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

[notsofast]

"We'll see about next year."

Did Hamilton reveal his imminent retirement?

[mika vs michael]

It was a controversial year with a controversial ending...both drivers deserved it. Mercedes won the constructors' championship. I'm glad that Verstappen won, someone had to stop Hamilton from breaking the Michael Schumacher record of 7 titles. And glad to see Toto's face like that. he has destroyed F1 the last 8 years with his political games...Toto Wolff looked angrier than even Lewis Hamilton...Verstappen and Redbull squeezed every inch of their heart soul and energy...like Rosberg did in 2016...Lewis is a great champion and driver...one of the best if not the best. It's not good for the sport that it ended like that...F1 was always political but no matter what decision was to be made it would be a political end...even if lapped cars would not be allowed to unlap themselves...someone in the last moment overpowered Toto...What comes around goes around...

[Just_a_fan]

Lewis still has skills under the belt, how the hell he managed his race pace ! A broken wing in Jeddah and now 29 older tires ... See you next year.

The tyre work by Lewis today was brilliant. He was able to run at a pace that allowed him to win the race with enough of a buffer to be safe from a late charge. Up until Masi messed it all up.

I remember back in Lewis's early days, he was accused of eating tyres by his driving style. He was quick but his tyre won't last. Today, the guy is quick with some great tyre whispering skills too. Yes, the car is instrumental in how the tyres are "eaten" but the driver still needs to be able to drive them quickly but kindly in order to make them last. Great skill on display today.

[mzivtins]

"We'll see about next year."

Did Hamilton reveal his imminent retirement?

I believe this was a bit of a hint towards both merc and red bull putting so much focus on this year's cars that they may not be competitive out of the gates next year. We could be looking at a Ferrari vs McLaren, which is brilliant, no Karen Horner about would be so good!

[proteus]

To me, strategy was fine. He couldn't pit under VSC or SC because the gap was not enough to find himself ahead of Max.

RB just did what any team would have done; throw everything at Mercedes because a) they were slower today, by quite some margin and b) the guy behind has always the opportunity to react to the guy ahead.

If Mercedes pitted and Hamilton was stuck behind MV, we would talk of an extreme blunder.

TBF I think they should have pit the lap after Max did as it was still under the VSC. The gap would have stayed the same, but then the whole kafuffle at the end might have been different with lapped cars

No, the VSC ended just as Lewis was through the final corner. conveniently ended, especially if Lewis had pitted, it would have cost him the lead.

The whole situation was a massive gamble for Mercedes, while Redbull had nothing to lose really. But the gamble Mercedes made was wrong. If he would have pitted and would restart behind MAx, he would probably be the one winning, with Mercedes being so much faster.

[siskue2005]

Why finishing under SC would be such an issue for Massi?
Didnt we finish under SC in 2012 and Vettel won the championship that way?

[Restomaniac]

On that I totally agree. The result is the result. Max is the WDC and and has 100% earned that result.

I do think a couple of things need to happen though. Masi's position needs to be put under review. There needs to be a better way to deal with all the nonsense that's happened this year. We can't have races and championships being decided in court rooms, that's not what F1 is about.

TL;DR. Max is the WDC, Masi should be fired.

The logic that the ‘result is the result’ is not logical. By that ideal the best driver/car can be Intentionally penalised out of a race and you’re cool with it because we’re not allowed to question dodgy decisions?

Don’t want championships decided in courts? Don’t make dodgy decisions then……like today!

How in the blue hell has he 100% earned that result? He has just been gifted his championship win.

The best decision for F1 is for Max to be WDC and for Masi to be fired (or quietly removed). Swapping the result now would be insane. I would rather they re-run the race, that's probably the best thing to do, but it's not going to happen.

Lewis & Max did the best thing they could do given the conditions presented to them. Lewis really made no mistakes, he was just unluckly. Max was lucky this race, but he had done enough earlier in the season to put himself in this position. If you simply scrub this race from the result Max is still the WDC and I feel like that's enough to say Max is the true WDC.

Hamilton is an incredible driver, and today he showed his class. I'd say he's currently a more complete driver than Max, just look at how he absorbed everything Red Bull tried to throw at him today with Perez, it was incredible. Today, Max's raw talent and aggression through the whole season won him the WDC.

An interesting observation on Perez. He's effectively been "broken in" now and will only ever be a no. 2 driver. For all his noise around how McLaren ruined his career, he's effectively drawn a line under his own career this year. He will only ever be a no. 2 to Max now. Don't get me wrong, it's exactly what Red Bull need, but it's an interesting psychological defeat for Perez.

