This guy gets it. It was a contentious decision. Even a bad one. But there was plenty of other of those decisions in other races
Really shows the influence of Silverstone and Hungary on the season. An entire lead destroyed by two Mercedes mistakes in two weeks.
You can argue either side basically.
My apologies, I didn't mean not to offend anyone.
Ashamed would be a great description of winning a WC in this manner.
Because it was never intended to.
Maybe. But I for one won't be taking any notice of whatever he chooses to say.
I do, I gave up on it being a sport a long time ago.
You clearly no F*** all about driving then.
I read that as he's saying those people think Max was the better driver, not necessarily himself.
f course, typical decision. engineer response is: it's classic!Catastrophically poor by Masi.As it's been a slow WFH day, I thought I would watch the final laps again, as it was all such a blur on the day and I wanted to rewatch the incident and each key scene. For anyone interested in reading the moments and communications between drivers, teams and FIA...
Lap 53: Latifi crashes, safety car out. Gap was 12 seconds with 5 laps to go, where average time lost to pit stop during SC pace is 14 seconds.
Lap 54: Max pits, Lewis stays out. Leaves 5 cars in between Hamilton and Max.
Lap 55: Brundle and Crofty discuss the unlapping scenario:
Brundle: will they let the unlapped cars through?
Crofty: they always let the unlapped cars through
Brundle: but that would extend the safety car period?
Crofty: thats what they always do, so they dont let the unlapped runners interfere with play.
Hamilton discusses with engineering team about situation, that Max has pitted with fresh tyres, and that they have to bunch all the cars together, and sort out the order which will take a while and race is unlikely to restart. Engineer clearly states that track position would have been lost had they pitted. Crofty also confirms that if he pitted and Max stayed out, then Max would win should the SC not come in and race finished behind it.
Near end of lap 55: Hamilton saying SC car was not going quick enough, slower than typical pace. Latifi's car is being towed off.
Lap 56: FIA announce lapped cars will not overtake. Brundle says it's not mandatory in regulations to unlap the cars, and leaves Max with a lot of work to do.
RB relay the message to Max, his response is
lap 57: Brundle reiterates it's not mandatory to let the lapped cars through, so they may do. however, if they did so then there would be no racing laps left.
Beginning of the lap, Horner to Masi:
Horner: why arent we getting these lapped cars out of the way
Masi (sums the guy up in this response) after bumbling for a few seconds: Christian, just give me a second. My main big one is to get this incident clear.
Horner: you only need one racing lap.
Halfway through lap: 5 cars only are ordered to go through, and SC is quickly ended. Toto with Masi: Michael, Michael..!!. Michael this isn't right.
After the race, Toto to Masi:
Michael you have to reinstate the lap.
Masi: Toto, it's called a a motor race ok?
Toto: sorry?
Masi: It's called car racing.
I think Brundle and Crofty were sure the race would either be done with the lapped cars still in position, or under the safety car due to no time left to unlap everyone. This was not the normal race in a calendar, and should have been treated equally in terms of the rules.
Too many buttons to press..
I totally agree and think so too. How can he ever go into next season with a clear mind for racing after what happened? And if you are not in a clear mind for racing, it's bloody dangerous for your life!
I 100% agree with this. I prefer Hamilton but I really couldn't give a monkeys under normal circumstances. I just hate blatant cheating/manipulation in any way, shape or form and am just absolutely gutted for Hamilton, having to take a clear shafting like that after such an epic comeback in-front of the entire World.
I don't see any scenario how he could have missed it personally. They're watching the race live just like we do, but with even more camera angles and data.
Makes me feel even more sorry for him.
Completely misses the point. A 'contentious decision' is a marginal call based on an interpretation of the rules.
Fair enough, as I said, it was just a theory that occurred to me to try and rationalise some of the bizarre decision-making. You don't think he could have forgotten, in the heat of the moment, with everybody shouting at him, that Max had pitted again under the safety car?
You are wasting your time trying to explain it to these people
I think am absolutely correct based on your original post.
That's the only thing. Why did Masi not let all the cars unlap themselves a lap before? He could have done that as Latifi's car was being towed away. The result would have been the same and there would have been no controversy. Just people calling out how it's bad luck for Hamilton.
) and another rule being challenged.In practice though CAS has never ruled on the outcome of a sporting event. Or even on the quality of the officiating of a sporting event.
FIA wanted a Max victory because they need a new champion and a non-Mercedes WDC winner. Mercedes basically swept all the awards in the current regulations.
If this was the old days there wouldn't even be much debate. It's only that Max and his energy drink have brought in the crowd from their other energy drink events and suddenly we have loads of interest from people with no clue.
This is the sort of thinking that has led to this disaster. It's a sport, not a soap opera. When football teams keep the ball at the corner flag with 5 minutes to go, it's not a spectacle either, but we understand because it's a competition.
The rules do allow for the unlapped cars to stay in place. It's all or nothing, not '5 cars only'b. Keep the unlapped cars in place, which again would have had the other set of fans miffed (not on here as the posters on here would be fine with it
Not what I'm saying at all.
Yes it came from him hesitating and panicking.That's the only thing. Why did Masi not let all the cars unlap themselves a lap before? He could have done that as Latifi's car was being towed away. The result would have been the same and there would have been no controversy. Just people calling out how it's bad luck for Hamilton.
However he hesitated and that's where he fecked up. He would have then had to:
a. End the race behind the SC, which would have been a very poor spectacle and something very rare to be pulled off in such a situation.
b. Keep the unlapped cars in place, which again would have had the other set of fans miffed (not on here as the posters on here would be fine with it
So he basically fecks up and just allows the cars between the first two move out of the way as there was not enough time for the others to unlap and the race to be restarted safely.
Poor decision but I think it came from hesitation and incompetence rather than some sort of conspiracy or wanting an exciting finish.
In fairness blame the teams for that as they have asked for races to be finished under green flag conditions whenever possible.
'Whenever possible', yes. When not possible, don't artificially contrive a possibility.
It was possible. He just fecked it up.
So...what does that mean? It was possible, so he fecked it up and it became not possible, so he fiddled with the rules to make it possible again?
