Poll: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021, Yas Island - Race 22

[englishpremier]

Masi just made up his own rule because any decision within the rules meant Max loses.

Max was the only one who had lapped cars cleared from him for goodness sake. It couldn't be any more obviously unfair (and not just to Lewis either, but those behind Max as well).

Seriously doubt he was trying to stop Max losing that is just pure conspiracy. More likely he is trying to appease his bosses by 'putting on a show'

I have been thinking about Masi.

The rules have been broken we know that much.

But also thinking about the way he has been speaking to RB and Merc, whenever he speaks to RB he talks as if he has an obligation to them, and that doesnt sit right with me, especially when they tell him to get lapped cars out the way, he replies in a manner as if he is obliged to do it and just tells them to wait. I wonder if in 10 years time it will be talked about as the Masi that got paid off, its bizarre.

Not really, I've heard him be a little sarcastic to both of them throughout the season. I think it's all in your head.

 

[MissChief]

So the rule that Masi ‘broke’ isn’t really covered. The rule says
‘"If clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message "LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE" has been sent to all teams, any cars that have been lapped by leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car."

Those words never appeared on the official messaging system so the rest of the rule is the ignored.
Now they need to decided if there is a rule that allows for only x amount of cars to pass under the safety car.

Sainz should also have been free to attack Max as well but cars in between him and Max weren't allowed to overtake either. It was wholly manufactured to give us one lap of racing. Ferrari and anyone else affected by this should also be protesting at the decision.

 

[chroniclard]

Seems bizarre a race leader, leading for the entire race, by a substantial margin, can be stripped of that and be forced into an extreme disadvantage.

 

[Jono8]

Seriously doubt he was trying to stop Max losing that is just pure conspiracy. More likely he is trying to appease his bosses by 'putting on a show'

Oh i agree, it probably was just for the show. But that still makes it unfair.

however, at the same time, he must have known Lewis would not have stood a chance.

 

[bayo000]

He needs to be sacked regardless of the outcome, he isnt suitable for the job.

I dont think its right to change the result now, it'll just make F1 look like even more of a circus. The result should stand but, FIA have a lot to answer for, Masi needs to go and an overhaul of how things work at race control needs to happen because it just isnt working.

If I were him I'd resign anyway. He's not suited to the position, I wouldn't say he's incompetent but he tries to be friend with everyone and also please everyone and then ends up making the wrong decisions.

 

[413x]

Only someone that has little interest in the sport can say this. Never in any sport is it simply nice to have someone new winning, that’s a totally ridiculous viewpoint that sounds like someone’s elderly mother would make. You want the best participant to win, irrespective of how regularly they win… in this instance this was obviously LH and Mercedes. Sport isn’t about letting the other guy have win just to make it more exciting!

I don't really think f1 is fair so I'm not too worried about fairness. I watch as much for entertainment as anything else. None of the other teams have a chance to win. I doubt my team, alpine, will ever win.

 

[JRS]

Seems bizarre a race leader, leading for the entire race, by a substantial margin, can be stripped of that and be forced into an extreme disadvantage.

Them's the breaks.

It's crappy, but it happens.

 

[fez]

Talk out of line and your put on mute for half an hour.

"Christian, I'm going to have to ask you to stop right now, thank you very much"

"Toto, hastalavista, I've got to go but I'll be back"

 

[Jono8]

I don't really think f1 is fair so I'm not too worried about fairness. None of the other teams have a chance to win. I watch as much for entertainment as anything else.

We can argue all day about the fairness of stewarding decision about overtakes etc as those are discretionary/can be subjective.

This was just a complete fantasy rule made up on the spot to gift Max the title.

 

[woppy101]

The FIA are ****** either way, and this will end up in the CAS, they might as well admit it now bite the bullet and then finish the race in the order they were in at the end of the last lap before the safety car. This is the wording that’s going to kill them
“once the last lapped car has passed the leader the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap’

 

[englishpremier]

Oh i agree, it probably was just for the show. But that still makes it unfair.

Agreed. Imagine cocking up at work that badly and everyone seeing it happen.

 

[chrcoluk]

I’m fine with the team > FIA radio.

My issue with it is more one of tone. It shouldn’t be an outlet for teams to complain to the FIA. It should purely be for clarification.

All teams could learn a lesson from Rugby. Talk to the referee and whinge like they do and you’d be off.

