a gross injustice would be to support those guilty of visiting that injustice upon you? All for the sake of looking classy? Interesting.

I prefer people with principles and convictions that you can hold them to rather than those who bow to others perception of them.

Each to their own.

So your response to a gross injustice would be to support those guilty of visiting that injustice upon you? All for the sake of looking classy? Interesting

No, it’s the contractural obligation that I am particularly referring to, e.g. even though you feel a major injustice has taken place, you are still classy enough to fulfil your obligations rather than give them the satisfaction of being able to question your integrity. It’s just a different perspective isn’t it?

I prefer people with principles and convictions that you can hold them to

And yet here you are on an F1 thread after the whole circus has just visited Saudi Arabia.

It’s just a different perspective isn’t it?

It is but why would he go and celebrate with the thieves that picked his pocket and why is he the only one expected to show class when all those around him have shown zero?

Enough, **** em.

I do hope Lewis stays – he may start to release some music otherwise!! 🤣🤣

If I was Lewis, I’d probably have gone but insisted, to the point of being a dick about it, everyone at the FIA and redbull call me ‘Sir Lewis’.

Different rules for everyone else, natch.

You need to look up the definition of integrity. Integrity is about having morals and principles. Contractual obligations to an organisation with little to no integrity and you’re questioning his? Really?

In the BBC report of the prizegiving, they say:

<span data-reactid=”.25ac6h7m69a.0.0.0.1.$paragraph-9.0″>Verstappen pointed out that Hamilton himself had won a title in similar circumstances, when he deprived Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on the last corner of the last lap of the last grand prix in 2008.</span>

No Max, that wasn’t similar at all. That was just racing, not unjust decisions by the race director.

I assume Lewis’s defence will be along the lines of “when it says driver who fished second in the championship, it doesn’t mean all drivers who finished second in the championship”.

Oh, I didn’t realise it was live streaming on YouTube

If I was Lewis, I’d probably have gone but insisted, to the point of being a dick about it, everyone at the FIA and redbull call me ‘Sir Lewis’.

Ahh but according to one of the more reliable sources of news out there it’s actually “Sir Max”

FIA awards Lewis Hamilton’s knighthood to Max Verstappen

Hamilton is also obviously forgetting that in Imola he crashed into the gravel trap and was a lap down until Bottas also crashed and the safety car came out which allowed Hamilton to catch up and get second place (without which, alongside many other race incidents, would have allowed Max to win the championship quite a few races ago). So if now he wants to peeve off and not come out to play anymore because he lost, then good riddance to Lewis the LOSER

Apparantely Lewis is really dissolutioned (sp?) about the whole thing and has been in daily conversations with Toto. I reckon Toto will be trying to pursuade him to keep racing – it could be that bad.

I wouldn’t blame him for quitting but I really hope he comes back and drives MV into the ground for the next 2 years and gets 9 WDC titles.

If they punish LH/Merc for not turning up to the ball then the FIA will be displaying a monumental lack of foresight in how this could damage their reputation.

So if now he wants to peeve off and not come out to play anymore because he lost, then good riddance to Lewis the LOSER

Yeah, 7 WDCs, most race wins, most poles, knighthood etc etc, a real loser.

Must be your bed time now dear. 🙄

The FIA will punish them then, they have absolutely no self-awareness when it comes to these situations.

No Max, that wasn’t similar at all. That was just racing, not unjust decisions by the race director.

Exactly. It was pure racing through changing conditions with everyone taking gambles on what was the best course of action. Absolutely no-one thought during or after the race that they had seen a manipulated result, more that it had been an amazing spectacle that would be talked about for years for all the right reasons. The exact opposite of how Max’s maiden championship will be remembered strangely.

the safety car came out which allowed Hamilton to catch up and get second place

You seem not to grasp the fundamental difference between that safety car (and all the others) and the one at the end of the season.

F1 trophy time at the Gala, let’s see if there’s any popcorn to be had 🙂

Hamilton is also obviously forgetting that in Imola he crashed into the gravel trap and was a lap down until Bottas also crashed and the safety car came out which allowed Hamilton to catch up and get second place

He was a (fortunate) beneficiary of the rules being applied correctly, had it happened to another driver, it would be the same outcome. The rules were not applied correctly in AD.

He was a (fortunate) beneficiary of the rules being applied correctly. The rules were not applied correctly in AD.

Indeed. If the safety car had happened and the Williams cleared up very quickly, the lapped cars allowed through and the race restarted for one lap then no-one would have had a problem. In other words if the rules were followed, but you got unlucky, well, that’s racing.

The issue is that the rules weren’t followed. It’s almost like Masi bunged a grand on a Max win with 5 laps to go and did what ever he could to get a big win.

The issue is that the rules weren’t followed. It’s almost like Masi bunged a grand on a Max win with 5 laps to go and did what ever he could to get a big win.

I know! It’s so weird what happened I can’t help thinking it’s some sort of betting scam or he’s been paid/persuaded to make Max win if the opportunity came about.

Disappointing lack of entertainment from the Prize Gala. Interesting choice of team radio clips on their montage of the season, though.