Perez really brought his A-game yesterday :lol: A for annihilation.

The booing at the last couple of races is utterly objectionable and makes watching the post race celebrations borderline unwatchable. The treatment Leclerc (and Verstappen/the Dutch Anthem on his 50th win) got yesterday for an accident in which he was blameless was pretty disgusting.

 

Even during the height of the Schumacher/Hill and Senna/Prost rivalries I can never recall hearing any booing - Even at Silverstone '95 following the contentious finale in Adelaide the previous year, the fans gave nothing but respect to Michael and the same was afforded to Damon when the Schumi fans were in mass overseas.

This lack of respect from newer fans is unpleasant to say the least and never used to happen.

 

The only exceptions I recall being USA 2005 (which was pretty understandable and not aimed at a driver) and Austria 2002 which was aimed at Ferrari more than Michael, (although he should have let Barrichello take the win).

It goes back to the Vettel era (specifically the 2013 season) when people just started booing for someone winning all the time, then Lewis had it and now Max has it. And whoever dominates after him will have it. It's very petulant but at the end of the day not really an issue. What crosses the line in when you get fans threatening other fans and/or chanting personal insults... that's inexcusable.

 

I was fully expecting the Leclerc boos post-race tbh but it'll all be forgotten about very quickly. F1 branching out to attract new fans was always going to bring more partisan, football-like behaviour to the races so it's a double-edged sword.

It's more than just somebody winning all the time though. Vettel got it from some because he was also perceived as unlikeable or arrogant and many thought he wasn't as good as his results made him look, which is frankly a pathetic reason to boo someone. Hamilton didn't really get any notable booing until 2021.

 

Leclerc meanwhile is a serial underperformer who can't catch a break as well as one of the most talented and likeable drivers on the grid. He shouldn't have apologised to Checo's fans.

 

I also think the drivers could do more to shut it down. Yes, Perez has posted that it wasn't Leclerc's fault but he missed a great opportunity to condemn the booing. Hamilton as well, has too often (not always) been silent over this when it suits him when could certainly help set an example more often. And the booing of a country's nation anthem is particularly egregious. Americans get upset enough if you don't stand and place your hand on your heart during theirs, so imagine how they would have reacted if people had booed the Star Spangled Banner, yet it was and American/Mexican crowd to blame.

 

The problem ultimately lies with Liberty who are going out of their way to Americanise the whole sport into a show, DTS is seriously a problem here too, and what is happening is that a lot of lifelong and very informed, knowledgable and passionate fans feel the atmosphere at races and coverage of the sport is being overwhelmed by loud voices with a poor understanding of the sport's history, traditions and accepted social norms, whilst only bringig with them ignorance and division and not a desire to learn anything. The F1 crowd had always been the friendliest, most accepting and knowledgable sporting audience I've ever encountered. I have many fond memories of fans of all ages and nationalities discussing the various merits or flaws in their favourite drivers (even Andrea De Cesaris!) in an intelligent and well reasoned way. Nowadays, you have to cheers Lewis and boo Max (or vice versa), there's little understanding of nuance and discussions descend in to nonsense and slanging.

 

It's depressing seeing the sport treated this way. I hope this fad passes soon and the boorish elements of the new crowd drift away once they realise the sport always has, often long periods of dominance and that every year won't be a 2021. Obviously, those new fans who are passionate and open to positive engagement with the sport are more than welcome. There are some out there but the voices are drowned out.

 

 

Sorry, rant over (it really pisses me off though)

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix and the carnival atmosphere Brazil brings to the Formula 1 calendar is here to stay, as the event has just signed a five-year extension until 2030.

McLaren properly ballsed up their quali.

Alonso re-passing Checo on the last lap definitely up there with moments of the season, amazing stuff.

wowowow that last lap, Alonso passing Perez is the PASS of the YEAR!!!

Norris gave Max one of his only scares of the year and then quickly back to reality.

Verstappen now has the greatest win percentage for a season since F1 began (85%) and even if he should fail to win again this year he'll keep the record at (77.27%).

 

Alberto Ascari's previous record of 75% has stood since 1952 when he won 6 of the 8 eligible races, being unable to enter the Swiss GP and suffering a retirement in the Indy 500. Only Michael Schumacher and Jim Clark ever came close to matching it, in 2004 and 1963 respectively.

One record he won't be matching this year (or ever beating for that matter) is Schumacher's 100% podium record of 2002.