The FIA definitely need to redefine what the channel is for and make it clear in no uncertain terms that any abuse of it will result in sanctions.

Edit: even Max and his engineer calling out favouritism on the radio should warrant a fine. Same as Lewis did in brasil.

In football if a manager harasses an official he is sent to the stands.

Radio should be no direct dialogue between officials and teams. Instead a delegated secretary to the race director to clarify decisions and thats it.

What we have seen here this season is an eye opener, that is not sport. Plain and simple. Even before the finale this was a big problem.

I am of the opinion Masi needs to go. That happening is bigger than the title result in my opinion.

 

[ZG002]

Who was 3rd by the way?

Was there any lapped cars between them and Max at the restart?

Not even sure why the teams have a direct line into the race director himself.

It should be the director speaks to the team if and only when he/she requires it giving instruction.

"This is what's about to happen, get ready and get on with it" type effort.

 

[fez]

Got to say how humble Hamilton was in defeat even with what happened. Great champion.

Yeah, hes taken it really well. When he sat in his car for 10 minutes at the end of the race I thought he was going to spit his dummy out but he pulled himself together and did what he had to do.

Would love to be able to A/B test this years winner and see how Max would have behaved.

 

[MissChief]

Ultimately Masi was put into a difficult position, his decisions would decide who was the world champion. Ultimately the safest option (which would have made everyone at RedBull and Maxs fans unhappy) would have been to stick within the rules - this would have given the win to Hamilton. He choose to go off-piste which was always going to gift it to Verstappen.

The former would have made people unhappy but would be fully in line with the rules and regulations, the latter opens up a whole world of misery and discomfort.

There was nothing difficult about the decision at all. The rules were clear. He made up a different rule on the spot.

 

[Jono8]

What amazes me, is that does Masi not have rule advisors on hand/next to him during the race? Did no one say "um, you obviously can't do that as it isnt the rules and is obviously unfair"?

 

[antijoke]

I don’t think the officials had any interest in ensuring that one specific driver won out over another but given all of the build up to this weekend and the obvious goals of Liberty, they will have been under pressure to put on a show, and a procession behind the safety car wasn’t going to cut it.

It’s clear that for the future there needs to be a change to safety car procedures to ensure that the race finishes at race speed, whether that’s by adding laps or by having an enforced red if they are behind the safety car with a couple of laps to go.

As for this weekend, once it became apparent that the championship was going to be determined by whether we had a restart or not the officials were on a hiding to nothing, they were going to take flak whatever the outcome.

Regardless of the legitimacy of any merit the Mercedes appeals might have I can’t see the powers that be allowing them to stand as dragging this on is just going to make the sport look worse. Just don’t be surprised if something happens over the next season or two that redresses the balance.

imho it should be like stoppage time in football, the race clock/laps are stopped then they drive behind the safety car until track clear then complete the race distance.

 

[Purdy]

Who was 3rd by the way?

Was there any lapped cars between them and Max at the restart?

Sainz

Yes, so Sainz could never threaten second. Adds to the insanity of the decision

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Seems bizarre a race leader, leading for the entire race, by a substantial margin, can be stripped of that and be forced into an extreme disadvantage.

Took the lead off the line, with worse tyres.

Weathered the storm from Max’s divebomb on lap 1.

Maintained the gap throughout a VSC which allowed your rivals to change to better tyres.

Stuck it out whilst Perez was playing “park on the apex”, allowing Max to close up a decent chunk of time.

….

Lose it on the final lap because you got shafted by a dubious SC Restart. Seems legit.

 

[Flibster]

Who was 3rd by the way?

Was there any lapped cars between them and Max at the restart?

Sainz was 3rd and Had Ricciardo and Stroll between him and Verstappen.

 

[englishpremier]

The FIA are ****** either way, and this will end up in the CAS, they might as well admit it now bite the bullet and then finish the race in the order they were in at the end of the last lap before the safety car. This is the wording that’s going to kill them
“once the last lapped car has passed the leader the Safety Car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap’

Better to take it to a 'real' court in my opinion. CAS is only one step above the FIAs own kangaroo court, and requires parties to sign away their rights to take their case to a proper court.

 

[MissChief]

Who was 3rd by the way?

Was there any lapped cars between them and Max at the restart?

Sainz was third and I believe there were lapped cars between him and Verstappen but they weren't allowed to overtake. Ferrari should be protesting too.