The analysis

 Subject: The analysis

It’s only been three days since the end of F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ended in controversy. My opinion was that race rules had been ignored and therefore the result was incorrect and that Louise Hamilton should have been awarded the race.

A number of issues have arisen since the Race Steward's supported Michael Masi, the Race Directors decision in his words “to let them race”.

Formula 1 is a tremendously expensive sport with millions if not billions spent on design and testing before the cars even appear on the track. This motor sport circus with its global reach, where countries compete for the prestige of a race to be held in their country  and the cost of dismantling and reassembling the garages and accommodation at each track, every two weeks and some times, on subsequent weekends is not only a massive logistical achievement but very very expensive. The salaries of the drivers and the team principles run into millions dwarfed only by the factories and engineers working on this cutting edge technology where a millimetres extension of the panels or skirt surrounding the cars can significantly improve the cars performance. Each modification is governed by stringent rules, as is everything in the sport and it’s the importance to following the rules which has so infuriated people when the race rules were binned in favour of a gladiatorial race to the line.

Since it’s inception F1 motor sport has been run by wealthy motor sport enthusiasts mainly from Europe with the UK taking a leading role. Over the last 5 years the Americans with their eye on the cash cow of syndicated television bought out the European interest and put in charge their own flamboyant marketeers who’s interest in the sport is financial not its sporting ethics.

“Let them race” didn’t take into account the disparity of the cars expected to race. Hamiltons Mercedes’ had on old hard tyres which he had run from early on in the race. Verstappen had a new soft set of tyres which, under the Safety Car he had been allowed to put on, it was an all or nothing gamble which Red Bull with nothing to lose were, after the pit stop, a number of cars behind Hamilton. With only one lap of racing to go it was almost impossible for him to overtake the cars between him and Hamilton but by insisting that the cars in front him overtake Hamilton which then placed Verstappen on Hamiltons rear bumper and only then being told to race,  was a total breach of racing ethics as well as flying in the face of the rule book.

The fact “let them race” didn’t allow another rule, the imposition that the use of the flaps on the back of the car, which add 5 K to the cars speed and are used to enable cars to pass on the straight couldn’t be activated made Hamilton a sitting duck once Max had passed him.

From a marketing point of view this event, which was mega anyway went stratospheric with the teams locked in claims and counter claims no doubt making the shareholder of Liberty Media wild with joy but it all left a sour taste with those who enjoy the sport for what it was, not what it has become.

The one shining light in all this was the magnanimity of the Hamilton camp in acknowledging defeat, it is what it is. Both  Louis’s dad Anthony Hamilton and importantly Louis himself were models of generosity in a moment when they must have been gutted. The race was theirs, they had been in the lead from start to finish before one of the other drivers put his car into the wall and the race was stopped, with four laps to go. At that stage Louis was up the road and out of sight cruising to victory.

His demeanour as he fought the dismay at the way the race had finished, cheated out of an 8th World Championship was everything you would wish of a sportsman. Immediately  congratulating the winner of the race and the Red Bull team principle Christian Horner, he continued to look shell shocked as the frenzied disbelief at their luck as winners (by default) unfolded around him.

It’s sometimes said that only in defeat is the true measure of a man judged and Louis for who I’m not always as supportive, won me over, as I’m sure he did of the billions watching at home. This perhaps might be his crowning legacy