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I completely agree with you ellis. I've seen a few people bitch about Hamilton here and on Facebook. But quite frankly Lewis was right to question the order as was Nico to question why it didn't happen.

When you consider that Mercedes are only fight themselves for the constructors championship and their drivers have only themselves for contenders in the drivers championship, it was a bizarre order. Basically Mercedes asked Lewis to willingly accept an order which further compromised his title chances as it significantly favored Nico. What did they expect him to say?

I'm not suggesting any conspiracy against Lewis by Mercedes, I just find the situation odd and it's right for both drivers to question the actions.

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
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Agree with the above.

Also, when have fans ever been in favor of team orders of any kind? This makes me think that anyone bitching about Lewis' behaviour today is simply a Rosberg fanboy and/or a Hamilton hater. There's no other explanation, following the order would have been a 100% lose-lose situation for us spoectators: it hurts the on-track action, the sport's ethics, and the championship ranking.

casual f1 audience just wants to see both trying to pass each other and failing to do, with both crashing

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I think one of the important differences is that Rosberg sat behind JEV for several laps, whereas Hamilton caught him and pulled the move off straight away (a great move as well!). Rosberg could have been miles up the road, but I do understand not taking a big risk as the championship leader.

But Lewis spent the same laps behind Vettel. A car with less power than a solar energy toaster.

Both Mercedes struggled to pass cars at the same point of the race. Both Mercedes made passes when released from that specific situation.

True, but I'd guess the Red Bull was still very good in the corners, whereas the Toro Rosso should have been the easier car to pass.

Think it could be a contender for overtake of the year

Okay, this was a great race.

But.... We all complaining at the FIA about thinking about fake rules for F1 to make it more excitement (double points at last race, starts from SC, ballast). We all complaining about these rules.

But, we all say this race was great and fantastic. Do I understand it? This race was full of fake, because of the first SC. The guys in front had an huge disadvantage from the SC (I thought there was a rule about keeping the same speed at the first laps of the SC...) That's why we had a great race. Ricciardo never would have won the race if the guys had no problems with the SC. Rosberg woud easily won the race if that didn't happen. How this crazy race unfolded.. We have to thank that the five leaders dropped back at the SC.

So, we all complaining about the new rules. But we are screaming it was fantastic when some drivers have a huge disadvantage with the SC, so the race was open. So in fact.. We like the new fake rules?

BTW: What if Red Bull and Renault can do some great updates to their car like last year. Is Ricciardo still a title contender (if you think about the double points race at Abu Dhabi)?

SC isn't fake, it's part of the game like penalty's in soccer, some people lose and some win when it is used. I'm always for more use of the SC when it's needed ( like sutil's car on track in Hockenheim ). The reason why Indycar delivers cracking races every time is because the cautions keep it unpredictable. Teams always need to improvise their strategy. In F1 teams usually have a plan and stick to it which results in a procession. Most high rated races in F1 have rain or safety cars that fuck up the teams strategy, that's a fact.

So of they want to improve the show, that's what they need to do. No standing starts or double points. Just don't let marshals on a live track, neutralise the race and maybe even get the car in trouble back into the race if possible.

For many years I detested the SC being a tool and reason for races being exciting. I had the same glass half empty attitude and lamented anyone suggesting 'fake' excitement. But after a while I accepted it is part of the sport and actually began to appreciate it.

The race today was incredible, regardless of the reasons, and trying to find excuses for not enjoying it is quite a shame. There's nothing comparable between the recent year's rules and the invention of the SC in 1992.

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

The safety car was necessary because Ericsson's trashed car was in the middle of the road, which is, y'know, kinda dangerous. When they call it out is a response to when the situation becomes dangerous. There have always been elements of luck associated with it, in any form of motorsport. That doesn't turn it into a "fake race generator", though

Safety comes first. All racing considerations (spicing up the show, playing to someone's strategy, blatantly rigging it for one driver or another, pleasing the fans or just giving Mercedes more product placement (all conspiracy theories I've heard) come second.

You know, unless it's late in the race and we're encroaching on the allotted TV slot or something, in that case its marshal roulette!
#stillbitter

GREAT race though. As many others had said, does this sport really need any more spicing up?
Have faith in yourself, F1, realise what a great product you have and market it appropriately.
(Yes! Including all those new fangled internet thingies! )
Then the sport will be magically fixed!

Or, you know, Bernie's randomised sprinklers idea.

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RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

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I am legitimately more interested tuning into an F1 race these days than I am anything barring Indycar and BTCC. Nothing wrong with the show atm, even in the races Mercedes runs away with.

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We have to thank Mercedes a lot for this season too.

While it doesn't have much baring on races like todays, they could easily have done a full Red Bull/Ferrari on this championship and told one driver to support the other and we'd all be decrying how shitty it was, even if the battle for third every race was great.
(2011, 2013 style)

I have a paranoia that this season might end up like 2003 and be an filling of great, close racing sandwiched between two slices of shit (2002, 2004 ) with Red Bull back at full dominance as Renault get their act together over the off season, so I for one am going to appreciate every last great moment I can get.

_________________
RIP Birmingham Wheels: here's some of the crash videos I recorded when it was there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaKIE ... 5t9d5PvoHA

Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/paulhadsley

red bull can go back to win championships, but not with vettel

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Motorsports trend for 2024: climate change ruining races everywhere

In regards to the safety car, it is there for as the name suggests....SAFETY. It is NOT about equality or FAIRNESS. How fucking ridiculous is it to deploy the thing but only when it conveniently picks up the leader and overlooks its stated purpose for up to a lap?

I actually thought there was nothing wrong with the old safety car rules, that if it came out and you were a lap down....well guess what, you are a lap down, regardless of the circumstances. Allowing lapped cars to get their lap back is one of the biggest stealth gimmicks in recent years in my opinion.

SC's were needed yesterday.

What I liked was: Crash, damaged car on track, immediately SC, cleaning track, rebuilding tyre wall, SC back in, let's go racing. And then again. No waiting, not losing time staying an awful amount of laps behind the SC.

contrast that to Tudor USCC who had a 6 lap caution at Sebring for "debris"

Well no. It was a train formed behind a Toro Rosso. They're all doing Toro Rosso speed, even the Mercedes. The Red Bull being slowest in the straight line of the train should've been the easiest to pass.

Neither Rosberg or Lewis have a problem with passing. They both struggled at the same point in the race, and both were fine at other points.



Well that's just silly. Like Red Bull should've equally supported Webber at the point where he has half the points of his team mate. Or Ferrari should've supported Massa equally whilst he had so little points that if you gave away all of his points to Alonsos rivals, Alonso would still be winning the title. Mercedes are supporting both drivers because they have to because it's their fight. If Lewis was miles ahead of Rosberg and fighting a non-Mercedes for the title, to suggest Lews and Rosberg would have equality is just completely delusional.

Definitely agree that Hamilton was within his rights to hold position. The team is not fighting anyone for the constructors, they have it won which leaves the drivers championship, so each driver should do what he can to keep the other behind him; there wouldn't have been any advantage to Hamilton to let through Rosberg and only instead risked his chance to finish ahead. Good to see that Rosberg more or less agrees and hopefully the team will let it be from here on in.