Congratulations Max Verstappen - 2021 Formula 1 Champion
 

What an incredible finale to a dogfight season. Louis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battled to the bitter end.

https://www.formula1.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjDZ_E3MWoc

While Hamilton & Mercedes complained (especially Mercedes), Hamilton blew it on that corner and Verstappen took advantage. Congrats to both for not wrecking each other, as they have done 3-times this season.

Letting them both race the last lap gave them both a chance to ‘win’ the race and to do otherwise would have been a let down given this was teh race to decide the world champion.

I feel for Lewis somewhat given he pretty much led the whole race but the racing gods smiled down when the safety car had to come out 3 laps from the end - unbelievable finish and look forward to next year when they’ll do it all over again!

Have to give Hamilton a lot of credit. He ripped off three race wins in a row to tie the points battle. 4 races ago I was saying the championship was Max's to lose and he darn near did.

Always nice to see a first time champion.

Congratulations Max Verstappen - 2021 Formula 1 Champion
 

It didn’t feel right to me to have the race director take the track position away, that Lewis had worked all race long to build, just for a TV Race. It was a NASCAR type move to me to make the TV audience happy. I don’t agree with it.

Mercedes built their end of race strategy on that track position and poof, it gets taken away.

Had they known, they may have also pitted when Verstappen did.

While it was unfortunate that Latifi crashed and the safety car came out, how would you give Hamilton his lead back? Safety car or yellow always piles the cars up. Last lap of the last race makes it doubly unfortunate, but that's racing.

Latifi's crash was a legit moment and the track officials handled it properly. Clearly bad for Hamilton and good for Max. That's the nature of racing.

As far as NASCAR is concerned it would've been as many GWC finishes as needed to get the race competed under green flag conditions.

Louis had the lead on the last lap and lost it. Nothing more to say about it really.

Congratulations Max Verstappen - 2021 Formula 1 Champion
 

It was unfair advantage to let Verstappen close by artificially moving the markers. If MB knew they would do that (it was a unique ruling) they may have taken a different strategy. That’s all.

BTW - I couldn’t care less who won.

Unfair. FIA have been a shambles most of the season. Axe Michael Massi

F1 has had a problem for many years and they continue under Masi. Trying to balance the performance index between competing companies/ego's (same with IMSA) is a very difficult and thankless job. Was much easier in the days of normally aspirated engines and analog/mechanical controls.

Not an easy job being racing director at the FIA with the team managers yelling through their headsets constantly, in my view the thinking behind to let them race the last lap is good.

Also understand that Hamilton and Mercedes are dissapointed after dominating the race up to the safetycar (except for the first lap overtake from Max), but compared the bad luck Verstappen had over the whole season (Silverstone, Bakoe and Hungary) his luck had to change somewhere.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the season, hopefully many like this will follow.

Thanks for that. I know there's a lot of caterwauling going around the internet and YouTube that Louis got jobbed, but the fact is sh!t happens in the heat of a race and sometimes lady luck smiles on you and sometimes she smiles on someone else.

It was a terrific season and both drivers perfomed at a phenomenal level.

New car and new rules coming for '22. It'll be interesting to see.

Yes, there's so much back-slash around this. To be fair, Verstappen got
a big share of bad luck during the season and when it was not luck, it was
the push over in Silverstone that sent him to the hospital and Hamilton got
a slap in the hand of 10 seconds that he recovered over the course of the race.
Full points vs DNF.

In my view, the only egregious point was that race control should have
allowed all the cars to be unlapped, not just the ones in between
Hamilton and Verstappen, but that wouldn't had time left for a full lap.
Hoping for a finish behind the Safety Car, and win the Championship in
the process, is not hugely laudable.

Safety cars are more or less common in street races so it was no surprise
it happened; Red Bull was banking on it, so that was their only chance.
The fact that Toto begged to avoid a Safety Car in the beginning
(a bit pathetic to be honest) says it all.

I for one am happy that Schumacher's record stays level with Hamilton
and there is a new champion with Verstappen.

This totally mirrors my thoughts and your overview is very well said :thumbsup:

I really enjoyed this F1 season. I don’t understand the technicalities around the last lap but it sure made for exciting TV viewing.

Louis Hamilton conspicuously absent from the FIA Awards Giveaway.

Now I wonder why...:scratch2:

Very good and balanced analysis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAnW5AMRBh4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Ee0czVr5s

Because he's acting like a spoiled brat? :thought:

I like F1 as much as the next guy...but IMHO, the F1 drivers act like prima donnas some (or even, much) of the time.

I don't see this behavior, AT ALL, in MotoGP or World Superbike racers, FWIW. Ever.

They just get on with the job, and don't bitch and moan...

Vale back in 2012...
https://photos.imageevent.com/puma_c...e/LB8N2404.jpg

Troy at Miller...
https://photos.imageevent.com/puma_c...8/LB8N5402.jpg

Two guys...just gettin' the job done.

Exactly, was an unexpected benefit to be allowed to move up into second place with fresh soft tires which allowed him to make his risky passing move. A commission has been established to review the questionable ruling and make recommendations for future such situations.

And that my friend is post number 10,000 for you. Big time Contrats! :thumbsup:

FWIW, those little rubber people are NUTS! I cringe everytime I see one lose his bike and start sliding or tumbling down the track.

Ha! Thanks, Freddie! I knew it was coming up, soon.

Yeah, those guys are pretty hard core. No whining and b*tching and moaning with those guys.

Now with the Dainese "Air" leathers...if they fall off, the suit actually inflates like a balloon to protect them from a collision.

The commission is mostly a sop to MB/Lewis. I don't expect to see much in the way of changes for 2022.