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[Aiii]

FIA orders you to park your car in the pit lane at the end of the race.

I guess we should strip Nico of the title for failing to comply with those orders.

Ignoring the fact that the FIA isn't the one that contracts Nico Rosberg, or pays him a salary.

Yes, if Nico broke a rule the FIA instated he should get a penalty. Not sure why you think the only penalty they can give is stripping him of the title when speeding in the pitlane, for instance, is a 1000 USD fine.

 

[Fox Mulder]

I guess that settles it. The sport is dead.

Pay tv kills sports.

Wait what?! Of course it's the team's fault when the car fails! Providing a fast and reliable car in the first place is pretty much the majority of the team's responsibility.

The merc has been one of the most dominant and successful cars in f1 history. Their engine powers 8 cars on the grid. Hamilton has two titles and like 30 wins in the car.

Shit happens. Rosberg has had engine issues, even retired last year due to a broken pedal. I don't recall seeing him whine about how bad the car is.

 

[Psychotext]

Oh, that's cute, yeah, it was a total unknown scenario that wasn't widely discussed from Thursday onwards or anything. Totally came up with that on the fly.

Amusingly enough, prior to the race Hamilton was adamant that he wouldn't use said tactic. Mind games most likely, but it was amusing to see him start doing it almost immediately after the race started.

 

[Business]

This.

Also Mercedes must realise by now that the watching public mostly enjoyed the show that was put on, providing a relatively tense end to a season, and kept the cameras on their cars most of the time which is good for them and for sponsors.

Hamilton's strategy is legal and even understandable, but let's face it his 'let us race' is bullshit. I'd be the first to support Mercedes for letting their drivers race each other to the end but that wasn't what happened. Deliverately going slow to force a dangerous situation (and I don't mean life threatening) for your team mate is not the most sportsmanlike thing, everyone could understand what was going on and I guess Mercedes didn't want the title decided in this manner, because that wouldn't be good neither for them or their sponsors.

 

[ReadingRambo]

The point of racing is to win. Doesn't matter how that occurs, it just so happens that going the fastest generally allows that to happen. This race was an exception because literally his only chances at winning the championship were Rosberg having a mechanical issue or Rosberg being passed by two cars. Hamilton acted completely reasonably.

 

[dalin80]

Amusingly enough, prior to the race Hamilton was adamant that he wouldn't use said tactic. Mind games most likely, but it was amusing to see him start doing it almost immediately after the race started.

Well he stayed in touch with the cars behind but always held a 4s gap or so, he only started slowing after the final pit stop, probably just waiting to see how things panned out behind.

 

[DBT85]

Funny looking at what drivers will do to win a title.

Senna drove people off the road endangering lives - hero.
Schumacher drove people off the road endangering lives - hero
Hamilton drives slowly - cunt.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Hamilton's strategy is legal and even understandable, but let's face it his 'let us race' is bullshit. I'd be the first to support Mercedes for letting their drivers race each other to the end but that wasn't what happened. Deliverately going slow to force a dangerous situation (and I don't mean life threatening) for your team mate is not the most sportsmanlike thing, everyone could understand what was going on and I guess Mercedes didn't want the title decided in this manner, because that wouldn't be good neither for them or their sponsors.

Mercedes made it worse with their radio whining. The constructors title was long wrapped up, and theyre stupid if they didn't see this coming. I really question how the mercedes management will be when they're constantly under actual pressure from competition.

Nothing wrong at all with trying to back Nico into the field, it was the only strategy besides the stupid cunt way of just wrecking him.

It also should be an embarrassment to the entire field that they couldn't catch a pair of slowed down mercs.

 

[Aiii]

It also should be an embarrassment to the entire field that they couldn't catch a pair of slowed down mercs.

More of an embarrassment to the FIA/FOM/Strategy Group for introducing a whole bunch of "cost saving" rules that hamper any chance of any team catching up, really.

 

[hamchan]

Funny looking at what drivers will do to win a title.

Senna drove people off the road endangering lives - hero.
Schumacher drove people off the road endangering lives - hero
Hamilton drives slowly - cunt.

In 20 years time everyone will be calling Hamilton a hero while calling whatever current driver a cunt. People are dumb.

 

[Psychotext]

Funny looking at what drivers will do to win a title.

Senna drove people off the road endangering lives - hero.
Schumacher drove people off the road endangering lives - hero
Hamilton drives slowly - cunt.

