Yep just read that Max is comparing 2008 to this, sad really. 2008 was a racing incident, driver on dry tyres as the rain fell vs a race directors overruling the rules to manipulate a result.
I think he knows to keep his head down through this. He's said that both Lewis and Toto took the time to congratulate on his title and that he appreciated it. But it has to sting a bit that he's the champion and nobody's talking about it.
I would disagree it was "100% correct", because they lost. They couldn't know what was to happen, would have looked stupid if it had backfired, but was bit of a coin toss. With Bottas nowhere to run defence their hand was maybe forced to track position and conservatism, but they had the choice. The FA are lambasted weekly for the refereeing and in particular, and aptly for this discussion, how inconsistently rules are applied. Even more so since the introduction of VAR. And the FA do take action, a panel reviews red cards in case a ref has got overzealous, rules are reworded and clarified to make sure that all referees in all games are making decisions consistently and as how the rules intended for them to be made. It doesn't always work, because referees are human and thy make mistakes, but this is exactly what should have been happening in F1. Discussions between FIA, FOM and maybe even the gpda should have been had to clarify the rules, how they should be interpreted and what the rules of engagement are. I don't want this to turn into a silly argument, we disagree, that's fine, but you're really stretching it to ridiculousness with the analogies thing.
This is max through and through, wants to win no matter what, doesn't matter if its correct or not. Moans about Lewis celebrating a win after supposedly crashing him out but wins under controversy and doesn't say shite. How has he got so many followers Best of luck F1 I really cant be bothered anymore
The rules were pretty clear. 48.12 If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" has been sent to all Competitors via the official messaging system, any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car.
They're Dutch F1 fans. They're so ****ing desperate for a champion, they'll forgive just about anything.
I meant more in relation to the general racing and have it be actual racing, not diving up the inside and giving your opponent the option of going off or crashing into you, as max did on the first lap. And Monza. And can't remember where else, but probably elsewhere. There's others at it too, there's been a general decline in standards and the stewarding of it has been shoddy.
It doesn't look bad to you or me, who know the ins and outs of safety car conventions, but I do not think that moaning for months will look good to the millions of people for whom F1 is peripheral. The trouble is, Merc exists to sell cars to those people! Come on now, do you think Max is really unique on the grid in this regard?
If Hamilton would have won, his title would have had even bigger asterisk because of Silverstone and Hungaroring. Realistically, this was the fitting end of the season for what happened through the season before.
There's a substantial difference between incidents between cars/drivers on track and the race director inventing a new rule...
https://www.planetf1.com/news/hamilton-punishment-fia-gala-snub/ FIA's new president makes a classy start to his tenure, suddenly rules are immutable again. Bet Mercedes are regretting their choices now. No more than Rosberg's or Hamilton's 2008 title do, random things happen on track, it's not like the stewards mandated either crash to happen.
What are they going to do, strip him of the World Title - ohh wait. In fairness, I welcome the view that rules are rules - everyone knows where they stand, competitors and fans alike.
Based on this BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60007031 The FIA leadership look like a gathering of chocolate teapots...
Talk is cheap. Since Mercedes dropped their legal action the FIA appear to be digging in that they done nothing wrong and Mercedes are in the wrong.
FIA doing exactly what everyone thought they'd do a month ago, Merc should have kept going in the courts.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-extend-honda-engine-deal/ Honda getting cold feet about dropping out just after they won something, so it's Red Bull-Red Bull-Honda until the end of 2025.
