Very Unsatisfactory End to an Exciting F1 Season

[NoddyPirate]

What a sorry state of affairs all round. This is effectively now confirmation that Hamilton was indeed robbed of his championship win and it will forever taint the championship title now held by Verstappen.

If you think of the circumstances of Prost v Senna, Senna v Prost, or Schumacher v Hill in title deciders, last season was at least different in that the final race was driven utterly cleanly by Max - and his performance throughout much of the season (sadly I wouldn't say all of it) was impeccible.

As much as I feel Lewis had a result taken from him - if Latifi hit the wall 3 laps earlier it would likely have been a clear cut Championship for Verstappen with no (or at least less) capacity to complain. As much as circumstances robbed Hamilton of a title - they also robbed Max of a smudge free one too in some ways.

So, I think time will be kind to Verstappen overall. He will undoubtedly win more titles and hopefully put any questions to bed with mostly clean seasons to back it up.

 

[NoddyPirate]

Might as well cancel the 2022 season now and give it to Hamilton, probably 2023 too - F1 is likely to go back to being boring and predictable again

I actually think 2022 will be a very interesting season and I don't expect Lewis to find it as easy for a long list of reason, not the least of which will be his attitude to dealing with Max! Bring it on!

 

[AccidentalDenz]

As much as I feel Lewis had a result taken from him - if Latifi hit the wall 3 laps earlier it would likely have been a clear cut Championship for Verstappen with no (or at least less) capacity to complain. As much as circumstances robbed Hamilton of a title - they also robbed Max of a smudge free one too in some ways.

So, I think time will be kind to Verstappen overall. He will undoubtedly win more titles and hopefully put any questions to bed with mostly clean seasons to back it up.

This is very much my view, and I suspect @barlew is the same.

Mercedes' strategy was very much banking on nothing untoward happening in the race - if the race had gone smoothly, Hamilton wins. Hamilton asked at least twice about pitting for new tyres and was told to carry on, leading to his tyres being more than 40 laps old by the end of the race. If the safety car had been just a few laps earlier, I agree that Verstappen would have had the time and tyres to catch Hamilton. If the safety car had been 10/15 laps from the end, Mercedes would probably have had Hamilton pit for tyres and lost track position, but with more than enough laps to get it back, given the raw pace of the car.

Masi was certainly instrumental in Verstappen winning the title in the way that the events unfolded, but slight differences could easily have changed things in many different directions.

 

[Scott]

For 2021 my friend posted this up and I think it highlights that Verstappen deserved the championship overall.

Looking through the years how many times have decisions went in the favour of Hamilton and gotten him victory? It just so happens that Hamilton is English so all those past favours are forgotten in the face of the one thing going against him. Granted..... it was a big one, no doubt. But overall.... Verstappen was the best driver in 2021.

 

[Salmon Fisher]

Mercedes gambled, they rolled the dice and came up snake eyes. Move on. Lewis now has to fight his team mate, that's where the excitement should be but only if Mercedes don't hobble the action with team orders (read 'let Lewis through or he'll get werry, werry upset. Again".)

 

[Martinr36]

This is why I prefer Le mans series to f1, Toyota team rules:

1. Win
2. Make it a 1-2
3. If #2 isn't possible them get both cases to the end of the race
4. Now go out and RACE