Senna and Schumacher were both massive cunts in their day. Great drivers, neither of them even close to heroes though.

 

[duckroll]

In 20 years time everyone will be calling Hamilton a hero while calling whatever current driver a cunt. People are dumb.

Well no. They would if he did that and won the championship. He did it and lost. No one likes a loser in sports!

 

[M52B28]

Senna and Schumacher were both massive cunts in their day. Great drivers, neither of them even close to heroes though.

Yep, they were cut throat drivers. Senna didn't give a fuck at all.

Partially the reason why I don't care much about him besides his skills.

 

[JadedWriter]

Funny looking at what drivers will do to win a title.

Senna drove people off the road endangering lives - hero.
Schumacher drove people off the road endangering lives - hero
Hamilton drives slowly - cunt.

Has Lauda said anything yet? I could believe Lauda from the past doing the very same thing in Lewis' situation...probably has for all I know.

 

[dakun]

Senna and Schumacher were both massive cunts in their day. Great drivers, neither of them even close to heroes though.

lol what? Both Schumacher and Senna are probably heroes of just about 90-100% of the current line up of F1 drivers. That's all the discussion that needs to be had on this topic

Someone doesn't have to be flawless to be a hero.

 

[Psychotext]

...and I'm sure I'd get murdered in Brazil for the Senna statement, but it doesn't change the fact that they both, definitely, were cunts.

 

[nature boy]

Has Lauda said anything yet? I could believe Lauda from the past doing the very same thing in Lewis' situation...probably has for all I know.

Yes, and he didn't like what #blessed did

 

[JadedWriter]

Yes, and he didn't like what #blessed did

Ok, I have no cable and I just don't keep up with PR statements like I used to so I have no idea who said what. I doubt the #blessed one is getting fired over this though. I think they're going to pull his ear hard, but they ain't firing him.

 

[dakun]

...and I'm sure I'd get murdered in Brazil for the Senna statement, but it doesn't change the fact that they both, definitely, were cunts.

i'm not attacking you for you opinion. I'm just saying you're wrong ;-)

They had some questionable actions on track, that hardly makes them "cunts".
We'd probably have to call a large percentage of WDC from the last 30 years that if we judge them by their shitty actions on track. I mean even Damon Hill, the holy beacon of light for the Brits after 94, was capable of being a huge asshole on track from time to time. That's not what anyone who is objective will judge him by though.
They are both still hugely respected idols of the sport, and from all accounts were quite charitable off-track.

 

[Fruitster]

Senna was a bit of an enigma on track. Arguably there has never been a more ruthless driver except for Schumacher, but then there were things like saving Eric Comas's life at Spa in 92. Senna was a hard guy to pin down, but part of why he'll always be the greatest in my eyes.

 

[Fox Mulder]

...and I'm sure I'd get murdered in Brazil for the Senna statement, but it doesn't change the fact that they both, definitely, were cunts.

You just have to be a selfish whiny cunt to be a great WDC. Super competitive people at the peak of their profession, who are probably teddy bears off track with friends and family.

 

[Par Score]

Not sure where you get that idea? Don't think I know one person in real life that wants the guy to win.

He won BBC SPOTY in 2014 and has come runner up twice.

Lewis is incredibly popular in the UK, and without him being in championship contention (and with Button gone) viewing figures in the UK would go through the floor.

 

[Lego Boss]

When #blessed is out there l feel he can do whatever he wants to engineer the victory, anyone would have done the same in his position.

Anyway, look we are all talking about him and no-one 's talking about the champ. Strange that.

Mission accomplished for #blessed then l guess!

 

[Captain_Fujisawa]

By and large I agree with Joe Saward on this. Lewis did nothing wrong, it was his only way of trying to win the championship. Yeah, he'll probably get told off, but what are they going to do? Fire their 4 time world champion and the best driver in the sport.

I have read mammoth piles of horseshit regarding the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the way in which Mercedes handled the race. I just don’t see why anyone is upset. At the end of the race a rather dim German stomped past me in the press room, mumbling something obtuse about how Lewis was a “dirty” driver.
Clearly, the man in question understands nothing about the rules of the sport. As Lewis Hamilton pointed out after the race, “we were fighting for the championship. I was in the lead, I control the pace. That’s the rules.”
Lewis is right. Dim Deutsche should go and report on something else.

