Formula 1

[JamesT]

Australian Oscar Piastri, has this morning clinched the FIA Formula 2 World Championship in Abu Dhabi!

And considering his last three seasons have been:

2019 Formula Renault Eurocup: 1ST
2020 FIA Formula 3: 1ST
2021 FIA Formula 2: 1ST

IT IS DAYLIGHT ROBBERY he isn't on the F1 grid next season and just a Reserve at Alpine!

IT'S TIME that a promotion and relegation system of some kind is brought in, as it's crazy the winner of the 2nd Tier can't take their place at the top table!

F1 is littered with stories of drivers who were awesome in junior series and terrible when they got to F1. Last year’s champion was Mick Schumacher. The Haas is an awful car, but Mick hasn’t really shown any sign of being able to outperform it, like some other drivers in poor cars.

If you brought in a promotion system, how would you decide which drivers would get the boot? Would Williams/Haas/Alfa have to forever be changing their lineup and lose a chance at stability?

Currently the teams like to plan ahead and get things sorted by the summer, so you don’t know who is champion then. This year, the driver graduating from F2 is Guanyu Zhou who is currently third in the championship and has had three seasons at that level to demonstrate consistent performance.

 

[AM9]

F1 is littered with stories of drivers who were awesome in junior series and terrible when they got to F1. Last year’s champion was Mick Schumacher. The Haas is an awful car, but Mick hasn’t really shown any sign of being able to outperform it, like some other drivers in poor cars.

If you brought in a promotion system, how would you decide which drivers would get the boot? Would Williams/Haas/Alfa have to forever be changing their lineup and lose a chance at stability?

Currently the teams like to plan ahead and get things sorted by the summer, so you don’t know who is champion then. This year, the driver graduating from F2 is Guanyu Zhou who is currently third in the championship and has had three seasons at that level to demonstrate consistent performance.

In addition to that, F1 is not some democratic socially committed sport, - it is a fiercely commercially competitive bandwagon where drivers are partly chosen for their dollar value in advertising, TV and now social media. Of course, driving skills are necessary, but there's no gaurantee, as you say that somebody from lower divisions of racing will necessarily cope with the pressure of expectations put on them in a global media arena. In effect enthusiasts favourites come some way down the selection pecking order.

 

[najaB]

IT'S TIME that a promotion and relegation system of some kind is brought in, as it's crazy the winner of the 2nd Tier can't take their place at the top table!

You would have to promote/relegate whole teams because in many cases where the driver goes the money follows.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Verstappen on pole. What a race it will be tommorow!

 

[DarloRich]

That was a hell of a one lap blaster by verstappen. It aas so quick i was expecting the dreaded track limits infringement!

 

[JamesT]

That was a hell of a one lap blaster by verstappen. It aas so quick i was expecting the dreaded track limits infringement!

Red Bull organised a tow for Verstappen from Perez. Seems a bit of a missed trick that Mercedes didn’t have a go too.
We’ll have to see if the Red Bulls are hamstrung by starting on the Softs instead of the Mediums, though Bottas won’t be much help down in 6th.

 

[KashmireHawker]

Verstappen on pole. What a race it will be tommorow!

Red Bull played a briliant trump card this afternoon!

However, Lewis on the Medium's surely makes him favourite due to strategy: IF everyone can keep it clean down into Turn 1...

 

[najaB]

However, Lewis on the Medium's surely makes him favourite due to strategy: IF everyone can keep it clean down into Turn 1...

I agree. It looks like the track improvements have worked and there are more overtaking possibilities than in the original layout. So pole doesn't have quite the same importance as before.

 

[DarloRich]

I worry this race will last about as long as it takes to get to the first corner. I still think Verstappen will "collide" with Hamilton. He can afford to. Imagine the temptation if Hamilton edges ahead into turn 1.......................

Red Bull organised a tow for Verstappen from Perez. Seems a bit of a missed trick that Mercedes didn’t have a go too.
We’ll have to see if the Red Bulls are hamstrung by starting on the Softs instead of the Mediums, though Bottas won’t be much help down in 6th.

That cant be half a seconds worth though! It looks like the main area where time was made up was in the final sector which is after the towing sector surely. Yes , the tow helped but Verstappen delivered a fantastic lap.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Dec 2021 ==

IF everyone can keep it clean down into Turn 1...

