Finally watched the race on delay yesterday. HAM was the class of the field all race, faster in all aspects and on various tires. He got the start and was lapping consistently faster than VER, he deserved the win. Not a fan of either driver just a racing fan. And as a fan, there is a taint a stink about it that will follow VER for his career. He did not win, it was gifted

No doubt Lewis drove a better race, but the winner of a race in any form of motor racing is a team effort. His team kept him out on old hard tires to keep him in the lead. Max had the option of pitting since he had nothing to loose by taking the risk. That gamble, under a safety car is what won him the race.

We all wanted to see a head to head race, but with the far superior Mercedes engine and chassis it is never a fair fight. Mercedes has been the clear leader for 8 years with the best equipment. Max dragged his inferior car to the win with a gamble.

I’m certainly no fan of Lewis, nor the Mercedes domination, but Hamilton turned around his season at the end and came on strong. He came from a points deficit and in my mind, won the last four races. Verstappen was nowhere in the last race, until he was gifted the opportunity to win it.

The more I think about it, the more I think Mercedes got screwed.

That about sums it up. Interesting this week that he actually had his white mother go with him to the investiture ceremony. He's really kept her hidden in the past.

The 2021 F1 season ended.

So should this thread.

Having stated that, the 2021 season ended in controversy similar to previous controversy. Perhaps everyone involved in F1 all the way down to its fan base will see through the clown suits that the players are just normal actors that don't have a better gig.

Eh.

Not the only controversial race in the season.
And there are races that were controversial that went against Max.
From my perspective when I used to race, each race is as important as the other.
A DNF in race 1 or race 21 is still a DNF to my points total, etc...

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10 minutes of Toto whining.

Anyone have links to Max world championship swag?
RB hats with a #1?
They seem to be sold out in UK but so far not available in USA.
It's a gift for a merc owner that does not follow racing.

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No, a formula one race is not flag to flag.
For those involved, it is life.
Every moment, on track, off track, it all counts.
For those aspire to climb the torturous accent to championship every word, action, thought, of any moment, adds up.

Alonso, even though I don't like him, is the best on track driver of the field for most of my adult life.
Yet how many championships does he have compared to Lewis?
Lewis is much better at the off track non flag to flag moments of being a champion.

Attempting that climb required such change in Rosberg that after getting there he hung it up.
He didn't want to stay the kind person it took to get there.

It's still ongoing... The UK press is still on fire about the FIA, investigations, reforms, scandals...
The rest of the world is still "yawn, when does the 2022 season start again?"
Pretty funny really..

That's when they are taking a break from hysteria about racism in sport and Covid concerns in the Premier League

Not a day goes by that Sky doesn't have a former cricket, rugby, or football player from the early 2000's talking about being 'bullied' when they were playing.

disagree at one point. MERC may have made their decision to stay out by looking at the rules for the safety car. Letting all unlap would have ended the race under yellow, starting the race as race control originally said with back markers in place would have put VER behind five cars with a lap remaining. While I agree it was a bit of a gamble to keep HAM out, if the FIA had conducted the race per the rules, HAM would be 8 time world champion.

This was politics not racing.

Well, the new guy isn’t probably winning many fans yet:

https://racer.com/2021/12/17/ben-sulayem-warns-no-forgiveness-if-hamilton-breached-rules/

I love how there is a rule for the gala attendence.

Maybe the penalty is Lewis and Toto will have to have the chicken at the next one.

And they have to eat it with a plastic spork 😁

They should have just faked being Covid positive to get out if it. No one ever demands that you prove you're positive, right?
Organizations only require you to prove you're negative.

There is more to F1 besides Red Bull and Mercedes. Not attending an award ceremony is pretty disrespectful towards the other competitors IMO.

mercedes lost
now they cry
waa

That never seems to get old. Really funny stuff!

The press keeps pushing the "Hamilton may retire" angle, "waaaa" indeed. I would be flabbergasted. He'd try his hand and fashion and music, lose his shirt(s), and be back pronto in 2023 needing $.