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/a-little-perspective-2/

 

[GrizzleBoy]

By and large I agree with Joe Saward on this. Lewis did nothing wrong, it was his only way of trying to win the championship. Yeah, he'll probably get told off, but what are they going to do? Fire their 4 time world champion and the best driver in the sport.



https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/a-little-perspective-2/

Neither Vettel or Rosberg can talk about ACTUAL dirty driving.

Especially when Nicos dirty driving has earned him multiple penalties this year alone...

editretty good article, just finished reading.

 

[Psychotext]

You just have to be a selfish whiny cunt to be a great WDC.

No doubt.

 

[The Incarnation]

I guess that settles it. The sport is dead.

Good, the fans are toxic as fuck anyway.

No chance of attracting a new audience, when the discourse around the sport is below the level of reality TV fans.

 

[JadedWriter]

You just have to be a selfish whiny cunt to be a great WDC.

It worked for Alonso...when he had Briatore in his corner.

 

[DBT85]

Lauda comments from BBC

"There is nothing we can do," Lauda told BBC Sport. "This is his attitude and we accept it. It is important. That's it.

"Lewis did his own race, he tried to win the championship in his way - but the danger was Vettel, we could have lost the whole race."

Asked if Hamilton would be reprimanded by the team, Lauda replied: "No because we won the race and finished second, so we achieved the result.

"There's nothing we want to do."

 

[JadedWriter]

Lauda comments from BBC

That statement actually makes sense. What was Hamilton supposed to do? Just lay down and take it. He went down fighting with all he had without stooping down to an actual unsportsman like level by crashing Rosberg out or trying to cut his tire or some shit. They still won, they still got the 1-2 and nobody's race ended in tears. Hamilton just made Rosberg sweat a little and work for it.

 

[GrizzleBoy]

That statement actually makes sense. What was Hamilton supposed to do? Just lay down and take it. He went down fighting with all he had without stooping down to an actual unsportsman like level by crashing Rosberg out or trying to cut his tire or some shit. They still won, they still got the 1-2 and nobody's race ended in tears. Hamilton just made Rosberg sweat a little and work for it.

Which is 100% in Rosbergs favour.

If both merica just cruised into the sunset, all the papers would have to talk about is "Ros did what he needed to do" mixed in with "but with Hamilton finishing so strong, something something engine failures cost him championship".

At least now, all anyone wants to talk about is how hard Ham tried to make it for him in the last race and actually gave some more sweetness to the WDC instead of what many would feel is a pretty empty WDC season.

I bet you in 30 years time when Nico is telling stories of his first WDC, he'll be 100x happier telling the story of how he had to fight the dirty air from Hamilton's car while holding off two red bulls and a romping ferrari.......as opposed to the boring, uneventful race where he just cruised home for the WDC.

And obviously it was better to watch too.....

 

[JadedWriter]

Which is 100% in Rosbergs favour.

If both merica just cruised into the sunset, all the papers would have to talk about is "Ros did what he needed to do" mixed in with "but with Hamilton finishing so strong, something something engine failures cost him championship".

At least now, all anyone wants to talk about is how hard Ham tried to make it for him in the last race and actually gave some more sweetness to the WDC instead of what many would feel is a pretty empty WDC season.

I bet you in 30 years time when Nico is telling stories of his first WDC, he'll be 100x happier telling the story of how he had to fight the dirty air from Hamilton's car while holding off two red bulls and a romping ferrari.......as opposed to the boring, uneventful race where he just cruised home for the WDC.

And obviously it was better to watch too.....

Don't get me wrong I get the "dirty" comments regarding the driving, which aren't dirty just a bit on the dickish side, but considering how Rosberg himself didn't leap out of the car and slug Hamilton for what he did or even moan about it heavily, I don't see why people should be calling for his head. Hamilton ignored orders and you know what it's not the first time and I'll bet the pants I'm wearing now that it won't be the last time either. Dirty is some of the shit Schumacher's done while driving a Mercedes. Dude broke off other people's wings and damn near tried to smear Barrichello into the pit wall once, imagine if Hamilton did stuff like that.

 

[Shaneus]

You just have to be a selfish whiny cunt to be a great WDC.

Explains Webber's success. Hopefully not Ricciardo's lack of it in 10 years though

Dirty is some of the shit Schumacher's done while driving a Mercedes. Dude broke off other people's wings and damn near tried to smear Barrichello into the pit wall once, imagine if Hamilton did stuff like that.