It isn't everyone we need to worry about. It is Verstappen. He can afford a crash that takes out Hamilton.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes but that is a risky gambit, if Hamilton can limp back to the pits and continue then he only needs a single point. I wouldn't bet against Hamilton in a half-dead car still getting at least 10th.

 

[DarloRich]

Yes but that is a risky gambit, if Hamilton can limp back to the pits and continue then he only needs a single point. I wouldn't bet against Hamilton in a half-dead car still getting at least 10th.

that would be juicy!

 

[baz962]

Plus they have been talking about deducting championship points. I don't think max can afford a crash either.

 

[DarloRich]

Plus they have been talking about deducting championship points. I don't think max can afford a crash either.

I m talking about a "racing incident" not a RAMMING SPEED incident

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Yeah if Max pulls a Senna 1990 or a Schumacher 1997 hes going to get disqualified for the entire season.

 

[DarloRich]

Yeah if Max pulls a Senna 1990 or a Schumacher 1997 hes going to get disqualified for the entire season.

But a Schumacher v Hill in 1994 is a different situation

 

[baz962]

I m talking about a "racing incident" not a RAMMING SPEED incident

Well yes , but you won't be able to chance what way the stewards will go.

 

[DarloRich]

Verstappen had a try there. Lunge from a long way back - bonus if he comes out in the lead. Bonus if he rams Hamilton out of the race. I thought Hamilton would be asked to give the place back. Stewards happy mind.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Dec 2021 ==

Car of safety deployed right at squeaky bum time - Verstappen pits. Hamilton cant pit and hold the lead. He is in trouble if the race restarts. Is there time to restart? 4 laps left. Could be a one/two lap shoot out to decide the championship. WOW!

EDIT: Lapped cars are not being allowed to pass the safety car - this is bonkers. This isn't right.

 

[baz962]

Proper driver wins Boom

 

[DarloRich]

Proper driver wins Boom

not sure about that. He was no where near until the stewards completely messed things up.

 

[birchesgreen]

Wow what an ending!

 

[Pete_uk]

WHAT A EPIC RACE!!!!!!

 

[DelW]

So the championship is awarded by race control making it up as they go along.

 

[DarloRich]

So the championship is awarded by race control making it up as they go along.

Absolutely: chaos at the end. 2 big calls in the race and both wrong. It was box office mind.

 

[baz962]

not sure about that. He was no where near until the stewards completely messed things up.

Exactly though. Lewis gained track position earlier. They haven't favoured anyone , had to see something go max way. After the safety car , Lewis was still in front in a faster car.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Incredible race and a fantastic champion in Verstappen.

 

[Darandio]

If the backmarkers weren't allowed to pass then Red Bull would have been done over. They allowed them to pass so Mercedes feel that way. Considering the vast majority of other safety car periods they do allow the backmarkers through i'm fine with it. They've all been asking for consistency.

Although Mercedes have made a valid point about all lapped cars not being allowed to overtake. That said, race control also should have a duty to try and make sure a championship isn't decided behind a safety car.

 

[DarloRich]

Exactly though. Lewis gained track position earlier

He didn't gain 14 to 17 seconds advantage. Verstappen was looking for the crash and forced Hamilton off. I said they should have told Hamilton to give the place back despite that. For the rest of the race Verstappen wasn't closing anywhere near fast enough and even Horner mentioned Verstappen needed a miracle with 11 laps left. He got it.

PS Verstappen botched the start and lost is tyre advantage and was playing second fiddle thereafter.

If the backmarkers weren't allowed to pass then Red Bull would have been done over. They allowed them to pass so Mercedes feel that way. Considering the vast majority of other safety car periods they do allow the backmarkers through i'm fine with it.

Absolutely - the correct decision was made, eventually. It was handled fairly badly.

 

[GB]

If the backmarkers weren't allowed to pass then Red Bull would have been done over. They allowed them to pass so Mercedes feel that way. Considering the vast majority of other safety car periods they do allow the backmarkers through i'm fine with it. They've all been asking for consistency.

Although Mercedes have made a valid point about all lapped cars not being allowed to overtake. That said, race control also should have a duty to try and make sure a championship isn't decided behind a safety car.

Spot on.

 

[birchesgreen]

I seem to recall when Lewis first won a championship it was due to some unexpected drama on the last lap, not quite at this level though.

 

[baz962]

Well done both drivers anyway. Great season.