FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2021 - Yas Marina - RACE.. ▄▀▄▀▄▀ SPOILERS▄▀▄▀▄▀

How could he do that if he stayed left, it would force him to go around the outside but that allows Lewis to dictate the corner.

 

I believe the ICA Paris will be the initial appeal ...if they still not happy they can appeal again to the CAS Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland for the 'final answer'
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2021-max-verstappen-vs-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-appeal-what-happens-next-fia-protest-formula-one-crash-results/news-story/7bc7df821a647d097f75aaf4027b44ae

Plenty of examples of previous F1 appeals ...interesting stuff.

 

So MB applied the safest strategy to stay out, but were actually forced to do so because they had to consolidate that track position?
What is wrong with emerging as nr 2 on the track , but now with fresh red tires in a faster car?
Yes, Lewis would have to pass max (again),
but if you have faith in both the MB car and the driver, that is a better situation than Max behind you on the last lap on the better tire.
In my opinion MB has become too confident that situations will unfold their way anyway. With or without help from the Stewards.
Now it didn't , and they chose the wrong strategy to win.
Too bad for Lewis, but F1 is a team sport, and MB as a team lost. Just as Max did not win this single race all by himself, but by teamwork.

 

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Very true, they are scared to death of Verstappen and that forced their hand.

The thing is though, their thinking was that there likely wouldn't be any race laps so imagine if they had boxed and the safety car didn't end in time.

Given the situation the race should have been red flagged.

 

Yes, that would have infuenced their thinking, but does anybody know if they still had that possibility a lap later when they knew for sure that max had pitted already? The initial difference was like 12 seconds , before Latifi crashed.
And besides, they know exactly if there is a JCB or other material nearby the crash spot, so they can make a calculated guess on if they car will be removed within 5 minutes or not.
With the last laps under yellow, it would have been a disgrace for the sport, so of course Masi wanted a final lap under green.
And that was a failure in judgement MB made.
BLM - Beaten Last Minute.

 

I want to see lewis' actions the moment the sc was a announced, I read somewhere he slowed a lot immediately to bunch the field up as much as possible so that max would get cars in between him if he pitted...if he did that he basically ensured he couldn't pit himself, and allowed max to gamble for the stop anyways.

 

Mercs barrister should really read the rules a bit better as he'll quickly know that their argument is factually wrong. They haven't a leg to stand on.

 

They didn't touch on lap 1

 

They have indicated that they may launch an appeal but haven't yet .So they can pore over the whole sporting regs rule book etc until this Friday deadline, to actually appeal the decision of the Stewards.

 

My understanding as well.

FYI: MB official website still "frozen" on Saturday afternoon (after quali)...

https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/

 

The MB website may be frozen, but still show Verstappen as race winner...(but not als WDC)

 

I would assume Mercedes thought they had the win, that it looked unlikely the race would restart, and they believed worst case scenario Max gets trapped trying to get past the lapped cars.

 

Very easy to suggest with the benefit of hindsight.

No one knew just how long the safety period would last. What if the race finished behind the safety car?

 

From Jeddah Qualy...

I really must start buying lottery tickets

 

They launched an appeal last night. But just now apparently after reading the rules they're considering withdrawing their appeal

 

Toto is over it

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No they put in an intention to appeal so far ...afaik

 

I can’t keep up with all the legal speak…lol

 

A WDC deciding race, ending under yellow? Not likely if there is enough time to remove the crashed car.
What do you think that would have happened if the whole season would have died at the last few laps behind a safetycar?
A lot of new viewers (with the upcoming of Verstappen) would have switched off, because there was no fun watching, no suspense.
That is no matter of hindsight.
MB have 10 people looking at data and regulations during a race, plus multiple calculating computers to make an assesment of how likely scenarios are.
No way that this scenario was dismissed but surprised them in the end.
MB just did not want to possibly give up Lewis' position on track.
They made their decision on their strategy, and that did not pay out in the end.
MB were too confident that in case something would go wrong, they could convince MM to decide in their favour.
That was a miscalculation, MM decided to give the spectators an ending of the season with a bang.

 

You are describing a new Netflix style F1. This wouldn't have happened under Whiting. Hamilton got robbed.

 

Yes, maybe this is how Netflix would have wanted it, but we all watch F1 for the suspense, right?
Hamilton did not get robbed , the MB team did not react smart to the changing circumstances.
And for once they got unlucky. Balances it out a little, don't you think?

 

On a lighter side..... I'm glad to have been proven correct. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Yep..their strategy was to have Masi allow Lewis to cut the corners and gain a big advantage, then do a one stop and try to finish the race on worn out tires. Didn't work on this day.

Strategy or no strategy...there have been plenty of F1 races that have been won and lost on the last lap. Thats why we always watch to the very end.

 

What to say of Perez then: on softs with 20 laps (+ quali and after use with heavy fuel at start) coming back repeatedly at HAM. And needing to pit right after. Pretty impressive.