2021 Abudhabian GP

[Stephen]

Come on, who wants to go first?

[overboost]

All is good.

The best driver in F1 is the Champion.

FIA be damned.

[darwin dali]

Not so fast - stewards may have a word about that

[Stephen]

Not so fast - stewards may have a word about that

They've thrown out the protests...Max is champion!

[overboost]

The fastest driver won the WDC and the fastest car won the WCC.

[overboost]

I have been watching F1, every race, since Gilles Villeneuve entered (and many races before) and I have never seen or heard of this first lap decision before.

Masi says he let Hamilton give back his lasting advantage, an off track pass, before the end of lap 1?? He allows Hamilton give back a few metres and keep the position! And then blocks a stewards investigation??

It was an outrageous decision by Masi. Corrupt? Is that the word to use? I don't know. It was wrong.

[overboost]

Last lap pass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTe12fH2xtQ

[darwin dali]

Uff, this was close with stewards and all...

[overboost]

Raikkonen gets driver of the day in Abu Dhabi

Kimi Raikkonen - 42.8%
Sergio Perez - 21.5%

A final message from Raikkonen:

[darwin dali]

Maybe we need a new race director for next year? Merc and Red Bull have been unhappy with Masi at various points this season and I wouldn't be surprised if one or the other are already lobbying for his dismissal.
Who else? DC? Alain Prost? Mika?

[myownalias]

Wow, just wow, what a race, what a season, drama to the very last lap. When the FIA allowed Hamilton to keep the clear advantage he gained by cutting turn seven, rejoining on the run down to turn 9, I was thinking the fix was in.

Red Bull gambled, and gambled again, and I thought that it just was not to be for Max, with the initial decision to not allow the lapped cars to unlap themselves behind the safety car, seemingly another decision to benefit Mercedes, BUT, then that was switched and suddenly, short of Max throwing it off the road, he was heading to be world champion.

My only hope is that Mercedes' appeal is not successful and we don't have a change of champion in the courtroom.

Whatever you think of Michael Masi, his decisions have kept us on the edge of our seats all season long!

I'm hoping that Red Bull can keep pace with Mercedes as we head into the new technical regulations for 2022.

[overboost]

Maybe we need a new race director for next year? Merc and Red Bull have been unhappy with Masi at various points this season and I wouldn't be surprised if one or the other are already lobbying for his dismissal.
Who else? DC? Alain Prost? Mika?

Todt?

[darwin dali]

Not so fast - stewards may have a word about that

They've thrown out the protests...Max is champion!

Merc to appeal with FIA - they actually had their lawyer on site, just in case

[darwin dali]

Maybe we need a new race director for next year? Merc and Red Bull have been unhappy with Masi at various points this season and I wouldn't be surprised if one or the other are already lobbying for his dismissal.
Who else? DC? Alain Prost? Mika?

Todt?

Nah, he's the big boss and too old now - why would he torture himself with this stressful position when he can retire on a high?

[overboost]