The Formula 1 Thread

[Nine while nine]

Everyone arguing, throwing stuff around, Hamilton gutted, Max over the moon, sponsors everywhere, crazy last race with all kinds of mad shit coming out the other end of it that will have to be dealt with and here's Jean Todt and the FIA accountant;

There are those who might consider that to be an overly cynical viewpoint.

Equally, there are those who have noted that Michael Masi didn't study mechanical engineering (as his predecessor did).

Rather, he studied

Spoiler

marketing

Now there's a thing.

 

[skiba]

I don't think the motivation was to hand Max the title. If that was the FIA and Masi's motivation then they could have easily penalised Lewis for going off the track on the first lap. I think he simply wilted under the pressure to 'put on a show' and from the lobbying by Horner.

Under the 'normal' SC car protocols it seems to me he was left with a choice of either having one lap of racing and leaving the running order as is or you let the backmarkers unlap themselves and finish under the SC. Until Horner got involved I think we were going to get the one lap of racing and that would have been the correct and fair decision under the regulations. And actually, I think it would have ben far more exciting having Max come form further behind to hunt Lewis for half a lap or so then the 'shoot out' where only one actually had a gun.

But no, he bastardised the rules there and then to ensure a spectacle and late drama but in doing so put a permanent stain on one of the best seasons of F1 for some time.

 

[Yid-ol]

I don't think the motivation was to hand Max the title. If that was the FIA and Masi's motivation then they could have easily penalised Lewis for going off the track on the first lap. I think he simply wilted under the pressure to 'put on a show' and from the lobbying by Horner.

Under the 'normal' SC car protocols it seems to me he was left with a choice of either having one lap of racing and leaving the running order as is or you let the backmarkers unlap themselves and finish under the SC. Until Horner got involved I think we were going to get the one lap of racing and that would have been the correct and fair decision under the regulations. And actually, I think it would have ben far more exciting having Max come form further behind to hunt Lewis for half a lap or so then the 'shoot out' where only one actually had a gun.

But no, he bastardised the rules there and then to ensure a spectacle and late drama but in doing so put a permanent stain on one of the best seasons of F1 for some time.

The worst part of it is, I feel if they didn't let the back markers through and raced that last lap anyway, max would have still won! He would have got past a couple before the first bend and the other (or any he hadn't past over the line) on the next, and with better tyres would have caught Hamilton near the end and taken him.

We then wouldn't have all this issue and just be saying the crash was a racing incident and that happens thought-out the season.

 

[freeeki]

How anyone can look at this season's decisions right up until the last two laps of Abu Dhabi and conclude that Masi and the FIA wanted Max to win is almost beyond belief.

The rules, the decisions, the penalties have all been bent in favour of Lewis and Mercedes all year. The fact Toto was openly telling Masi not to deploy a safety car is case closed, for me.

 

[Yid-ol]

How anyone can look at this season's decisions right up until the last two laps of Abu Dhabi and conclude that Masi and the FIA wanted Max to win is almost beyond belief.

The rules, the decisions, the penalties have all been bent in favour of Lewis and Mercedes all year. The fact Toto was openly telling Masi not to deploy a safety car is case closed, for me.

There have been calls in favour of both drivers and both Toto and Horner have been in Masi's ear to get the outcome they want. Anyone who doesn't see it that way is clearly favourites one driver over the other.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

My working assumption is that the decision came from someone at Liberty Media.

They wanted a new face for F1, and can see the global support that Max gets.

The smart marketing people also know this will all be forgotten by next week.

 

[skiba]

There have been calls in favour of both drivers and both Toto and Horner have been in Masi's ear to get the outcome they want. Anyone who doesn't see it that way is clearly favourites one driver over the other.

It's been a great year of racing on the track but off it it's been pretty embarrassing. Both Horner and Toto come out of it badly IMO and need to grow up.

 

[Chezaspur]

What I am not understanding is Bono telling Lewis on the radio that if they had pitted they would have lost track position. Max pitted and kept his position. If they'd brought Lewis in he would have been defending with new tyres and probably won.

 

[Yid-ol]

What I am not understanding is Bono telling Lewis on the radio that if they had pitted they would have lost track position. Max pitted and kept his position. If they'd brought Lewis in he would have been defending with new tyres and probably won.

But max was behind, if lewis pitted max would have stayed out and taken the lead. And then if (as normally would have happened) they finished behind the safty car, lewis los to.

So they had to stay out and even by the time lewis got back around to pit, everyone was all backed up and max was right there behind him in the queue.

 

[MotspurHotspur]

How anyone can look at this season's decisions right up until the last two laps of Abu Dhabi and conclude that Masi and the FIA wanted Max to win is almost beyond belief.

The rules, the decisions, the penalties have all been bent in favour of Lewis and Mercedes all year. The fact Toto was openly telling Masi not to deploy a safety car is case closed, for me.

NOOOOOOOO. How anti Lewis can you be that any of what you typed makes sense.

 

[LeSoupeKitchen]

But max was behind, if lewis pitted max would have stayed out and taken the lead. And then if (as normally would have happened) they finished behind the safty car, lewis los to.

So they had to stay out and even by the time lewis got back around to pit, everyone was all backed up and max was right there behind him in the queue.

Exactly - Max would have done the complete opposite to Lewis.

The decision Mercedes made was a no-brainer and would have resulted in victory had the rules been applied in the same way as every other race in F1 history.

 

[Yiddo100]

 

[JCRD]

I agree with this but my question is why change it? I bet they think Masi was swayed and impacted his judgement in applying the rules. That is my view.

 

[Tucker]

I agree with this but my question is why change it? I bet they think Masi was swayed and impacted his judgement in applying the rules. That is my view.

It’s pretty much an admission that they think his decisions were adversely affected by the pressure from the team principals.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

I agree with this but my question is why change it? I bet they think Masi was swayed and impacted his judgement in applying the rules. That is my view.

His job is untenable, proven to be swayed & influenced, whilst not handling big pressure moments.

The fact that they need to implement this rule change, highlights this.

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

Lewis may as well have let Max drive into him on the first lap and take them both out.
That incident came purely from Max not taking the corner properly, especially compared to how he took it every other time.

FIA got exactly what they wanted.

 

[JR1994]

Good finally getting to hear some of the drivers team radio clips. Sainz telling Ferrari that the race shouldn’t restart due to some drivers getting an unfair advantage and Lewis saying it’s been manipulated

 

[yankspurs]

Christian will just walk up to Masi with a bottle of wine now instead

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

It’s pretty much an admission that they think his decisions were adversely affected by the pressure from the team principals.

And by "team principals" they mean "Toto and Christian"

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Christian will just walk up to Masi with a bottle of wine now instead

You spelled "whine" wrong.