2021 Formula 1 Season Thread

[Crazy Badger]

A complete farce and the fans who attended have every right to feel let down. There was no race, therefore there cannot be a result. It's pretty simple. The weather meant the event could not be run, and therefore it should have been declared null and void. Pretending 2 laps has been 'completed' under race conditions is just a con.

The points should be removed, the fans refunded, and the teams move on to the next event and start again. If not, the whole F1 World Championship is under serious threat. Imagine if Max wins the Drivers Championship at the end of the season by 1.5 points. It would have effectively been won for driving behind the safety car for two laps in the rain. What a joke.

I agree entirely about the driver safety. If that was paramount, they probably shouldn't have left the pit lane. It was simply too wet to race.

 

[nebo1ss]

A complete farce. The fans should get their money back.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well it is disappointing but I'd rather the drivers be alive and well.

Did anyone ever say why they couldn't wait and try again today?

People at the track not able to make it I expect. Plus as next week race is very close, probably not helping.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

Weather report for today at Spa:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2798003

Race could have happened day after.

Logistics nightmare?

Dunno:
1. Teams - that what they are paid to do.
2. Fans - Quite a trail for the fans tho, to go through it all again today!

 

[Glideslope]

People at the track not able to make it I expect. Plus as next week race is very close, probably not helping.

Track Marshals were unable to come back Monday as they are volunteers and have jobs they could not take off.

This was reported toward the end and influenced the decision process by Masi and the Stewards.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Still think it should just have been abandoned.

 

[Phil77354]

I have mixed feelings. It was obviously not a 'race' and it doesn't quite seem right to be awarding points and putting this into the record books with only an asterisk for future fans to realize how the race was actually 'run'.

On the other hand the teams and drivers deserve recognition for the work done through qualifying, and for Russell in particular it was completely deserved that he gets this outcome after his spectacular grid position. No way to know how he would have finished if the weather had been normal, in fact he probably benefited more than any other driver from the decision to stop the race.

The whole thing is very unsatisfying, even though it was probably the best choice under the circumstances, because no matter how this was handled it would have made a lot of people unhappy.

 

[CWallace]

Did anyone ever say why they couldn't wait and try again today?

As noted, many marshals and track staff would not be able to come in due to employment commitments. Same with fans.

Also, the Dutch GP is next weekend and while the physical distance between the two tracks is not great, the teams have to completely pack up at Spa and then set-up in Zandvoort by Thursday to be ready for FP1 on Friday and they have not been there for years so they likely want some extra time.

It is also evidently a Bank Holiday in the UK today so not sure how that impacts staffing at the teams with HQs in the UK (which is most of them) needed to support both running Spa on Monday and preparing for Zandvoort.

 

[Glideslope]

As noted, many marshals and track staff would not be able to come in due to employment commitments. Same with fans.

Also, the Dutch GP is next weekend and while the physical distance between the two tracks is not great, the teams have to completely pack up at Spa and then set-up in Zandvoort by Thursday to be ready for FP1 on Friday and they have not been there for years so they likely want some extra time.

It is also evidently a Bank Holiday in the UK today so not sure how that impacts staffing at the teams with HQs in the UK (which is most of them) needed to support both running Spa on Monday and preparing for Zandvoort.

Yes, the commentators were mentioning the UK Bank Holiday as well.
I didn’t read anything about Masi and the Stewards reviewing that however. Commentators were of the opinion it would make a Monday Race undoable.

 

[Glideslope]

Still think it should just have been abandoned.

I understand those feelings. I think given the current global situation and the already complex rearranging of the 2021 schedule there was a balance to ensure driver safety first and foremost. Then the Political/FIA Component to have a race. Obviously it was not a race, and IMO the fans should be given some type of credit toward 2022 tickets.

There is simply no place to reschedule SPA in 2021 and you can’t race without Volunteer Marshals. Personally I don’t think this will have an effect on the WDC. Its too close.

IMO when RBR takes the Grid Penalty for a 4th power unit, that will have a larger impact than Max getting 1/2 points for the Horse and Pony show.

 

[Pezimak]

It wasn’t a ‘farce’ at all. They have already changed the calendar three times I think this year cause of Covid, so running the 2 laps to get the points legally was right. What they did was correct not to run the race, just do enough carefully to class it as a race.
Marshalls are mostly volunteers and have full time jobs to go to on the Monday so they wouldn’t be able to attend and of course it’s illegal to run a race like F1 without them.

 

[Crazy Badger]

What are they planning to replace the Japanese GP points with? Play Rock, Paper, Scissors on a virtual grid? There will be no points, as there will be no race. Spa, due to adverse weather, should be no different. Pretending there had been a 'race' by getting everyone to follow the safety car for 2 laps is the very definition of a farce (an event or situation that is absurd) and then awarding half points is nonsense.

There are too many moving parts to move a GP back a day. Fans may not be able to change plans. Stewards who volunteer likely have other commitments. Regardless of whether the Teams could accommodate it, the race should have simply been declared as void, and everyone moves on to the next race.

Given the global pandemic, everyone must have known that there would be mid-season changes to the calendar? Even if there wasn't, nobody can manage the weather and this is only likely to become more common. They made the wrong decision yesterday and it sets a dangerous precedent. I hope they reconsider and certainly make sure fans are refunded or at least their tickets transferred to next year. If the points stay, and this event has any impact on the championships, I fear the sport will be irreparably damaged.

