Up until Max rise to prominence in F1, most fans for different drivers are pretty civilized, not even like this during the Hamilton/Alonso days. Heck, even up to last year. When Max is getting into strides to challenge. This year however is just so much different. The passionate Max fast simply can't take any criticisms, always with the comeback of whatabout-ism on how Hamilton was like this and that before. It really went into World War 3. FIA's inconsistencies race over race didn't help either, they could have stepped in much earlier and strictly enforced their rules to curb the perceived favouritism, one way or another. 

Here is more talking head stuff. 

 

I believed Hamilton had already asked Toto to withdraw the appeal. That's pure class. Even when by the book Mercedes do have a firm ground to stand on regarding the rules and how they are written. But I have also explained before, even if they win the appeal, FIA don't really have any regulations stating they can just count back the laps, the only thing they could do within what they have written is to invalidate the results because of not following protocol. Which still put Max as the winner. There is no scenario where Hamilton can come out on top. 

I believe the biggest mistake for the whole weekend was for Masi to not red flagging the race after Latifi crashed. It was close to the end and the car can't be quickly cleared. If they do really want a race finish instead of finishing under a safety car, just stop the race after the first lap of safety car running. That way Masi could have bought himself more time to execute what's needed to do. 

His initial call for have lapped cars not overtake is well within the rules and his rights to announced. But only after Red Bull's lobbying the he compromised with just letting cars in between Max and Hamilton through and not the others. That's something NOT written down and can be debated. He painted himself in that grey corner. 

Imagine a 3 lap sprint to the end for the title with both Max and Hamilton on fresh tires (well maybe just Hamilton, I believe he still have another set of new hards and new softs, as Max had mounted his last set of fresh soft but those weren't ran hard at all). That would have been the exciting thrilling finish without controversy that the FIA and Liberty Media had wanted to finish up the season. 

Now with the FIA fucked ups, Max's first title will be forever clouded in controversy, not unlike Prost's 1989 title and others. Not really fair to him, he did drove his heart out all season. 

 

 


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