Jesus, I'd completely forgotten about that.

 

[DBT85]

Dirty is some of the shit Schumacher's done while driving a Mercedes. Dude broke off other people's wings and damn near tried to smear Barrichello into the pit wall once, imagine if Hamilton did stuff like that.

I don't even want to imagine what his haters would say if he actually drove like Schumi or Senna or whatever to get what he wants.

The worst thing he did in a car to win this title was drive slowly. Also the idea that he was driving so slowly but still nobody was able to get past Rosberg is just another highlight of how OP that car has been. I wonder if we've actually seen it at its full potential for anything more than a couple of laps.

Hell, I can't even be sure what people would say if he pulled Rosbergs "sorry I forgot to turn in" routine not once but twice in the same season.

 

[JadedWriter]

I don't even want to imagine what his haters would say if he actually drove like Schumi or Senna or whatever to get what he wants.

The worst thing he did in a car to win this title was drive slowly. Also the idea that he was driving so slowly but still nobody was able to get past Rosberg is just another highlight of how OP that car has been. I wonder if we've actually seen it at its full potential for anything more than a couple of laps.

Hell, I can't even be sure what people would say if he pulled Rosbergs "sorry I forgot to turn in" routine not once but twice in the same season.

Exactly. Rosberg drove dirtier, almost crashed his ass out at the start of the first race in the season as well. Don't get me wrong Hamilton can and will hang you out to dry, but everybody tends to do that occasionally and it's always Rosbergs fault cause the guy doesn't have the sense to back out of a move early, but Hamilton has never tried to intentionally crash out Rosberg. After every instance Rosberg's car is usually left in one piece, the same can not be said for Hamilton's car for a couple of occasions.

 

[Mastah]

#blessed cancels tire test (German):

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/f1-naechste-ohrfeige-fuer-mercedes-11082501.html

Pirelli Motorsport ‏@pirellisport 2h2 hours ago

Change of plan from @MercedesAMGF1: @LewisHamilton will now drive this morning, with @PWehrlein taking over in the afternoon. #F1

.

 

[Hasney]

I honestly think Hamilton would have gone through with quitting if he had somewhere to go. Vettel has contractual #1 status, Red Bull are happy with their young driver program and brand through that and McLaren are shit. I don't think anyone else can afford him unless Renault took a punt and funded the team massively.

 

[Fox Mulder]

I honestly think Hamilton would have gone through with quitting if he had somewhere to go. Vettel has contractual #1 status, Red Bull are happy with their young driver program and brand through that and McLaren are shit. I don't think anyone else can afford him unless Renault took a punt and funded the team massively.

He wasn't going anywhere else. Certainly there's some kind of clause in a contract so he can't just quit a few races into the season and then immediately go work for anyone else.

 

[Mohonky]

I only just got done watching an interview with Lauda and anither with Toto, neither of them are making anywhere near as big a deal out of it than anyone else. They knew what was coming, they covered their asses by telling Hamilton to get a move on for Merc and their sponsors interests but they were under no illusions that under the circumstances they could expect much else.

Seeing articles about 'Hamilton might get the sack!' and all that other crap, but it was as Toto said, all they can do is trying and think of a way to prevent it happening in the future but it was an unusual circumstance so its hard to even say what that could be. Toto will probably take Hamilton aside and say something about it, maybe they'll give him a fine just to say hey see, we punished him and move on.

 

[smiggyRT]

Rosberg retiring?

 

[Liha]

WHAT???

BREAKING: World champion Nico Rosberg announces his retirement from Formula 1 with immediate effect

https://twitter.com/andrewbensonf1/status/804675587671519232

EDIT: full statement

https://www.facebook.com/nicorosberg/posts/10154815043119874:0

 

[EnlightenedMint]

Is this fucking real?

 

[ramparter]

Holy shit.

Well calculated move.

 

[Ruruja]

The fuck.

 

[DSN2K]

People will be fighting for that mercedes seat

 

[Addnan]

Wtf.

 

[VE3TRO]

Thats a shock.

 

[ramparter]

People will be fighting for that mercedes seat

Imagine Button replacing him, lol

 

[Gareth Bale]

lmao

I know he's got a young kid, but I reckon this makes it clear that his perception of his ability is aligned with everyone else's, i.e. he knows he's not winning it again

 

[BossDarkseid]

what the fuck.

congrats to the guy though. what a way to go out