Winning At All Costs
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Senna and Prost 1989 Japan
Four times the World Championship has been decided by a crash and many expect the same this year. Nelson Piquet in 2008 was ordered to crash so his team mate could win the title. Funny that Nelson's daughter is now Max's girlfriend so maybe even Perez has been given some instructions for this weekend. I am ruling nothing out and Hamilton will need eyes in the back of his helmet to make it through this one unscathed.
This weekend we will find out who is going to be crowned Formula One World Champion for 2021. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are level on points, but max has won more races. If by some chance Max crashes into Lewis and they are both forced out of the Grand Prix then Max would be crowned Champion.
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Senna and Prost 1990 Japan
This for many including myself is what I expected to happen this weekend as Max and his team are that desperate. The FIA were also feeling this obviously and why they have stepped in clarifying the rules. They had to in my opinion and they should have done this 3 races ago before Brazil.
In the past we have seen Senna and Schumacher win their world titles by crashing into their rivals which is not very sporting. Nothing happened to them and thankfully common sense has prevailed this time around.
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Schumacher and Hill 1994 Australia
These rule changes are for Max and Max only as Hamilton had nothing to gain from knocking Verstappen out as if he did he runs the risk of knocking himself out. The FIA have been lenient up until now especially with Max and how he drives. He doesn't see it as he believes he is driving within the rule book. I am a neutral in this and he is borderline dangerous with his moves.
The rumor in the paddock that if Red Bull don't win the title then Christian Horner their Team Principal will be replaced next season. Honestly the team only has themselves to blame as they were the ones who knocked Verstappen out of Baku by fiddling with tyre pressures. Red Bull and Verstappen should have won the title already and this is entirely on themselves.
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Piquet ordered to crash to give Alonso the advantage as he had refueled very early in the race thus giving him the advantage over the rest of the field and race position.
The FIA know how desperate Max and his team are so clarifying the rules for this weekends showdown shows how concerned they are. Max could still pull a move knocking them both out saying it was an accident but everyone knows that this would be intentional. There is too much at stake as this would mean his disqualification from the Championship with his title points tally removed to 0. That would realistically mean Red Bull losing in excess of $350 million in prize money plus handing the Championship to Hamilton.
Deep down I know if Hamilton was leading the race at the weekend without these additions to the regulations Verstappen would take Hamilton out as he is that type of character. He has dodged questions all week about what he has been doing saying he has done no wrong. Every other driver on the grid knows differently and have said they will change their driving style accordingly as Max is getting away with desperate overtaking moves.
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Alain Prost came out saying Verstappen pulled a clever move at Monza as Hamilton was going to win that race. many see it the same way and are not naively thinking for one instance this was not deliberate.
The safety of the sport is paramount and this should never even be a discussion about deliberate crashes. For everyone to expect this to be the case then there is a problem and Max needs to grow up. He is only 23 but he is that desperate plus he has his dad in his corner and we all know how volatile he is.
Personally I would love to see a new face win the World Championship, but not in this way as that would be cheating. Max can wait as I don't see him winning this weekend as he just doesn't have what it takes. He comes across as though butter wouldn't melt in his mouth yet his driving tactics are dangerous and reckless. It does take a certain breed or personality to be a Champion who is prepared to win at all costs.
Its Max Verstappen. All he is gonna do is try and smash Hamilton.
This will be the first GP race I'm going to watch for a while. I hope that it doesn't end in skullduggery. It'd be like Trevor Chappell bowling under against New Zealand.
We are all hoping for an event free race but lately that never happens. Verstappen has been warned now so hopefully this wont be the case. Will Perez have team orders like Piquet did as they may have to try something to gain an advantage. The constructors title is already lost so Perez is a free opportunity to create something else even if it is a cheap pit stop to change tyres under a red flag.
It must be said that Hamilton has done great to catch up with Max. I was scared for him during the last race cos any error would have given Max the title. Now they have to take it down the wire.
My guts tell me Hamilton may just nick this and overtake Schumacher. But, if he doesn't, I know it'd be hard to swallow for him, he should be proud of himself.
should it be for both? if Max is leading Hamilton could do a risky takeover in the end, if lucky he could stay on the track. or even do it with hope of blaming Max.
Did they determine that Max was hard braking last week? they probably have all the car data so i bet it would not be hard to check.
Max was found guilty and data even got Red Bull appologising for the hard braking. he was trying not to go past the DRS activation line and braked with over 2G's force. Hamilton cannot afford to risk even touching another car as he has to win this without any risks to claim the title. Same applies to Verstappen and why I think it could be decided by a move by Perez which is not really sporting. I hope I am wrong on this as all we want is a good contest.
Wow...I never knew or considered the thought of a crash to dictate who wins the F1 title. A strategic crash of sorts. Regardless of Hamo if he wins or loses the championship, where do you place him all-time and vs. Schumacher and Senna?
Schumacher and Senna had the best cars when they were dominant so I think he is up there with them. I do think the three stand out and one would have to include Prost as well. Verstappen could be good as well if he sorts out his attitude and matures. Just don't see that happening though for some reason as a true champion would have already had the title this season from his position.
Four times the World Championship has been decided by a crash and many expect the same this year.
This is such a tragic story😔
I wondered the same thing myself. They've made it clear that if Max takes out Hamilton, then they'll give the Championship to Lewis. But what will they do if Perez does it? Similarly, if Bottas (can catch up or do it whilst being lapped) takes out Verstappen.
I can't wait for tomorrow. Max will do whatever is required to stop Lewis from overtaking... the way he drives is the way he drives. Utterly uncompromising and I can't see that changing. And if it does, he won't have the edge that he needs to beat Hamilton.
Any thoughts on the different strategies that the tyres will bring? Surely this one's advantage Hamilton since if Max hadn't flat spotted his Mediums, he'd have preferred that strategy.
It'll be interesting. And I wouldn't be surprised if Nikita Mazepin does something stupid to ruin it for one of them!
I wasn't far off. Nicholas Latifi. Wow. Just wow.
Not over yet as FIA broke their own rules and now appeals in place and Mercedes have a strong case as they are sticking to the rules. There were 2 rules broken and can see Mercedes winning at least 1 of them.
The problem's going to be that it was the FIA who broke their own rules so to effectively penalise Max Verstappen and Red Bull for this would be as harsh as the decision to let the cars unlap themselves in the 1st place.
From what I heard after the race, it's the decision to let the cars unlap themselves and then instantly bring the safety car in which is the main problem. All cars should have unlapped themselves and then an additional lap before the safety car comes in - effectively ending the race. I think it was David Coulthard who said afterwards something along the lines of:
As much as I'd love to see Hamilton become an 8 time world champion, I can't see them taking it away from Max.
I wonder how long the arguments will rumble on for. Michael Massey's resignation feels inevitable at this point.
Nobody wanted the title decider to be settled with them crashing. Perhaps that would have been preferable to the shambles that we experienced in the end.