Max vs Lewis - Handbags at dawn

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Assuming Lewis would be in the Red Bull in this fantasy scenario, I actually agree with Max.

Very good

[Knowlesy]

It is a frustrating narrative though. Merc look to have the edge currently. There have been large stretches of the year where it has been the other way around. It has been a pretty balanced season overall.

Neither team and neither driver has converted all their chances when they had the upper hand and that is what they will look back on tomorrow if they lose out.

Or they should anyways.

[chillibowl]

Dont know how true this is, but some on social media suggesting that Merc have not spent their development tokens this year.

Also think Merc stopped updating back in the summer.

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Dont know how true this is, but some on social media suggesting that Merc have not spent their development tokens this year.

Also think Merc stopped updating back in the summer.

If they stopped updating then they’ve had the Lewis Interlagos/Jeddah/Yas Marina power unit sitting in the cupboard for a long time.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Dont know how true this is, but some on social media suggesting that Merc have not spent their development tokens this year.

Also think Merc stopped updating back in the summer.

on the eve of the final race of the season and the current regulation cycle, Mercedes finally spilled the secret - those development tokens had never been spent.

It means that, aside from the changes required for the rear downforce reduction for 2021, the W12 of 2021 is a much more similar car to the 2020 W11 than other machines on the grid are to their 2020 predecessors.

"In the end, we didn't spend our tokens," Mike Elliott, who took over from Allison as the team's Technical Director during this season

[S griffin]

It's not like Red Bull haven't had an advantage at some tracks. For me the top two cars have been very much on a par and who has the (slight) advantage has ebbed and flowed. So Max is being disingenuous with his comments, however much he thinks what he says is the case

[E.B]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

on the eve of the final race of the season and the current regulation cycle, Mercedes finally spilled the secret - those development tokens had never been spent.

It means that, aside from the changes required for the rear downforce reduction for 2021, the W12 of 2021 is a much more similar car to the 2020 W11 than other machines on the grid are to their 2020 predecessors.

Does that mean Merc have been using a Racing Point all year?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by E.B

Does that mean Merc have been using a Racing Point all year?

No, they're level on Points.......

[GT6]

well all will be sorted soon, let us just hope it is all about racing and the stewards stand back and let them do what they are paid to do. Who ever you want to win let us hope racing wins.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by GT6

well all will be sorted soon, let us just hope it is all about racing and the stewards stand back and let them do what they are paid to do. Who ever you want to win let us hope racing wins.

Ah well......

[GT6]

no that did not exactly go to plan, guess i quinxed it

[Aysedasi]

You swine!

[Beau2]

I'm just glad the controversy wasn't caused directly by the actions of these two. Other than Max's lunge followed by Lewis going off track on Lap. 1 (which now feels like a lifetime ago) these two raced fairly and did their talking on the track with little nonsense.

The Hamilton Vs. Perez battle and last lap battle were absolutely thrilling.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Beau2

I'm just glad the controversy wasn't caused directly by the actions of these two. Other than Max's lunge followed by Lewis going off track on Lap. 1 (which now feels like a lifetime ago) these two raced fairly and did their talking on the track with little nonsense.

The Hamilton Vs. Perez battle and last lap battle were absolutely thrilling.

Agreed…I’ve criticised Max a lot this year, but I actually feel sorry for him in this case, he’s wrapped up in this whole mess too, none of which is his fault.

[bella]

it's sad that the most impressive thing about the whole race was that he took the win and the title with a clean, sensible move.

that should be a norm for him, not a rarity.

oh well. the whole race showed how good he is at compartmentalising when something rattles his cage - he has a whinge on the radio, sets himself up in his head as the underdog, moves on from it and rags the living crap out of it. not many can do that.

[Beau2]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Agreed…I’ve criticised Max a lot this year, but I actually feel sorry for him in this case, he’s wrapped up in this whole mess too, none of which is his fault.

I agree. I said a few days ago that the title was likely to be tainted in some eyes whatever happened.

Whether or not we think Max deserved the win or not people will always claim that he was favoured for the title. In reality, he just got the job cleanly done when it mattered...even with a huge dose of luck.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Beau2

I agree. I said a few days ago that the title was likely to be tainted in some eyes whatever happened.

Whether or not we think Max deserved the win or not people will always claim that he was favoured for the title. In reality, he just got the job cleanly done when it mattered...even with a huge dose of luck.

I’m a Lewis fan……but I’m not even angry at Max, he dealt the cards he was given. Did he deserve to win the title? I don’t know how to answer that question anymore. I would have loved to, and was prepared to congratulate him before today…if he sailed off into the distance from pole and won at a canter I’d have said the best man won….

But I don’t think his title is tainted in my eyes, he did an incredible job all year and rode his luck in this last race.

So conflicted!

[Woolley]

What an absolute farce. Would do better just to wipe the whole season from the record books.

Basically Race Director decided the race in the final two minutes by making a decision that didn't fit any of the regulations and from which only one outcome was reasonably predictable. The whole season came down to a single lap sprint in which one contender had vastly superior tyres.

Once again F1 bringing the whole sport into disrepute. I'm appalled.

[2 litre Touring Car Star]

Unsatisfying, indignified ending. Allowable due to the result being the right guy won the championship.

[S griffin]

Max would have deserved the title, but he was basically gifted it yesterday by the FIA rulebook being thrown out the window for his benefit. And it's not helped that Karen Horner was the one who seemed to influence Masi at the end there. So this will always be a hollow title for them

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by 2 litre Touring Car Star

Unsatisfying, indignified ending. Allowable due to the result being the right guy won the championship.

I know you and I don't always agree, but I completely agree on this.

Originally Posted by S griffin

Max would have deserved the title, but he was basically gifted it yesterday by the FIA rulebook being thrown out the window for his benefit. And it's not helped that Karen Horner was the one who seemed to influence Masi at the end there. So this will always be a hollow title for them

It's unfortunate that this is the one piece of pits to RD radio that I remember last..... it almost came over as 'OK Christian, I'll grant you your miracle wish'.....

[Paradise City]

I hated the stupid rule allowing lapped cars their laps back. I hope it gets ditched but sure it won't be.

[veeten]

It really comes back to the strategy that both men decided for their drivers. Toto decided to stand pat, while Christian went for the red tyres, since it would be a handful of laps left.
With the restart, Max was in a better position to challenge for the lead. End result, he won and Lewis didn't.

So, now we have a classic case of Toto practically screaming and yelling of some malfeasance, when in actually the fault of bad strategy was his. Never have I seen an attempt to "cover one's a$$" by a manager so full of himself that the very idea of accepting responsibility for his driver's fate.is seen as anathema.

[Aysedasi]

Just saying it was bad strategy doesn't cover it though, does it. That completely ignores the RC shambles.

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I hated the stupid rule allowing lapped cars their laps back. I hope it gets ditched but sure it won't be.

Absolutely right.

[veeten]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I hated the stupid rule allowing lapped cars their laps back. I hope it gets ditched but sure it won't be.

It was adapted from NASCAR, under the similarities of clearing the field for the front racers to have better racing instead of back markers detracting the race. Reasons the term"lucky dog" had been used is that the back markers would get their laps back and be moved behind the leaders. It's a benefit for both groups of drivers. Only 'fanbois' would have a problem with it, as it wouldn't favor their particular driver by making it harder for the opposition to race them.