Richard Walker38 said:Someone please drop a photo, a GIF, or some video proof of Vettel’s wheels actually leaving the ground!
What if I decided to play director for the broadcasts here on the Forum?
You had plenty of chances to see it live on the broadcast, and then you could just watch the studio breakdowns afterward. You could see exactly how he adjusted the steering compared to where the car was heading when he caught that sliding rear end and kept it steady. But honestly, why would you listen to any of that? You’ve already made up your mind, haven't you?
And hey, you’re entitled to your opinion, just like I’m entitled to mine. ☕
Look, all you losers trying to compare this mess to some other "similar" incidents? You either have no clue what actually happened, or you’re intentionally ignoring the massive difference between the two.
Runoff areas aren't all created equal, you know? They totally change how a car behaves when things go sideways. If you hit the asphalt or concrete, you can actually fight to keep control. But if you slide into a sand trap? Forget about it—you’re either stuck or flying off uncontrollably. And grass? Man, once you hit the grass, you're just along for the ride, sliding around exactly how Newton's Law dictates. You're basically just a passenger at that point, right?
Look at that jump! They’re flying over two curbs before even hitting the grass. At one point, the car is practically airborne rather than actually touching the track. So, when everyone starts talking about "car control" and saying things like, "I would have turned left here..."—isn't that a little excessive?
Every single year they tweak these cars, right? They’re constantly messing with the setups, so they never drive the same way from one season to the next—let alone compared to the old models. Honestly, trying to make those kinds of comparisons just feels totally pointless.
You could totally go with the "who cares, he missed it, rules are rules" argument. Honestly, that's a fair point. But personally? I don't think the penalty actually fit the spirit of the rule. See, the rule is supposed to punish someone for intentionally blocking another driver. How on earth did they decide it was intentional in such a tiny window of time?
Sayin' that "if he had to brake, then it's his fault" is just straight-up nonsense here. I mean, seriously? If we follow that logic, you could argue anything. How many reckless or intentional pit lane releases have we seen this season? Or how many times did Denis Hemić lose his cool during restarts by blocking the entire column? It just doesn't hold water.
The whole point is that when you over-regulate everything, you kill off whatever tiny bit of suspense is left in live sports. I mean, what’s the fun in that? You end up in a situation where the guy crossing the finish line first hasn't even got a clue if he actually beat the person in second or third place. Is that really how we want to watch a race?
Look, if you want to get real about it, today’s game isn't even about the cars or the drivers anymore. It’s just one big marketing circus built around image rather than actual substance. Both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton are basically just playing roles. Honestly? A moody, pious type is way easier for the media to sell than some cold, calculated driver who throws temper tantrums like a kid. At the end of the day, money makes the world go round.
Racing is basically just a side show at this point. Drivers are nothing more than passengers who just need to stare at whatever pops up on their steering wheel displays. They memorize Plan A, B, and C, keep an eye on the water temp, electricity, fuel levels, and brakes, and then pay some environmental fee for the rubber they leave on the asphalt. It’s all just executing a pre-planned virtual race based on data sent from the pit wall, only checking the standings once it's all over. We're honestly one step away from drivers just sitting at home behind a computer, uploading their results to the cloud, and letting an algorithm decide the final rankings after adding some penalties. Is that even a sport anymore?
It’s pretty wild how once again we’re stuck in the shadow of "Ferkanov's brilliant pit wall tactics." Seriously, those few laps where they just let Charles Leclerc sit in that first stint losing seconds? I’d bet he dropped at least five or six. Could have easily made up for that later on, right?
Sure, they couldn't have seen this coming, but honestly? I don't see any scenario where he actually walks away with a win here. Just look at what happened to Lewis Hamilton—it was a perfect example of how just one extra lap can totally cost you a position. Why even bother?