From the screenshots, it looked like Max was off track an awful lot as well.carisi2k wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:42 amThe problem with this theory is that Lewis went outside the track limits 29 times in the race at turn 4. It allowed him to gain a significant advantage because it allowed him to keep in contact with Max early in the race. The rule I thought was that they would not penalise unless you gained an everlasting advantage. Lewis certainly did gain an everlasting advantage because what if Max had an extra 2-5 second gap around the pit stops. This is enough that he could have pitted the following lap and retained the lead.
Also, if the race director explicitly tells the drivers that track limits wouldn't be monitored there, then you can't then expect the drivers to stick to them. Masi confirmed as much after the event, and even admitted that they changed the directive mid-race because some drivers were taking it too far. Overtaking off track has always been outlawed, otherwise, every driver would just not bother braking, shoot past and rejoin ahead. As for the argument that the move was already done, Max was only able to get ahead because he was able to brake later because he could run wide afterwards. It would be like people just not braking in time for the end chicane in canada - flying straight on while the other car takes the corner and rejoining in front. If one applied the same argument, you could say that the car behind was in front before the corner - obviously, if you don't brake hard enough to take the corner and the car in front does. You will over take them before the bend, you just will then be going too fast to make the corner.