Formula 1, Moto GP, WSB, 2021 Season

[st13phil]

I think the watching world sees Hamilton having been robbed of the WDC

All except the orange-clad army of MV fans, at any rate.

 

[st13phil]

Ok you have driver fans who will bleat on about it but the general public won't be that interested now.

I watched the race at a friend's house with a number of other guests who are not usually interested in motorsport, but are ardent football fans.

The general view of those members of the "general public" at the time was complete bafflement. "How can a critical result of a competition be so blatantly affected by the actions of an official at the event?" was the unanimous position, with several of them adding, "it looks like F1 is as corrupt as FIFA".

There is still significant cut-through on this one - at least in the UK - because many who would usually take little interest watched due to Hamilton being on the cusp of creating a new record of eight WDC's.

 

[GeeJayW]

All except the orange-clad army of MV fans, at any rate.

Who seem in the main to be fully equipped with the strongest rated blinkers available. I’ve only seen a handful of objective comments from declared Max fans. As for Mr. Horner now coming out in support of Mr. Masi; the very definition of hypocrisy.

 

[Bellow]

All except the orange-clad army of MV fans, at any rate.

Tell them I say 'Hi'.

 

[GeeJayW]

Missus tells me that Mercedes have dropped their appeal, and here’s a link

Mercedes will not pursue appeal against F1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi result

Mercedes decide not to pursue their appeal against the results of the Formula 1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[neilrr]

Max's victory will always be tarnished.

Mercedes confirm they have WITHDRAWN appeal against Verstappen win

Mercedes have confirmed they are withdrawing their protest over Max Verstappen's controversial drivers' championship victory following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Petrol Pete]

^^^ I agree. Many of us will not be around when Max is an old man and someone asks him that question regarding this particular race that won him his (and Hollands) first WDC. Maradona 'hand of god v Peter Shilton type thing..

You know the one that can't really be answered in the positive " So Max , when did you stop beating your wife ...?"

The result will stand , but for years to come it will divide many fans of the sport.

 

[tode]

The Daimler F1 site is remarkably discrete about events in Abu Dhabi: their 'reporting' stops at Saturday evening's practice results
See Daimler

 

[bob6600]

Mercedes know that it would never have the result changed. But, they have raised it and the FIA have to look into it. The FIA/F1 know it was a major fudge up.

Does anyone know if any other teams from the cars that were not allowed to unlap themselves protested? They were also disadvantaged and potentially lost points due to their competitor ahead being allowed to unlap themselves?

 

[MrGreedy]

I expect the FIA to double down and say Masi worked within the rules and his statements at previous races regarding 'all cars must unlap or none must unlap' was incorrect. There will then be an addition to the rules 'clarifying' that the RD can do whatever he wants around this particular use of the safety car.
This will leave teams struggling with strategy, but it deflects for the FIA.


I hope I'm wrong and they just throw Masi under the bus (probably with a massive pay out), say he messed up but the race and unfortunate results unfairness stands and move on.


Either way, we and F1 needs to know one way or the other on how the rules work!

 

[baxlin]

Either way, we and F1 needs to know one way or the other on how the rules work!

Just ask Max, he said everything was clear, didn't he?

 

[Dryce]

One thing I did find mildly amusing is that Horner, who has spent the entire season whinging about how unfairly RBR and MV have been treated by Masi and the Stewards, is now saying that Masi is a good guy and he shouldn't be blamed for what happened. The irony and hypocrisy of that is staggering.

I think you missed off RBR being diminished in the eyes of many.

 

[Dryce]

The Daimler F1 site is remarkably discrete about events in Abu Dhabi: their 'reporting' stops at Saturday evening's practice results
See Daimler

They didn't turn up for the FIA champions photoshoot.

I'm wondering if F1 might be under pressure to decide the FIA isn't needed to run races.

 

[st13phil]

Missus tells me that Mercedes have dropped their appeal, and here’s a link

A telling line in that article:

Mercedes said they "welcomed" the move and would "hold the FIA accountable".

Interesting also that Susie Wolff made her own statement criticising the FIA as Team Principal of Venturi Formula E.

It's an open secret that many teams and drivers are highly critical of the FIA in private, but rarely - if ever - speak out in public because the FIA wields such power. This could be the watershed moment that motorsport needs to get the criticism out in the open to force the FIA to clean up its act.

 

[Stratman]

A telling line in that article:

Interesting also that Susie Wolff made her own statement criticising the FIA as Team Principal of Venturi Formula E.

It's an open secret that many teams and drivers are highly critical of the FIA in private, but rarely - if ever - speak out in public because the FIA wields such power. This could be the watershed moment that motorsport needs to get the criticism out in the open to force the FIA to clean up its act.

Only because the teams allow it. Are NASCAR and Indy Car run under its auspices?

 

[Larkone]

A telling line in that article:

Interesting also that Susie Wolff made her own statement criticising the FIA as Team Principal of Venturi Formula E.

It's an open secret that many teams and drivers are highly critical of the FIA in private, but rarely - if ever - speak out in public because the FIA wields such power. This could be the watershed moment that motorsport needs to get the criticism out in the open to force the FIA to clean up its act.

It will interesting how responsibly minded sponsors who always have an eye on public opinion will react to this mess

 

[st13phil]

It will interesting how responsibly minded sponsors who always have an eye on public opinion will react to this mess

Indeed. I suspect that has much to do with why the FIA (which normally moves at the pace of an asthmatic ant carrying heavy shopping over any "enquiry" that may find it wanting) is stressing that the intention is that the investigation is quickly concluded so that any changes can come into force prior to the start of the 2022 season.

 

[st13phil]

Only because the teams allow it. Are NASCAR and Indy Car run under its auspices?

I'm not sure about those series, but traditionally the FIA had a stranglehold over all international motorsport series as it had administrative control of licences to participate - whether that be for drivers, racing circuits or promoters - and the terms of those licences prohibited licensees from entering a series not controlled by the FIA.

This changed in 2001 when the FIA agreed to limit its role to that of a sporting regulator, meaning it could no longer prevent non-FIA administered events from being established. However, it remains the regulator for pretty much all international motorsport so effectively sits above a "closed shop".

 

[Mactech]

I think I can say that is the result we were anticipating.
The reason I have not been contributing much to this debate is the fact I have worked for the FiA on a number of projects. The FIA have done great things for the safety within motorsport, and a couple of decades ago I sat on the Sportscar safety working group which resulted in much safer cars from 2004 onwards. That was mostly in a technical capacity and there was very little political or commercial interference in the decisions which were made.
A decade ago I sat on the convergence group representing Bentley to try to align the FIA GT technical regs with those of GT3. Unsurprisingly this was much more influenced by commercial and political inputs, but once a again the FIA remained as impartial as was possible, but the convergence eventually failed due to mostly commercial pressures....and Ferrari.

My Brazilian race driver friend Alex has been a steward at the Brazilian GP on a number of occasions, and was always surprised to find a new set of people in the group, and certainly not the same as the race or year before. He said that in Charlie's day he would come to the stewards room personally during the race and speak to them face to face. People he knew and trusted.
That doesn't happen any more, but Charlie had grow up with F1. The ultimate poacher turned gamekeeper. You had to be up very early in the morning to have one over Charlie.
Despite the fact that the FIA are going to be reviewed and hopefully revised by themselves, they will no doubt they will be taking on board what all the interested parties have to say and will emerge as stronger, smarter and fitter governing body.

 

[Stratman]

Is F1 big enough to operate outside the FIA? Could it go it alone and govern itself?