2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina, Dec 10 - 12

[radosav]

From mine point of view RB strategy departement were at much higher level than Merc's. Red Bull made fast and precision decisions during qualy and race.
Their strategy was spot on.

When you're behind and slower you can make gamble calls. When you're in the lead, you have to be more circumspect.

Having said that, Red Bull have tended to be better on the strategy side during the season as a whole. Today, they just rolled the dice and waited to see what happened. They had nothing to lose because Max had no challenge from behind. Had Bottas been in third place, Red Bull wouldn't have been able to make some of those calls. Bottas lounging around in the mid pack for half of the race really helped Max today.

i agree, bottas was out of game today, and red bull used both cars for Verstapen, even retired Perez because they weren't sure if his car problems will cause another safety car, so they decided to retire it anyway

[Just_a_fan]

I am going to remind everybody; taking the FIA to court over this result is almost certainly not an option for Mercedes. All teams sign agreements that they will abide by the ruling body's judgment and rule procedures, and I believe that the only avenue available to Mercedes, if their appeals are rejected by the local stewards, is to appeal to an FIA Court. They cannot start filing lawsuits.

There is a defined process, yes, but I'm not sure Liberty can prevent a team from going to a court of law. It's very difficult to enforce a contract term that restricts someone's legal rights. Courts can and do throw such terms out if they are considered to be overly onerous.

[west52keep64]

No but it does highlight just how biased Masi was.

I disagree, I don't think Masi was biased today, I just think he was completely incompetent, and has been most of this season. Today it potentially impacted the WDC result, but my concern is it could eventually result in the life of a driver. I can only think back to the decision when he sent cars on to a circuit when a crane was still recovering a car. I am shocked that he didn't go at that point.

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

[214270]

There’s no way Masi’s powers are unilateral & limitless, they must fall within some sort of FIA/F1 fair charter. Masi’s adhoc rule changes must be sporting.

[__________]

I disagree, I don't think Masi was biased today, I just think he was completely incompetent, and has been most of this season. Today it potentially impacted the WDC result, but my concern is it could eventually result in the life of a driver. I can only think back to the decision when he sent cars on to a circuit when a crane was still recovering a car. I am shocked that he didn't go at that point.

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

I am at this point as well.
Although I think the only Masi cock up today was not allowing ALL the lapped cars to pass the safety car 1 lap prior. Then we'd have no controversy.

[thestig84]

From mine point of view RB strategy departement were at much higher level than Merc's. Red Bull made fast and precision decisions during qualy and race.
Their strategy was spot on.

You realise their "Spot on strategy" was reacting to a VSC and a SC from a nothing to lose position! Merc would have done exactly the same if the positions were reversed....they were last rolls of the dice. They didnt even get MV close until the dubious last 2 lap events

[Just_a_fan]

Why is everyone assuming that if Mercedes pitted and were behind the Red Bull, Masi wouldn't have played this out the exact same way? 1 lap of racing was going to happen regardless of the order after the pit stops.

Why would it when it shouldn’t have happened as it did today even

That is not good enough of an excuse. I knew right away they were never going to let this championship be decided behind the safety car. Mercedes should have been prepared.

PS - I have no dog in this fight. (I'm a Williams fan) But even I am at a loss at understanding why Mercedes thought the race would be frozen because of a safety car.

Because of the rules that are written down in the regulations. Either the race would restart with the lapped cars between them which would have given him a buffer, or all the lapped cars would have been released and the race ended under the safety car owing to the time taken to carry out that procedure. That's what you expect from the rules as written down.

Masi ignored those rules, allowed the cars between the title contenders to get out of the way and then said the Hamilton "defend against a guy in a fast car on fresh soft tyres with your knackered old hard tyres".

[Laur3ns]

It's unbelievable how some people think this win was gifted to Verstappen. I mean yeah he was lucky with the safety car and all, but Mercedes made a huge blunter by not pitting to fresh tyres. Mercedes had the better car, but Red Bull had Verstappen and the better strategy.