The best decision isn’t to award a championship to a guy who should never have had it in the first place we’re it not for dodgy decisions. Masi has himself admitted clearing the cars inbetween was intentional. Now knowing he left 1 guy in an impossible position due to the tyres they were both on is indefensible.

The idea that we should just leave it in Verstappen when he should never have had it is what’s insane.

[wesley123]

Christian Horner promised Williams driver Nicholas Latifi a lifetime supply of Red Bull after his crash ultimately led to Max Verstappen winning the Formula One world championship with victory in Abu Dhabi.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mot ... 74623.html

What a circus this has become, but it's expected from such a buffoon.

What a stupid thing to say. The guy just crashed out of a damn F1 race. If I was Nicholas, I would tell him to shove'em up his a#$e.

To be honest, If I was Nicholas I would play this as if he was being bribed. The Red Bull junior in the other Williams seat next year plays that narrative really, really nicely.

[Mchamilton]

"Better strategy" lol, Redbull and Verstappen had no strategical worries just risky decisions of course so better stop talkin this nonsense. And yes the WDC was gifted by Masi. I really hope he understands somewhere else how his decision can affect this sport. You can't just woke up and then decide who should win regardless all the competitors.

Lewis still has skills under the belt, how the hell he managed his race pace ! A broken wing in Jeddah and now 29 older tires ... See you next year.

May not see Lewis next year, i found his comment to Jenson in the post race interview a little telling "We'll see about next year"

[Restomaniac]

Someone just pointed something out to me that was actually quite an interesting point.

Verstappen was given a clear run at Hamiltion as a result of Masi's decision to allow the lapped cars between car 33 and 44 to overtake the SC. Carlos Sainz was not given the same opportunity, I believe he still had lapped cars between himself and Verstappen.

I think that really just shows how badly Masi screwed this up. Ultimately, the result should stand, as I don't think any WDC should be decided in a court room. However, I do think Masi should be replaced. He has made too many errors this year, it's simply not good enough.

Lapped cars are allowed to unlap, not necessarily to catch up. So Carlos does not have a case.
The car behind Verstappen (who was that) does, because he was stuck behind Verstappen and lost the opportunity to attack the car in front of him

No but it does highlight just how biased Masi was.

[Just_a_fan]

Someone just pointed something out to me that was actually quite an interesting point.

Verstappen was given a clear run at Hamiltion as a result of Masi's decision to allow the lapped cars between car 33 and 44 to overtake the SC. Carlos Sainz was not given the same opportunity, I believe he still had lapped cars between himself and Verstappen.

I think that really just shows how badly Masi screwed this up. Ultimately, the result should stand, as I don't think any WDC should be decided in a court room. However, I do think Masi should be replaced. He has made too many errors this year, it's simply not good enough.

Lapped cars are allowed to unlap, not necessarily to catch up. So Carlos does not have a case.
The car behind Verstappen (who was that) does, because he was stuck behind Verstappen and lost the opportunity to attack the car in front of him

Carlos was unable to attack for second because the lapped car in front of him wasn't put through by Masi. Thus Carlos lost out too. Had he been immediately behind Max, he might well have been able to attack Lewis for second place, for example.

[Poleman]

There are always two sides of a coin folks, this time it went verstappens way , next year lewis might come out on top in a similar toss. It's a sport, there are rules and interpretations, rigidity of rules might help in this instance and screw you over next time. So many arguable moments this year, let's call it a day and have a similar one next year. At least we won't lose Lewis due to too much success, I had a funny feeling he might have retired as octogod.

While i agree with the mindset of moving on to next year, i disagree with the coin toss...When i toss a coin its gonna fall to the ground by itself and by the help of gravity and be either heads or tails.Unless someone catches is mid air and gives me heads or tails depending of whats beneficial to him.

[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.

[proteus]

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.

If Mercedes had pitted for tires Verstappen could stay out, Lewis would rejoin behind and they'll just let the safety car run to the flag.

Yep, that's exactly what they would've done, and it would've been as per the rules.

No way they would've gone out of their way to let Lewis have a shot at MV on the final lap. Like they've done for MV. And that's the exact reason why Merc didn't pit him. They're not stupid, and they in their right minds couldn't have anticipated Masi and the rest of the guys at race control butchering the rules to manufacture a result.

That is pure speculation. Present me the proof that Max has been chosen to win the title by FIA troughout the season. And why have they decided for that? The circumstances in this race are shady, that is true but dont scoop that low to say it was all staged for Max to become a champion. I bet someone will come out with a story that crane operater was bribed by RedBull to work faster than usual, just to ensue race to continue. And i bet illuminati are involved as well.

[__________]

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.

Yes, I do think Masi --- up by not letting the backmarkers through 1 lap prior but it is what it is at this point.

Verstappen/Red Bull fans will say they were owed one for the Copps incident.