It can be argued that Bottas should have won more points to avoid that circumstance. If Hamilton lost the title by the points he gained yesterday Mercedes would be criticised. but to be fair, Bottas has been a bit unfortunate this season but yesterday will gain him a lot of kudos within the team. He played it right, he had to look frustrated, but not kick up a stink. If he was too relaxed about it, people would say he isn't a winner.
What I would say to him If I was Toto Wolf - after speaking to Hamilton - is that when Hamilton clinches the title, the priority of the team will be Bottas for the remainder of the season. So if a similar situation occured in those circumstances Hamilton would move aside.
I'm pretty sure Ferrari would have done the same in identical circumstances. It wouldn't have happened earlier in the season, but it is now known the title is only between Hamilton and Vettel. That changes things.
Vettel said "I think in the position they are it’s a no-brainer what they did today". It happens in F1 and none of the teams or drivers can really have expected anything else.
I agree that it detracts from the spectacle and would hope that they could come up with a way to stop it (surely quite difficult to police?) - but all the while it's acceptable in the rules it will happen.
I would have been more surprised it it didn't happen yesterday under the circumstances.
Employing pacemakers in athletics also winds me up.
Why have two drivers in a team if only one of them can win the Championship?
To be fair the same thing happens in cycling - all the major tours have teams where the same thing happens.
Excatly. Cycling is much worse. Tour de France you have TEAM Sky. 6 or so blokes "racing" so thst just 1 can win.
Fwiw I thought Hamilton sounded & looked pretty upset & digusted with it all in his interview afterwards.
As for betting......surely you know about team orders. You'll be moaning next that Big Daddy let Giant Haystacks win.
But in Cycling there is no Constructors Championship (well there is a Team Jersey but its a side show) - So far as Im aware as well when Thomas won the TdF this year doesnt the whole team get a cut of the winnings?
Why have two drivers in a team if only one of them can win the Championship?
They can both win the championship.
Bottas' problem is that Hamilton has beaten him comprehensively. If he was leading the championship by the margin Hamilton is there wouldnt have been a swap. The fact he isnt is because he hasnt done a good enough job up to now.
Bottas had a bit of bad luck early doors, but Hamilton done the business when it mattered.
What has surprised me is how Mercedes have turned things round in terms of car performance. There were a series of races not long ago where they won races despite having less performance. It would have been natural to assume Ferrari would continue to mount a challenge and not fall away as they have.
Thought Hamilton's post qualifying interview was very good and he couldn't praise the team enough. In the last year he seems to have become a lot more humble in his approach to life. Used to think he was a bit arrogant but have changed my opinion of him. He looked genuinely upset last week at Bottas having to follow team orders.
Telling that Ferrari didn't swap Vettel with Kimi. They have given up and I think that is a reasonable approach.
I was actually surprised they didn't swap. Whilst there's still a mathematical chance I would have thought Ferrari would have gone for it. Mind you, there's every chance Kimi would have ignored them as he's pretty much in his "don't give a shit" mode now.
Another step towards a fifth world title and I now have no doubt that he will be looked back on as one of if not the all time great of the sport. Schumachers records which I thought as untouchable won’t be far off.
We watched Lewis win from Rye House raceway where Jacob competed in the famous London Cup - a race Lewis won as a 12 year old back in 1997.
Jacob at 9 entered his first London Cup and after a brake problem in qualy, then ended up in a horrific accident at turn one when the kid behind launched a kamikaze attack and drove straight over his head.
Jacob came limping out the ambulance and grabbed his helmet saying Dad I’m going back out for the final.
Had to start at the back and went from 28th to 15th in 10 laps. So 21 years after Lewis won it, Jacob finished top novice and showed everyone he isn’t going to be pushed around and scared off track.
Photo below is not for the faint hearted. My boy (48) is very very lucky
Another step towards a fifth world title and I now have no doubt that he will be looked back on as one of if not the all time great of the sport. Schumachers records which I thought as untouchable won’t be far off.
