F1 Montreal GP: June 7-9, 2019

Lewis Hamilton: I'd have done the same as Sebastian Vettel
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/14...same-as-vettel

Look, it’s pretty obvious. Every single person worth listening to agrees that the penalty was total nonsense—even Lujo thinks so. Case closed.

Roger Wright94 said:Sebastian Vettel earned that win today.
He managed to pull away from a superior car. That final qualifying lap was pure brilliance.
He made one mistake during the race, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't trying to block anyone. The penalty they handed out is highly debatable at best.

Lewis Hamilton tried so hard to overtake Sebastian Vettel on track just to prove he was better—to show he could win regardless of the penalty. But he didn't need to take those risks...
I actually liked seeing him push.
But honestly? To me, Lewis Hamilton ended up looking pathetic today. He doesn't need this. He doesn't need a win like this. He’ll have hundreds of them anyway. If he had just conceded the five seconds, he would have been a legend. A true icon in my eyes. Forever. It’s cheap to hide behind your own fan club. Everyone does it. Real class is when the opposing fans respect you. Those people are rare...

So, unfortunately, Lewis Hamilton stays a small-time player in my book. Today, he was just a characterless hypocrite. And he had the chance. A massive one.

Signed, sealed, and delivered.🙏

Jerry Moore61 said:Here it is!

View on twitter

What can we actually expect from this appeal, and who are they even appealing to? The local water authority? 😁

Roger Wright94 said:Sebastian Vettel earned that win today.
He managed to stay ahead despite having the inferior car. That final qualifying lap was pure brilliance.
He made one error during the race, though I'm fairly certain it wasn't an attempt to block anyone. Is the penalty even justified? It's highly debatable.

Lewis Hamilton fought hard to overtake Sebastian Vettel on track, trying to prove he was faster—to show he could win regardless of any penalties. But why take that risk? It was unnecessary.
I actually respected the effort.
But honestly? To me, Lewis Hamilton came across as weak today. He didn't need this. He doesn't need a win like this. He’ll have hundreds more anyway. If he had just conceded five seconds, he would have been a legend. A true icon in my eyes. Forever. There’s no honor in retreating to hide behind your own crowd. Almost everyone does it. Real class is when you earn the respect of the opposing side. Those people are rare.

So, unfortunately, Lewis Hamilton remains a lightweight in my book. Just a pampered amateur. He showed a total lack of character today. And he had the chance. A massive one.

This is what years of being a Ferrari fan does to a person.
You used to be the gold standard on this forum for being objective, unbiased, and level-headed.

Sebastian Vettel's behavior after the race is honestly a comedy routine.
If Max Verstappen had pulled a stunt like that, everyone would be laughing at him. Instead, we ended up with a hero, a patriot, a fighter—basically a racing version of Robin Hood or Che Guevara.

Roger Wright94 said:Sebastian Vettel really earned that win today.
He managed to stay ahead of a much faster car—it was impressive—and honestly, that final qualifying lap he pulled off was just brilliant.
He did make one little driving error during the race, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't trying to block anyone on purpose. The penalty they handed out for it is definitely up for debate.

Lewis Hamilton tried so hard to overtake him on track to prove he was faster or could win despite the penalty. But he didn't really need to take those risks.
I actually loved seeing that drive.
But, at the end of the day, Lewis looks pretty weak to me. He doesn't need this—he’ll have hundreds of wins like this anyway. If he had just conceded those 5 seconds, he would’ve been a true legend in my eyes. Forever. It’s not cool to just hide behind your own fan club—everyone does that nowadays. True class is when you earn the respect of the opposing fans. Those guys are rare.

So, unfortunately, Lewis stays a bit of a lightweight in my book. He acted pretty hypocritical today, and he had such a massive chance to do better.

Haha, give me a break... some of us have actually played professional sports, and clearly you haven't... "let him pass"???? Are you serious? Anyone who trains 5 or 6 hours a day knows that's not how it works. This is terrifying...

Raymond Anderson4 said:Sebastian Vettel's behavior after the race is a total joke.
If Max Verstappen had done that, we'd be laughing at him. Instead, we got ourselves a hero, a patriot, a modern-day Robin Hood—basically the racing version of Che Guevara.

And Hamilton's too. I'm sure he respects Sebastian Vettel, but like The Best Friend said, if he hadn't started complaining on the radio right after Sebastian Vettel almost sent him into the wall, his attitude might have held up. He shouldn't pretend he cares about others just because they're struggling...

Anyway, nobody is mentioning Bottas 2.0... or is he still just 1.0?

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?

wiredfalcon2 said:Lewis Hamilton: I'd have done the same as Sebastian Vettel
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/14...same-as-vettel

So, basically everyone who matters agrees the penalty was uncalled for—even Lujo himself. Case closed.

Why twist the facts? It’s not like anyone won't click the link to see what it actually says. Lewis didn't say there shouldn't be a penalty; he just said he would have done the exact same thing if he were in that position.

Nicholas Newman2 said:Why twist the facts? It’s not like people won't just click the link and see what's actually written. Nowhere does Hamilton say this isn't about the penalty; he’s just saying he would've done the exact same thing if he were in that position.

I guess he didn't bother reading past the headline either.