 

Also I haven't been keeping tabs but don't think he'll beat Jim Clark's record of most grand chelems in a season.

 

Always next year!

Alonso re-passing Checo on the last lap definitely up there with moments of the season, amazing stuff.

Fernando is simply the GOAT. Absolutely unreal what that man can do, especially with underperforming or mediocre machinery

One record he won't be matching this year (or ever beating for that matter) is Schumacher's 100% podium record of 2002.

 

Also I haven't been keeping tabs but don't think he'll beat Jim Clark's record of most grand chelems in a season.

 

Always next year!

Clark's record is 3 for a season in both '63 and '65. Mansell also had 3 in '92 and Hamilton had 3 in 2017 as well. Clark alone has the outright record for most overall with 8.

 

Max currently has 2 this year (Spain and Qatar) so it's still possible.

 

 

Clark's stats are monstrous for such a brief career comparatively, and he still holds the impossible to beat record of scoring the maximum number of points available in both '63 and '65. For the latter Clark even skipped Monaco as he was busy winning the Indy 500.

 

Alongside Caracciola, Fangio, Prost, Senna and Schumacher, he's one of a rare handful that I wouldn't argue against if somebody cites him as greatest ever, the rest just aren't quite in the same class, although Verstappen has the potential to join them one day.

imagine if Alonso had a great car!

Formula 1's governing body has postponed a hearing into the Haas team's attempt to change the results of the United States Grand Prix.

 

The hearing was due to take place on Wednesday, but has been delayed to give the stewards time to "independently consider the submissions made".

 

It will reconvene on 9 November at 14:00 GMT.

 

The case relates to potential track limits transgressions by Williams' Alex Albon, who finished ninth in the race.

 

Representatives of the Williams, Red Bull and Aston Martin teams are also required to take part in the hearing.

Another much ado about nothing just leave it in the past zzz

Albon received five strikes during the race for track limits but one was due to being forced wide and therefore discounted, meaning the four strikes incurred a five second penalty. However a fifth strike would mean a ten second penalty which would put Hulkenberg in the points - potentially crucial for end of season results for the team.

 

There is in car footage from Bottas which clearly shows Albon leaving the track (without being pushed off) at turn six although the stewards rarely use in car footage. Haas waited until the last moments to lodge their appeal, indicating they did due diligence to find 'new evidence' that the stewards will review, potentially includiing the previously unavailable CCTV.

Albon could well find his points taken away.

 

The other teams are not of any benefit to Haas, such is the number of infractions required to make a difference and it's worth remembering that Norris admitted to taking advantage of this known blind spot .

 

Additionally a similar protest by Aston Martin was upheld and applied after the Austrian GP.

 

To be honest, rules are rules and if they were broken the relevant parties should receive the appropriate penalty, and F1 history is littered with examples of results being amended in the days and weeks (even months) following a race. It's not a new thing.

 

Whether the rules need amending is a different issue...

To be honest, rules are rules and if they were broken the relevant parties should receive the appropriate penalty, and F1 history is littered with examples of results being amended in the days and weeks (even months) following a race. It's not a new thing.

 

When was the last time that happened that a result from a previous race was changed after subsequent races had also already taken place? Even Brazil 2003 was amended before the next race took place. They didn't even change any of the results after the Ferrari illegal engine scandal of 2019.

Edited November 9, 20231 yr by Dobbo

When was the last time that happened that a result from a previous race was changed after subsequent races had also already taken place? Even Brazil 2003 was amended before the next race took place. They didn't even change any of the results after the Ferrari illegal engine scandal of 2019.

Off the top of my head I can't think of the last time it happened but the most obvious example is the 1976 British GP, won by James Hunt held mid July, reviewed in August and then finally changed late in September after a further 4 races had been held, declaring Niki Lauda the winner.

 

But the holding of a subsequent race is irrelevant. The regulations allows teams 14 days to submit a right of review request and with so many double and triple headers these days it was just a matter of time before it happened.

 

Whether they'll change the result really depends on what evidence Haas can provide and just how compelling it is.

Yeah that's true, highly doubt anything will be changed though. This kinda reminds me of Brazil 2021 where apparently there was no onboard footage of the Max/Lewis turn 4 incident at the time then once it surfaced 3/4 days later Merc put in some sort of right of review as it was so-called "new evidence". You have to feel if Haas are successful with this it'd open a huge can of worms for every race thereafter with every team micro-analysing every track limit violation.

Edited November 9, 20231 yr by Dobbo