We watched Lewis win from Rye House raceway where Jacob competed in the famous London Cup - a race Lewis won as a 12 year old back in 1997.
Jacob at 9 entered his first London Cup and after a brake problem in qualy, then ended up in a horrific accident at turn one when the kid behind launched a kamikaze attack and drove straight over his head.
Jacob came limping out the ambulance and grabbed his helmet saying Dad I’m going back out for the final.
Had to start at the back and went from 28th to 15th in 10 laps. So 21 years after Lewis won it, Jacob finished top novice and showed everyone he isn’t going to be pushed around and scared off track.
Photo below is not for the faint hearted. My boy (48) is very very lucky
Wow...hope number 31 was penalised. Could have been very nasty. Glad he was OK.
Good race today. Was hoping Lewis would be able seal the deal from second behind Kimi. Wasn't to be but Hamilton will surely still be champion, so I was happy to see Kimi take one last chance for a race win. He's a miserable bastard which is why I like him and during his second spell at Ferrari he's always had to hand the advantage to his teammate.
Also, nice to it’s not just football pundits that are full of shit. When Hamilton pitted under the safety car and Ferrari didn’t, all the sky team were adamant that Ferrari had made a big error. Come the end of the race, they were all signing Ferrari’s praises for the strategy calls without a mention that they thought it was the wrong call at the time.
It is always a bit of a voyage into the unknown with the tyres when the conditions change. A few Mercedes mistakes but Hamilton gained points on his main rival with less races to go. He only needs 6 now if Vettel wins the last three races.
It is always a bit of a voyage into the unknown with the tyres when the conditions change. A few Mercedes mistakes but Hamilton gained points on his main rival with less races to go. He only needs 6 now if Vettel wins the last three races.
Actually only needs 5 as he would win on countback - 9 wins to 8 - if Vettel one the last 3.
So that’s basically one 7th place in 3 races if Vettel wins all three.
Basically with the pace he has - he would need to DNF three in a row to lose the title
It is always a bit of a voyage into the unknown with the tyres when the conditions change. A few Mercedes mistakes but Hamilton gained points on his main rival with less races to go. He only needs 6 now if Vettel wins the last three races.
Actually only needs 5 as he would win on countback - 9 wins to 8 - if Vettel one the last 3.
So that’s basically one 7th place in 3 races if Vettel wins all three.
Basically with the pace he has - he would need to DNF three in a row to lose the title
It is always a bit of a voyage into the unknown with the tyres when the conditions change. A few Mercedes mistakes but Hamilton gained points on his main rival with less races to go. He only needs 6 now if Vettel wins the last three races.
Actually only needs 5 as he would win on countback - 9 wins to 8 - if Vettel one the last 3.
So that’s basically one 7th place in 3 races if Vettel wins all three.
Basically with the pace he has - he would need to DNF three in a row to lose the title
It is always a bit of a voyage into the unknown with the tyres when the conditions change. A few Mercedes mistakes but Hamilton gained points on his main rival with less races to go. He only needs 6 now if Vettel wins the last three races.
Actually only needs 5 as he would win on countback - 9 wins to 8 - if Vettel one the last 3.
So that’s basically one 7th place in 3 races if Vettel wins all three.
Basically with the pace he has - he would need to DNF three in a row to lose the title
Tempting fate there!
Reminds me when he messed up (or was it the season he just about won the title in Brazil ahead of Massa) where he could have won the title in China (?) was leading the race yet then went into the pits, over shot the corner and ended up in the gravel and so out of the race
He then did it a few more times so threw the title away - Am sure he didnt win it that year as when that Brazilian GP came round (when he did win it) I'm sure at the time I was thinking: "Oh christ not again"
To be honest he needs to break his arm or something that stops him racing to give Vettel any chance now. Even if he did, it would still be hard for Vettel.
