I have never loved Mercedes. They come out as sore losers every time. When things go slightly south, they start crying foul and start looking for ways to get something changed in their favour. While Red Bull are pretty similar, I feel that when you have won 7 titles in a row in a pretty undisputed manner, you should not be whining when things don't go your way. Toto Wolff was on the radio during the first VSC, asking Michael Masi to not bring out the safety car, clearly putting his interests over the safety of others. This has also not been the first incident of this sort. This has happened multiple times this year. While Hamilton has mostly been gracious in defeat and has accepted results way faster, Mercedes are always looking for some way to take wins away from Max. Though Hamilton should have won yesterday, on the balance of the season, the right guy won.
I have to disagree there from a neutral perspective. The first protest was unfounded and was largely irrelevant. However, the second protest is a different story, as article 48.12 states: "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." In other words, either everyone who is lapped passes, or no one does. Masi only letting the cars in front of Verstappen get out of the way suggests a bias towards the Dutchman. Therefore I'd say that Mercedes had every right to appeal that. Besides, being a bit empathetic: imagine that your lead driver, who had put in an astonishing drive to seemingly cruise to victory, was denied a well deserved title purely because of a bit of luck from a safety car and what is most likely an incorrect and biased decision by the race director. I'd appeal that, and I'm pretty sure you would too. In my opinion Hamilton was robbed of a title.
I also had the same view initially but looking at the Stewards' ruling changed my mind. The rules were followed, so I don't think there is any problem. While Hamilton was definitely robbed, what the Race Director did seems perfectly legal.
When you’ve been robbed you call the police (FIA) . What did you expect Mercedes to do hand over the family jewels with a polite would you like my credit card as well . Get real, if it were Redbull you’d have Horner crying a f*#king river.
Basically you either let all lapped cars overtake the safety car or none at all Masi got it wrong and destroyed not only a race meeting but the credibility of the FIA the sporting court of arbitration will most definitely overturn the race result because the rules were at best bent to favour one car over another and Masi was influenced by Horner saying we only need one lap to race
There is no such rule, that all the lapped cars should unlap, the ruling is the cars that are out of position should get away and unlap themselves if the race directors sees fit to do so
I would also appeal if a race director decided ‘Hey, why don’t we completely disregard 57 laps of racing, go against our own roles and have an incredibly unfair one lap decider?’ It was a championship and at the very least a race win stolen from them, simple.
Comments (70)
I have never loved Mercedes. They come out as sore losers every time. When things go slightly south, they start crying foul and start looking for ways to get something changed in their favour. While Red Bull are pretty similar, I feel that when you have won 7 titles in a row in a pretty undisputed manner, you should not be whining when things don't go your way. Toto Wolff was on the radio during the first VSC, asking Michael Masi to not bring out the safety car, clearly putting his interests over the safety of others. This has also not been the first incident of this sort. This has happened multiple times this year. While Hamilton has mostly been gracious in defeat and has accepted results way faster, Mercedes are always looking for some way to take wins away from Max. Though Hamilton should have won yesterday, on the balance of the season, the right guy won.
well said.
Totally well said!
I have to disagree there from a neutral perspective. The first protest was unfounded and was largely irrelevant. However, the second protest is a different story, as article 48.12 states: "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." In other words, either everyone who is lapped passes, or no one does. Masi only letting the cars in front of Verstappen get out of the way suggests a bias towards the Dutchman. Therefore I'd say that Mercedes had every right to appeal that. Besides, being a bit empathetic: imagine that your lead driver, who had put in an astonishing drive to seemingly cruise to victory, was denied a well deserved title purely because of a bit of luck from a safety car and what is most likely an incorrect and biased decision by the race director. I'd appeal that, and I'm pretty sure you would too. In my opinion Hamilton was robbed of a title.
I also had the same view initially but looking at the Stewards' ruling changed my mind. The rules were followed, so I don't think there is any problem. While Hamilton was definitely robbed, what the Race Director did seems perfectly legal.
When you’ve been robbed you call the police (FIA) . What did you expect Mercedes to do hand over the family jewels with a polite would you like my credit card as well . Get real, if it were Redbull you’d have Horner crying a f*#king river.
Maybe yes,but right now it's mb that is crying a f*#king river, max won,lewis lost,end of the line
Basically you either let all lapped cars overtake the safety car or none at all Masi got it wrong and destroyed not only a race meeting but the credibility of the FIA the sporting court of arbitration will most definitely overturn the race result because the rules were at best bent to favour one car over another and Masi was influenced by Horner saying we only need one lap to race
This whole thing stinks
There is no such rule, that all the lapped cars should unlap, the ruling is the cars that are out of position should get away and unlap themselves if the race directors sees fit to do so
Maybe you should read up on the rulebook fully.
I would also appeal if a race director decided ‘Hey, why don’t we completely disregard 57 laps of racing, go against our own roles and have an incredibly unfair one lap decider?’ It was a championship and at the very least a race win stolen from them, simple.
You can appeal all you want, but you'd have to have evidence of a rule being broken.
Every mb/lewis fanboy sounds like Trump after he lost 😂