Socially acceptable behavior is governed by a whole mess of laws, norms, and penalties for when you step out of line. It’s the exact same setup in Formula 1. We have the rulebooks, we have the penalties...

But let's be real—you can't predict every single scenario in either world. When things get unpredictable, what actually matters is respecting the spirit of the law. The whole point of this sport is racing, plain and simple, so this penalty just goes against the spirit of F1. Especially when you look at the bigger picture—the gap in performance, the standings... all of it. Sebastian Vettel basically shot himself in the foot here, but apparently, the officials decided they needed to amputate both legs.

Roger Wright94 said:He probably didn't read anything past the headline.

There isn't even any ambiguity in the title.

Nicholas Newman2 said:Those were the words of the German commentator during and after the race on CBS.

In my opinion, he could have handled his reentry much better. Vettel is an elite driver earning double-digit millions, and a driver of his caliber should know how to stay on track. A pilot at that level always knows where his opponent is and waits for the right moment to make a move.
Sebastian Vettel prevented that here, which is something I can understand from a driving standpoint in that specific moment.

He messed up because he allowed himself to go off track in the first place, so he paid the price. Anything else is just noise. Imagine if you lost control in Turn 1 like that—how would a reentry even look when everyone else is coming back in full throttle? No one would be able to control their race car; they'd all just plow straight ahead. When you go onto the grass, you don't fight it; you just get back on the track. You don't race on the grass; the track is for racing.

Regarding my colleague asking what I'd do if I were the steward Personally, I wouldn't hand out a penalty that harsh. It feels extreme, and it’s a shame the officiating isn't more consistent. If I really have to judge the incident, the fault lies with Vettel; the rules are clear. But if I had to issue a penalty, I'd just give him a warning.

Let me repeat the words of that commentator, who by nationality really should have been biased.

Edit: Knights Templar
"And there goes the surgeon, ready to amputate both limbs."

It's been a long time since I've read something so concise yet so dramatic.👍

All things considered, I'd say I'm pretty satisfied.
Ferrari lost the race, sure, but they put up a hell of a fight against an untouchable Mercedes.
I really wish they had swapped Leclerc's tires right after Vettel so he could have actually stayed in the hunt and chased down Lewis Hamilton.
This race was basically a blueprint for how you beat Mercedes. You have to execute everything flawlessly. Every single detail. And some parts were even brilliant.

Lewis made more mistakes than Vettel, from Free Practice all the way through the race. Somehow, he still got away with it. The race car just made up for it, IMO.
Vettel paid a heavy price for his error. But he also proved he’s still got it.

I don't think he deserves a penalty here. Sure, cutting back onto the track was risky, but he didn't gain an advantage—he was already leading and simply maintained that lead.

It feels like an unnecessary penalty, especially since Mercedes is so dominant right now they don't need wins like this. It reminds me of how Michael Schumacher didn't really need that win in Austria back in 2002.

Nicholas Newman2 said:Why twist the facts? It’s not like nobody's gonna click the link and see what's actually written. Nowhere does Hamilton say this isn't about the penalty; he's just saying if he were in their shoes, he'd do the exact same thing.

Read the whole thing. Look, Hamilton is a hell of a driver, but he’s not some untouchable legend like those NFL players who "accidentally" miss a call just to make a point, or some coach who tells his team to let a goal slide because the other side got an easy one. He'll go on record calling a penalty stupid, sure, but if you actually read between the lines, that's exactly what he's doing.

wiredfalcon2 said:I read everything. Of course Hamilton isn't some untouchable icon like those soccer players who intentionally miss a penalty just to make a point, or coaches who let the other team score just to protest a bad call. They might say openly that a penalty was stupid, but if you read between the lines, that’s exactly what they're implying.

Even though I'm a Mercedes fan, I have no intention of glorifying things that don't deserve it—like how Ham behaves after a race. If I could, I'd give him a piece of my mind for that stuff.

But look, this isn't a championship for character; it's Formula 1.

I still maintain that your comment based on that link doesn't hold up. Even if there is something being said "between the lines," it certainly isn't what you're suggesting.

https://www.racefans.net/2019/06/10/...ttels-penalty/

🤣

It really doesn't matter if he was pushing at his absolute limit regardless of knowing the situation. Not communicating that to the driver behind him who’s hunting them down is just a slap in the face. 😁

Roger Wright94 said:All in all, I’d say I'm pretty happy with how things went.
Ferrari lost the race, but they gave Mercedes a real run for their money.
I really wish they had swapped Leclerc's tires right after Vettel—then maybe he could have actually stayed in the hunt for Lewis.
This race was basically a blueprint for how you take down Mercedes. You just have to be flawless. Every single detail. And some parts were honestly brilliant.

Lewis made more mistakes than Vettel, from Free Practice all the way through the race. But he managed to wiggle out of them without much trouble—his race car really made up for it, IMO.
Vettel paid a high price for his error, though he definitely showed what he's capable of.

Haha, so his car just makes up for all 78 of his wins now? These Hamilton haters are getting ridiculous...

northerncobra31 said:If you ask me, there shouldn't have been a penalty. Yeah, coming back onto the track was risky, but he didn't gain an advantage—he was already leading and just reclaimed that spot.

It's an unnecessary penalty; