[Official] Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2016: Grand Prix Weekend Thread

[Peter Mallett]

Yes, I got bored after 1967.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Thanks for that, but didn't Farina and Fangio drive for Alfa Romeo in '50 and '51, not Maseratti?

[gert]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I didn't see the post race interview (I already felt guilty spending so much time in front of the TV on a Sunday afternoon watching the race...) I did see Lewis congratulate Nico when they got out of the cars, the behaviour in the pre-podium room, and again on the podium. In all of that Lewis appeared to be magnanimous in defeat, but he was bound to be cheesed off.

I think this is the one.

http://f1.channel4.com/video/what-su...-win-hamilton/

I can't open it, maybe it is geo-blocked ?

[gert]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Thanks for that, but didn't Farina and Fangio drive for Alfa Romeo in '50 and '51, not Maseratti?

Yes.

--

Add to the list:

1984 Lauda - 1985 Prost
McLaren

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by gert

I think this is the one.

http://f1.channel4.com/video/what-su...-win-hamilton/

I can't open it, maybe it is geo-blocked ?

Thanks for the link gert, it worked fine for me. I'm glad I've been able to see that.
Sorry Lewis haters, but in the circumstances, I still don't see anything really wrong with that either.
OK, so maybe Lewis is a bit paranoid about his mechanical unreliability (presumably that was what was behind his refusal to say that he felt like they'd both been given equal machinery), but what do people expect the guy to do? Spin cartwheels and be full of joy because he's just lost the World Championship?
OK, he was peeved (and does always show his emotions), but I think it was understandable in the circumstances.

[JamesH]

I thought LH's drive was one of the best he has done - tactically brilliant. Didn't pan out, but a really great drive.

On the other hand, for Merc to tell him to speed up, and effectively ruin the end to the season was one of the worst things they have ever done! In fact, really incomprehensible. They had literally nothing to lose to letting them race!

Anyone wanting LH to be sacked for producing one of the most exciting end of season races needs to find a different sport.

How about sailing? Oh hold on, some sailing does involved sailing deliberately slowly and interfering with your competitors, like the America's Cup for example....

[old man]

Let me first of all congratulate Nico on winning, you win championships with consistency and when you are sitting in the best car with a teammate as good as you if not better that is where you have to put your attention. In the Ferrari dominant years we had team orders that ensured MS won, Mercedes are to be congratulated on at least giving us season long show instead of what Ferrari may have dished up in the same circumstances.

I saw nothing wrong in Lewis tactics, as I think he said over the radio, "I am losing the championship. I am not going to lose the race"

We saw Senna in a similar position to Nico in past years and it was suggested over our table at dinner on Saturday night that Nico should do a "Senna", that would have been dreadful. It was also said that Lewis claimed before the race that he would have "moral victory", I never saw that, in fact the bit where moral victory was mentioned said the opposite IMO. He went to Nico before they both took their helmets off and in my close experience of racing drivers that is the point at which they are least magnanimous having "lost"

We had a fascinating race that could have been as boring all the way through as it looked like being after the first corner, Max livened that up and Lewis livened up the last 10 laps or so.

Roll on 2017

[Cynic]

Hamilton lost the title primarily as a result of poor reliability. For the team to then try and interfere in the race result when they were guaranteed a WCC and WDC regardless of the outcome is just rubbing salt in the wounds. Under those circumstances I defy anyone to say that Hamilton's responses were out of order. The guy ultimately is paid to drive fast and win races, not pander to Toto's wishes to have an umpteenth 1-2 finish.

[Wims]

He's employed by Mercedes. He is supposed to pander to Toto's wishes, that's how employments work. You do what you're told or else you'll get fired

[Lola]

Originally Posted by JamesH

I thought LH's drive was one of the best he has done - tactically brilliant. Didn't pan out, but a really great drive.

On the other hand, for Merc to tell him to speed up, and effectively ruin the end to the season was one of the worst things they have ever done! In fact, really incomprehensible. They had literally nothing to lose to letting them race!

Anyone wanting LH to be sacked for producing one of the most exciting end of season races needs to find a different sport.

How about sailing? Oh hold on, some sailing does involved sailing deliberately slowly and interfering with your competitors, like the America's Cup for example....

I agree 100%. Lewis didn't break any rules and merc had nothing to lose other than one race result, its not as if they hadn't won many this year is it?

There are many sports where tactics play out in this respect, athletics is another example in long distance . Its what multiple champions do. That's why they are!

Well done Nico though.

[B0U170NS]

Great end to the year. My heart was thumping away at the end which hasn't happened since Brazil 2008. Don't think there's anything wrong with what Hamilton did - the team have let them race for the last 3 years and had nothing to lose other than a 1-2.