Couple of questions that I can't seem to get answers to through google. Can anyone answer?
Why did Hamilton's tyres only last for 25 laps (with substantial impact on lap time) yet the same tyres lasted 35 laps for Raikkonen without the lap times reducing?
How did Vettel make up the time and overtake Bottas after spinning? Is Bottas useless, Vettel that good or did Ferrari have the dominant car?
Couple of questions that I can't seem to get answers to through google. Can anyone answer?
Why did Hamilton's tyres only last for 25 laps (with substantial impact on lap time) yet the same tyres lasted 35 laps for Raikkonen without the lap times reducing?
How did Vettel make up the time and overtake Bottas after spinning? Is Bottas useless, Vettel that good or did Ferrari have the dominant car?
Hamilton came in on Lap 11 so for them to last they would have had to do 45 laps - he therefore had to change a second time, although he left it too late.
Bottas was nursing his tyres for the last five laps.
And yes, Ferrari did have the dominant car yesterday.
Comments
What I would say to him If I was Toto Wolf - after speaking to Hamilton - is that when Hamilton clinches the title, the priority of the team will be Bottas for the remainder of the season. So if a similar situation occured in those circumstances Hamilton would move aside.
I'm pretty sure Ferrari would have done the same in identical circumstances. It wouldn't have happened earlier in the season, but it is now known the title is only between Hamilton and Vettel. That changes things.
I agree that it detracts from the spectacle and would hope that they could come up with a way to stop it (surely quite difficult to police?) - but all the while it's acceptable in the rules it will happen.
I would have been more surprised it it didn't happen yesterday under the circumstances.
Employing pacemakers in athletics also winds me up.
Fwiw I thought Hamilton sounded & looked pretty upset & digusted with it all in his interview afterwards.
As for betting......surely you know about team orders. You'll be moaning next that Big Daddy let Giant Haystacks win.
@Leroy Ambrose would be better to confirm that though
Bottas' problem is that Hamilton has beaten him comprehensively. If he was leading the championship by the margin Hamilton is there wouldnt have been a swap. The fact he isnt is because he hasnt done a good enough job up to now.
What has surprised me is how Mercedes have turned things round in terms of car performance. There were a series of races not long ago where they won races despite having less performance. It would have been natural to assume Ferrari would continue to mount a challenge and not fall away as they have.
I've done it again !
How many times have I seen this thread and opened it before I remember it's NOT about the musical ?
We watched Lewis win from Rye House raceway where Jacob competed in the famous London Cup - a race Lewis won as a 12 year old back in 1997.
Jacob at 9 entered his first London Cup and after a brake problem in qualy, then ended up in a horrific accident at turn one when the kid behind launched a kamikaze attack and drove straight over his head.
Jacob came limping out the ambulance and grabbed his helmet saying Dad I’m going back out for the final.
Had to start at the back and went from 28th to 15th in 10 laps. So 21 years after Lewis won it, Jacob finished top novice and showed everyone he isn’t going to be pushed around and scared off track.
Photo below is not for the faint hearted. My boy (48) is very very lucky
Glad he is ok.
So that’s basically one 7th place in 3 races if Vettel wins all three.
Basically with the pace he has - he would need to DNF three in a row to lose the title
He then did it a few more times so threw the title away - Am sure he didnt win it that year as when that Brazilian GP came round (when he did win it) I'm sure at the time I was thinking: "Oh christ not again"
Couple of questions that I can't seem to get answers to through google. Can anyone answer?
Why did Hamilton's tyres only last for 25 laps (with substantial impact on lap time) yet the same tyres lasted 35 laps for Raikkonen without the lap times reducing?
How did Vettel make up the time and overtake Bottas after spinning? Is Bottas useless, Vettel that good or did Ferrari have the dominant car?
Bottas was nursing his tyres for the last five laps.
And yes, Ferrari did have the dominant car yesterday.