Quoted for truth. Yes they (probably) would loose track position, but the current outcome was predictably undesirable too. Unless they gambled no restart. Not having Bottas around is a team flaw too. So they had a team flaw and made some deliberate choices themselves. Max was lucky timing wise, had the free stop but still had to get the restart sorted and make the pass.

Insane ending. Very much in line with many races this year. Well deserved.

[thestig84]

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

I am at this point as well.
Although I think the only Masi cock up today was not allowing ALL the lapped cars to pass the safety car 1 lap prior. Then we'd have no controversy.

That most likely wasnt a cock up. He cant let some or all the lapped cars unlap if there was still hazard on track. Bring us back to the issue that he rushed it all through.

I agree with couple recent comments. Best result will be Masi no longer in the role come 2022 and also rules going through in multiple areas

[BlueCheetah66]

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

I am at this point as well.
Although I think the only Masi cock up today was not allowing ALL the lapped cars to pass the safety car 1 lap prior. Then we'd have no controversy.

I found that weird that he didn't do that, especially considering it wouldn't have changed much. There was only like 3 cars that weren't asked to overtake. I think he just panicked towards the end and wanted a last lap dash

[west52keep64]

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

I am at this point as well.
Although I think the only Masi cock up today was not allowing ALL the lapped cars to pass the safety car 1 lap prior. Then we'd have no controversy.

I agree, he could have let them go immediately. He made a mistake, and he must throw his hands up and fall on his sword.

[TimW]

Carlos was the car behind Verstappen in terms of the result, he was literally standing in 3rd place on the podium, so I can only assume you have made a mistake here?

Ah, yes. I mistakingly though he was lapped

That's one heck of a mistake considering he was standing on the podium. I'm not normally one to call this kind of stuff out... but WTF dude

Sorry too have upset you so much

[Big Tea]

I am going to remind everybody; taking the FIA to court over this result is almost certainly not an option for Mercedes. All teams sign agreements that they will abide by the ruling body's judgment and rule procedures, and I believe that the only avenue available to Mercedes, if their appeals are rejected by the local stewards, is to appeal to an FIA Court. They cannot start filing lawsuits.

There is a defined process, yes, but I'm not sure Liberty can prevent a team from going to a court of law. It's very difficult to enforce a contract term that restricts someone's legal rights. Courts can and do throw such terms out if they are considered to be overly onerous.

They could do it by Proxy. If one of the betting companies claimed there was malicious interference by an official, FIA would have to defend it in a court under French law. I don't think they would have much chance of burying it.

It will not happen though, there will be a meeting in an office Tuesday and it will disappear

[Restomaniac]

I disagree, I don't think Masi was biased today, I just think he was completely incompetent, and has been most of this season. Today it potentially impacted the WDC result, but my concern is it could eventually result in the life of a driver. I can only think back to the decision when he sent cars on to a circuit when a crane was still recovering a car. I am shocked that he didn't go at that point.

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

So again your logic is flawed. You admit Masi effected this race and the WDC but then quickly want to ignore that without it Verstappen DOESN’T get the WDC.

[El Scorchio]

I disagree, I don't think Masi was biased today, I just think he was completely incompetent, and has been most of this season. Today it potentially impacted the WDC result, but my concern is it could eventually result in the life of a driver. I can only think back to the decision when he sent cars on to a circuit when a crane was still recovering a car. I am shocked that he didn't go at that point.

Potentially?!

I think you mean undoubtedly. He served it up on a platter by diverging from the rules he is meant to follow.

I sincerely hope he is never at an F1 race again unless it’s with a broom to have to sweep out the Mercedes garage.

Honestly? I agree with you in that he should be sacked (or quietly shuffled out). The result must stand, because ultimately Max did the job before this race. Masi screwed up today, and it's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. He needs to go, plain and simple.

I disagree about ‘did the job before today’ because the job wasn’t done. The season isn’t 21 races. In fact quite the opposite- Hamilton had ‘done the job’ even with the Latifi crash until Masi pulled his coup de grace.

Take nothing away from Verstappen because he’s been fantastic this season and he’s a worthy champ but he was well beaten today and was the lucky beneficiary of circumstance and then of the biggest **** up I think I have ever seen in top level sport.