General Sports Thread

Verstappen gets away with it then. It does set a dangerous precedent though of what drivers will do on the track.

 

I think it is unfair. Lewis got a time penalty at Silverstone, and this was virtually the same for me, only Max didnt move out the way then, and Lewis did this time.

Grossly inconsistent, a real turn off for the sport for me.

 

I mean, no ****? I'm genuinely baffled that you thought this would end differently. The stewards made a ruling, with access to all of the on-board telemetry for both cars, but somehow Mercedes was going to present SHOCKING NEW EVIDENCE that would...what? What would be the retrospective penalty for a move that ultimately had zero effect on the outcome of the race?

Mercedes didn't protest with any realistic hope of something happening here, they protested to back up their driver, as teams generally do. It was never going to result in anything.

 

Because maybe Verstappen was in breach of the rules? If he had made contact with Lewis 100% he would have got a penalty. The only difference between this incident and the one at Silverstone is that Lewis went wide to avoid contact. Ok yeah, I wasn't really expecting the stewards to overturn their decision. I just think it was a really bad call at the time.

 

The better comparison isn't to Silverstone, which was just a complete punt. It's to the US GP, where Hamilton ran Verstappen off the track at the first corner, and...nothing happened. Because nothing should have happened. Because for god's sake, it's racing.

 

The first corner of the first lap? Because that's not comparable with Sunday at all.

 

Sure, an incident where a driver took a line that was inevitably going to result in them running wide, pushing their opposite number off the tarmac, is not comparable to an incident where a driver took a line that was inevitably going to result in them running wide, pushing their opposite number off the tarmac, because reasons. What is more comparable is an utterly dissimilar incident where one driver straight-up drove into the rear half of their opposing number, and still was the one that ultimately benefited after penalties.

Imagine watching the best title fight between teams in a decade and wishing it was being decided by the stewards.

 

First lap, stewards are always more generous because of all the cars bunched up together. That Lewis benefited after his penalty is not relevant. If you're going to argue the one on Sunday is just hard racing, then the same could be said for Silverstone. Yes Max had the racing line but Lewis had the inside line and Max turned in on him.

 

Verstappen was ahead and on the racing line at Silverstone. That is a very, very big difference, and consistent with the way they have applied the rules all bleeding season.

And there was no particular bunching at the USGP...go watch the highlights again if you disagree. There were exactly two cars relevant to the situation when they reached the corner. Hamilton ran Verstappen wide because he could, and because Vertappen running wide opened the possibility of him dropping further positions. And that's okay! We're ****ing racing here! Ye gods, you'd have died clutching at your pearls watching F1 in the 90s.

 

Blimey, Leclerc and Perez OUT in Q2!

 

Awful session for both. Just couldn’t find the right set-up.

 

Disaster for Red Bull that. Could prove very costly for the constructors championship.

 

or Arnoux. V. Villenuve. Dijon 1979 !

 

Ha! Grid penalty incoming for Max for failing to slow for double yellow flags. Rookie error there.

 

Nobody mentioning that classic of a rugby match?

 

That’s a shame. Will make the race a lot more boring.

 

Needs must for a thrilling final race. Need Lewis to win this one plus the next one to make it really close.

 

He will win this.

Sainz and Bottas called to Stewards too. I must admit the yellow flag procedure when Gasly was trundling down the straight looked a mess.

 

Agreed, unless his engine decides to pack up. That massive straight is just made for the Mercedes.

 

I didn't watch it but it sounded like a hell of a match. Six Nations should be great. France beat NZ 40-25 this evening and Scotland have been drastically improving so it should be more competitive than ever.