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2021 Formula 1 Season Thread
- Thread starter pachyderm
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Yeah it’s quite amazing in this day and age that Formula One isn’t paying the very individuals that enable races to happen. They risk their lives and are usually fans themselves, but this multi billion pound sport should be paying them. It’s disgusting really they have been doing it for free for the past 50 where they likes of Bernie Ecclestone was pulling £4b a year of personal wealth out of the sport too. Considering he was leaving £1.5m in cash in a plastic bag under the tables at FIA meetings, yet these poor devils were working for free and some dying, it’s disgusting.
You’d think wouldn’t you? But I think it’s because they have local track marshals they use once a year. Rather than touring marshals that wouldn’t know the recovery process for each track as well.
Some Marshall’s travel to certain races, like Monaco for instance. Some do multiple European events. I think regardless, they could pay them for that event.
They should never have left the pits. The conditions were crap and that was clear prior to takeoff. It’s a complete farce.
I think part of the issue is the Safety and Medical Cars are on consumer-grade all-weather tires and even going as fast as they safely can, can't approach the speeds of a Formula One car. I heard that even the "Full Wet" tires are naturally quite hard in compound and this contributes to the aquaplaning issue where the "Intermediates" can hold their heat longer which is why they can actually aquaplane less (up to a point). So the SC/MC running around on their warm all-weather rubber at slow(er) speeds don't encounter aquaplaning issues and yet when the F1 cars go out - even on Full Wets - they can experience low to no grip if they hit a patch of water (I believe this caught out Lando).
I'll be honest - I am not sure it is a money issue. I kind of feel that the Marshalls do it for the love of the sport and/or the circuit. Many of them do multiple races at a circuit and I assume they are not paid for those events, as well.
It wasn't a farce. They were perfectly safe and capable of driving slowly round the track behind the safety car a couple of times as they did, people drive in that weather every single day.
Marshall's actually pay to be Marshall's, they join like a club and pay for membership I believe. And they can attend all racing events then. It's like a hobby. So paying them wouldn't really work as most have full time jobs to go to.
Anybody can apply to be a marshal to be fair. I grew up near Silverstone and applied one year for the British GP with a couple of mates. I ended up not doing it for reasons I can’t remember. I wanted to do it purely to get in free, but then some of my mates managed to get into the circuit for free by climbing fences near Stowe on a couple of occasions. Never did it myself but admired their bottle lol. I know some marshals are members of certain clubs and they do it across multiple circuits here like Silverstone, Brands, Snetterton, Donnington etc. I still think a wage could be sorted though as you can live the sport and love being paid at the same time, especially as you are taking a risk.
People with wiper blades. Was still a farce. Wasn’t a race. They are reviewing the rules to make sure the farce doesn’t happen again.
I heard you were the ringleader. Just saying….
If it wasn't a farce, what was it? And what difference does it make if they were capable of driving at a crawl? Anyone one could see the conditions were even worse than the first time they went out. Awarding points points for those pathetic laps is ridiculous.
Oh great the very definition of a race is to drive a minimum amount of laps behind the safety car that’s just out there because… it’s not safe enough to race.
Oh great the very definition of a race is to drive a minimum amount of laps behind the safety car that’s just out there because… it’s not safe enough to race.
It wasn't a 'farce', it was perfectly safe, and it was the rules as written, 2 laps minimum to get half points, and it was better for them to get some points then no points considering they risked it all doing quali, they deserved something for their efforts, especially Russell.
Why do you keep writing "it was perfectly safe"? What does that have to do with anything? And just because the rules state 2 laps minimum, doesn't mean it's right.
Are you someone who thought it was a great idea to hand out double points on the last race of the season a years back?
No one said it wasn’t safe. Not my argument at all. My argument was it was not a race. It was a farce. Why should Russell be robbed of his first podium by being gifted one based on qualifying?
What should have happened is they asses the track, decide it isn’t safe and send everyone home. No race. No points. No farce.
Half points have been part of the formal regulations since at least 1975 and six races have been awarded half points:
1975 Spanish Grand Prix: Called at 29 laps of 75 (39%) due to a fatal accident with spectators.
1975 Austrian Grand Prix: Called at 29 of 54 laps (54%) due to heavy rain.
1984 Monaco Grand Prix: Called at 31 of 76 laps (46%) due to heavy rain.
1991 Australian Grand Prix: Called at 14 of 81 laps (17%) due to heavy rain.
2009 Malaysian Grand Prix: Called at 31 of 56 laps (55%) due to torrential rain.
2021 Belgian Grand Prix: Called at 4 of 44 laps (9%) due to heavy rain.
Since Australia '91 was called at only 17%, guess we should consider that one a "farce" of a race, as well (watched that one live).
1975 Spanish Grand Prix: Called at 29 laps of 75 (39%) due to a fatal accident with spectators.
1975 Austrian Grand Prix: Called at 29 of 54 laps (54%) due to heavy rain.
1984 Monaco Grand Prix: Called at 31 of 76 laps (46%) due to heavy rain.
1991 Australian Grand Prix: Called at 14 of 81 laps (17%) due to heavy rain.
2009 Malaysian Grand Prix: Called at 31 of 56 laps (55%) due to torrential rain.
2021 Belgian Grand Prix: Called at 4 of 44 laps (9%) due to heavy rain.
Since Australia '91 was called at only 17%, guess we should consider that one a "farce" of a race, as well (watched that one live).
But wasn’t there parts of the 14 laps when you were allowed to overtake? Not saying it was a great race, but probably better than the parade we saw Sunday.
Yes they were allowed to overtake, but pretty much everyone who tried ended up in the wall because the conditions were far worse than what we saw at Spa. First cars started going off at Lap 3 and first real shunts started at Lap 5. By Lap 10 the Brabham Straight was blocked with wrecked cars and by Lap 16 the front straight was also blocked with wrecks. With most of the track now under local yellows due to wrecks everywhere, they finally Red Flagged it on Lap 17 and the rains never let up so they called it soon after.
Personally I'd be okay with no points under 25% lap distance and half points to 75% lap distance. That way they don't start or re-start if conditions are truly poor enough that they shouldn't be out there.
I said it was safe because you seem to wanted the race totally abandoned. What is your issue with them handing out the half points anyway? I don’t remember the season where they handed out double points, why did they do it? I’m sure there was a reason.
Again I don’t understand what your problem is here? They did the best they could, used the existing rules to give out the points they could and left it at that.
Yeah it was a pretty crap way to get your first podium I think. He must be a little bit annoyed by that to some degree.
Because they handed out points for qualifying results and no proper racing.
And yes, there was a reason for double points awarded. The reason being a stupid experiment in 2014 that was never to be repeated.