We Have A Dutch F1 Champion!

I didn’t watch the race but I understand there was some controversy over a safety car matter, has that now been fully resolved?

 

Watched the race and a great clean win great team tactics. Nice to see someone new winning the race. Max congratulations great drive.
Joe.

 

It may have been a good clean race but what the hell happened at the end? I know very little about F1, and obviously the race had to be slowed after the crash and the safety car sent out. But it seems a very strange rule to allow the 12 second gap between first (Hamilton) and second (Verstappen)) to be closed to nothing before the cars were allowed to start racing again.

Hamilton had worked hard to pull out that lead. A couple of laps from the end of a 58 lap race, which he would have won, the second-place car is allowed to catch up. The 3 or 4 cars between them, that Hamilton had lapped, were moved out of the way, and the two of them raced for one last lap. Verstappen won because he had pitted and switched tyres, while Hamilton had risked staying with the ones he had. His 'old' tyres couldn't match the grip of the Dutchman's fresh ones. His 12 second lead would have seen him over the line first but in a one-lap race, against a car with fresh tyres, he didn't stand a chance.
All seems a bit bonkers to me.

 

Yes the politics don't bother me to much. They had a lap where Max passed and kept the lead. Job done.
Joe.

 

There always next year to put things to right. As no matter what we say do or get riled up over it won't change a thing.
Joe.

 

Agreed. Lapped cars are allowed to overtake again at one point during a safety car situation, no issue. What I find disturbing is that first they announced no overtaking of lapped cars, to then change their minds and allow only four lapped cars to overtake, essentially giving up Hamilton to Verstappen & in the process also removing any chance of the driver behind the four unlapping cars to have a go at a position win.
Mind you I’m not picking sides, I’m merely interested in the train of thought from the race direction. I’ve been following F1 for a long long time & I just can’t remember this only a few cars unlapping situation to have occurred before.
Also Mercedes have made an appeal for Verstappen “passing” Hamilton while behind safety car, I don’t think there will be any repercussions for the manoeuvre this time (doesn’t need to be), but I can’t shrug the feeling that any other race this would have been at least a five second penalty.

 

I've always thought that about F1, safety cars are always a massive help to those who couldn't keep up with the probable winner. Every one I've ever watched where it happened left me feeling deflated, goodness knows what the driver who looses out really feels.
In this case because it was the last race that decided the season makes me feel even more deflated and frustrated that I bother to watch this circus every year..... I must stop.. moto GP is far better anyway, well sometimes..

 

It's official. Max!!!
Brilliant and well done!

 

Well done Max. Wipe that smile off that arrogant bastard's face.

 

So Max has to wipe off his own smile ? Him being the arrogant one of course.

 

I just hope the family blood from fathers side doesn’t run too deep, now that is an arrogant man. Can’t remember a single Spa GP (pre covid) that he didn’t got into a fist fight at a local pub. Grandpops not much better either, him and Jos had quite the fights.

 

I didn’t and I don’t.