Have to say I'm slightly disappointed with Button. He's a great driver and I respect him hugely but he made it seem like he couldn't give a dam about F1, which doesn't look very good if your one of the teams sponsors.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by B0U170NS

Have to say I'm slightly disappointed with Button. He's a great driver and I respect him hugely but he made it seem like he couldn't give a dam about F1, which doesn't look very good if your one of the teams sponsors.

Think of it from a psychological POV, Button is leaving something he has been doing for many years, and must love, and may even be addicted to (speed is addictive). He need some way of making that 'right' and one way is to make it, to himself, less of an attraction. If you tell yourself what you are doing is SoSo you don't have the same issues leaving it! It may not be true, but it helps!

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by Lola

I agree 100%. Lewis didn't break any rules and merc had nothing to lose other than one race result, its not as if they hadn't won many this year is it?

There are many sports where tactics play out in this respect, athletics is another example in long distance . Its what multiple champions do. That's why they are!

Well done Nico though.

I must add, I forgot to put well done to Nico at the end of my post - so Well Done Nico!

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Wims

He's employed by Mercedes. He is supposed to pander to Toto's wishes, that's how employments work. You do what you're told or else you'll get fired

Lewis is under contract as a driver surely, not employed by Mercedes-Benz and is done so because he is fast and has a racers instinct (as has Max V) which has won may races and championships 'for' Mercedes, you can't want this when it suits you and then expect them to be a corporate animal in the final laps of the final race with a world championship at stake.

Which is a shame as I think overall Mercedes F1 has managed the driver situation well, but this weekend they made it clear that actually they thought it was Nico's turn to have the championship. This doesn't make Nico undeserving, he put himself in the position to win it over the season, but I think that this will be his only championship, I can't see him beating Lewis again, bearing in mind how long it has taken.

In the final analysis, world class racing drivers in F1 race for themselves, not their sponsors or manufacturers, they want to beat everyone including and especially their team mate, that is why teams hire them not the 'journeyman' who don't have that last bit of edge of competition in them.

[Wims]

It's not unusual for teams to favor the championship leading driver tho, that's pretty much par for the course

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Wims

It's not unusual for teams to favor the championship leading driver tho, that's pretty much par for the course

There are times when a driver needs to support a team mate if for example only one is championship contention, but not in the final laps of the final race when both are fighting for the championship.

[bella]

personally i couldn't give a stuff if a driver wants to play tactics, no matter how "unsportsmanlike" or whatever some people think it is. that's one driver, playing a game to try and get the most out of a race - motor racing.

it starts to get dodgy for me with team orders, where a team expects a driver to do something (think the prema/stroll shenanigans this season). that's when it gets into the realms of someone not in a racing car deciding what happens in a motor race which is dubious territory.

[wolfhound]

While reliability had an influence on the championship, so did Lewis by sitting on the start line at many GP's while Nico was hitting the first apex.

[2GRX7]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

This is what Hamilton radioed on the penultimate lap:

Lap 54/55

Lewis Hamilton: "Right now, I'm losing the world championship so I don't care if I lose this race."

And it may have been awkward on the podium, but it is being reported that Hamilton totally ignored Rosberg in pre-podium room, not speaking to him at all.

Spoilt brat.

REALLY?!!REEEALLLY?!! Yes, Hamilton didn't speak to him in the post-staging room, but he sure didn't throw a hat back at him, now did he (U.S.GP 2015)? I remember seeing Hamilton congratulating Nico TO THE WORLD while on the PODIUM! Didn't see that happen last year from Nico!

So many like you see/remember the actions you want to, purely to justify "your" way of approaching life instead of questioning your own and understanding the others'.

Yup, you're basically that contributing "one drop in a sea" of increasing world-wide intolerance. Way to go!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by bella

personally i couldn't give a stuff if a driver wants to play tactics, no matter how "unsportsmanlike" or whatever some people think it is. that's one driver, playing a game to try and get the most out of a race - motor racing.

But that ignores the fact, and it is a fact, that these events are sporting events, as such we expect the participants to behave as such. Can't stand Lewis as a personality mainly because, like his hero, he is petulant when being beaten. And to suggest that he is the "moral champion" is just plain childish.

Originally Posted by bella

it starts to get dodgy for me with team orders, where a team expects a driver to do something (think the prema/stroll shenanigans this season). that's when it gets into the realms of someone not in a racing car deciding what happens in a motor race which is dubious territory.

Agree with this bit and perhaps if we weren't privy to the world of pit to car radio we'd be less concerned. But, lest we forget, as an employer, Mercedes is entitled to direct the employee.

As has been pointed out elsewhere both drivers have demonstrated a lack of sportsmanship this year, and last. Whilst I thought he was unsporting (but I am old fashioned) I saw nothing that Lewis did that broke any racing rules. And indeed it did spice up the final ten laps.