 

[Apple fanboy]

What are they planning to replace the Japanese GP points with? Play Rock, Paper, Scissors on a virtual grid? There will be no points, as there will be no race. Spa, due to adverse weather, should be no different. Pretending there had been a 'race' by getting everyone to follow the safety car for 2 laps is the very definition of a farce (an event or situation that is absurd) and then awarding half points is nonsense.

There are too many moving parts to move a GP back a day. Fans may not be able to change plans. Stewards who volunteer likely have other commitments. Regardless of whether the Teams could accommodate it, the race should have simply been declared as void, and everyone moves on to the next race.

Given the global pandemic, everyone must have known that there would be mid-season changes to the calendar? Even if there wasn't, nobody can manage the weather and this is only likely to become more common. They made the wrong decision yesterday and it sets a dangerous precedent. I hope they reconsider and certainly make sure fans are refunded or at least their tickets transferred to next year. If the points stay, and this event has any impact on the championships, I fear the sport will be irreparably damaged.

Couldn't agree more. Just cancel the race due to the weather and move on. What would have been the harm?

 

[CWallace]

What are they planning to replace the Japanese GP points with?

Qatar will replace Japan and the event will be held at the Losail International Circuit on 21 November.

Formula 1 set for Qatar race in revised calendar

Formula 1 has cut its schedule to 22 races this season as a result of complications over the pandemic.

www.bbc.com

 

[CWallace]

Just cancel the race due to the weather and move on. What would have been the harm?

I am going to hazard a guess that since there was one actual lap already in the books, doing a second lap - even if behind the Safety Car - made the race "official".

If the weather had been so poor that they were never able to take the grid at ~15:30 local and attempt that first racing lap, they might very well have just cancelled the race altogether. Or they might have tried to get it underway when they tried the second time around ~18:30 local as the weather was looking better (if only for a moment), decide they could not let the cars race unrestricted and therefore still run the two official laps under the Safety Car to make it an official race.

It is possible there were contractual issues in play between the FIA, the teams and/or the track. It is also possible that initial racing lap invalidated any "force majeure" clauses that might have come into effect if the cars had never left their garages due to the weather and compelled them to at least do the necessary additional lap if they could to make it an official race.

 

[ipsedixit]

Of course it was a race.

Just because it wasn't a full race doesn't make it not a race.

It is well within the F1 rules, i.e., Article 11.9.3.o of the FIA International Sporting Code ("may take the decision to stop temporarily or permanently, all or part of a Competition")

 

[Apple fanboy]

Of course it was a race.

Just because it wasn't a full race doesn't make it not a race.

It is well within the F1 rules, i.e., Article 11.9.3.o of the FIA International Sporting Code ("may take the decision to stop temporarily or permanently, all or part of a Competition")

IMO a race is when they can overtake. We saw a parade.

 

[ipsedixit]

IMO a race is when they can overtake. We saw a parade.

Then I guess most of the 2020 season (and 2019, 2018, 2017 ...) was a parade ...

 

[Moakesy]

Of course it was a race.

Just because it wasn't a full race doesn't make it not a race.

I do both running and cycle races.

If I manage to get near the front before the start, and then trundle around the organiser knowing no-one can overtake me, I can rightly say I’d competed in a race and deserve all the glory for finishing, say, 3rd out of 100 yeah?

The only reason it is considered a race is because the organisers said it was a race. Imagine this at the olympics, or just about any other sport. They’d be a laughing stock

 

[pachyderm]

Then I guess most of the 2020 season (and 2019, 2018, 2017 ...) was a parade ...

Fair enough...

 

[Glideslope]

I am going to hazard a guess that since there was one actual lap already in the books, doing a second lap - even if behind the Safety Car - made the race "official".

If the weather had been so poor that they were never able to take the grid at ~15:30 local and attempt that first racing lap, they might very well have just cancelled the race altogether. Or they might have tried to get it underway when they tried the second time around ~18:30 local as the weather was looking better (if only for a moment), decide they could not let the cars race unrestricted and therefore still run the two official laps under the Safety Car to make it an official race.

It is possible there were contractual issues in play between the FIA, the teams and/or the track. It is also possible that initial racing lap invalidated any "force majeure" clauses that might have come into effect if the cars had never left their garages due to the weather and compelled them to at least do the necessary additional lap if they could to make it an official race.

Your last paragraph is spot on IMO.

 

[IDreamChaserI]

Need to wait for the next race...

 

[Apple fanboy]

Then I guess most of the 2020 season (and 2019, 2018, 2017 ...) was a parade ...

Not even close to the same thing. There may not have been as much overtaking as we’d all like, but following behind a SC for two laps is not a race. Not even close.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Not even close to the same thing. There may not have been as much overtaking as we’d all like, but following behind a SC for two laps is not a race. Not even close.

Absolutely. I hope the fans who attended get a full refund or free tickets for next year. Having two demo procession laps behind the SC was absurd. The PC could have gone out to determine the track conditions and it really should have just been abandoned. The drivers were right, especially Lewis, they completed 2 laps purely to prevent the track organisers asking for their fee back. Not cool. No points should have been awarded as there was no race.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Absolutely. I hope the fans who attended get a full refund or free tickets for next year. Having two demo procession laps behind the SC was absurd. The PC could have gone out to determine the track conditions and it really should have just been abandoned. The drivers were right, especially Lewis, they completed 2 laps purely to prevent the track organisers asking for their fee back. Not cool. No points should have been awarded as there was no race.

Exactly. A sport is when people compete. Imagine if a football match was played but no goal posts were put up. So basically there will be no goals today. Pointless. Or at the Olympics if the 10 finalists at the 100 m sprint had to walk behind someone to the finish like. Absurd.