There have been times, like 2007, when I though Lewis was unlucky not to win the title, but he has had his share of luck, 2008 anybody? So it's swings and roundabouts. To suggest that Nico is less than a worthy champion is banal in the extreme.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by bella

personally i couldn't give a stuff if a driver wants to play tactics, no matter how "unsportsmanlike" or whatever some people think it is. that's one driver, playing a game to try and get the most out of a race - motor racing.

it starts to get dodgy for me with team orders, where a team expects a driver to do something (think the prema/stroll shenanigans this season). that's when it gets into the realms of someone not in a racing car deciding what happens in a motor race which is dubious territory.

Bravo bella, I agree 100%

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

To suggest that Nico is less than a worthy champion is banal in the extreme.

That. Whilst I may (and have!) disagreed with Peter on the personality side, at the end of the season the points haul is all that matters. The way the points are obtained is not relevant, even if it means someone isn't spectacular as a driver.

That said, keeping a 200mph+ missile on the road while jiggling all the bells, buttons and whistles and avoiding everyone else is pretty spectacular anyway.

I have just realised something, however... the last time we saw as polarised a response to teams & drivers wiping the floor with everyone was during the Ferrari years. It came close during RBR's dominant period, but not quite so unpleasant. Maybe next year, if things play out with less categorical certainty, everyone will start being nice to each other again?

[bjohnsonsmith]

I've said before, I'm not a fan of either Lewis or Nico and I don't have favourite drivers anymore. I grew out of that a long time a go but I do have drivers who I admire and don't admire, for their conduct on and off the track.

On the track, Lewis did what he had to do, in order to retain his crown and win that fourth championship. He didn't do anything untoward. Likewise the same goes for Nico, did what he had to do, in order to get that first title. He didn't do anything untoward either, so hats off to both.

Likewise, in the post-race room, neither driver appeared to do anything untoward, with both doing whatever they had to do before going out onto the podium, with millions around the world watching, especially after the title decider.

On the podium itself, it was bound to be a uncomfortable. However, I thought Lewis behaved well and he had to. To that petulant side, that we have seen all to often and not expose it must have taken some effort, so good on Lewis and he continued in that manner with the various post race interviews. Maybe losing the title and having to control himself in public, is what Lewis needs to in order to get over that petulant trait? We shall see. Equally, Nico didn't rub it into Lewis's face, not that I expected him to.

[gert]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Which is a shame as I think overall Mercedes F1 has managed the driver situation well, but this weekend they made it clear that actually they thought it was Nico's turn to have the championship.

I don't think that's the case actually.

Like I said here before the race, it depends upon what Mercedes wants to achieve.

They have consistently said they wanted to get the best possible team result, and at the very least win the race (any race, not just this one)
While you and I, and Lewis and Nico were only concerned about who was going to be champion, I think Mercedes' prime objective was "we want to win the race".
Hence I think they told Lewis to speed up in order to assure that win, not to help Nico.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

But that ignores the fact, and it is a fact, that these events are sporting events, as such we expect the participants to behave as such. Can't stand Lewis as a personality mainly because, like his hero, he is petulant when being beaten. And to suggest that he is the "moral champion" is just plain childish.

i suppose that's down to taste. in accepting that it's a sporting event one also has to accept that they are sportsmen. that sounds daft, but sportsmen and women are extraordinarily driven, some so much so that it really grates next to those who aren't quite so obsessive. my personal approach to dealing with that is to accept it as a part of their personality, to tolerate it and humour them and wait until the adrenaline has faded so the person behind the adrenaline comes back and they can handle context and rationality again. but i understand that in the context of sporting behaviour, or what is defined as such, it does grate. especially when we aren't exposed to what becomes the rational thinking side of the person through the media.

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Agree with this bit and perhaps if we weren't privy to the world of pit to car radio we'd be less concerned. But, lest we forget, as an employer, Mercedes is entitled to direct the employee.

i think this employer/team thing is a bit of a tricky one. thinking in terms of the whole of motorsport, when a driver brings their budget, teams can only make polite requests for tactical behaviour. when a team is paying for a drivers racing, it's usually under the understanding that they're there to fulfil a function rather than an act of benevolance. so on that basis f1 drivers are under obligation to act according to whatever they're told. but f1 isn't that simple is it? nobody employs compliant number twos, they employ racing drivers, they go through a lot of expense and hassle to find the quickest (and richest) and smartest driver.

but ultimately i suppose it's case by case isn't it? in this case he absolutely had the right to ignore the teams warnings of the consequences of his actions, but the team also had the right to warn him and ask politely if he wouldn't mind pulling his finger out a bit.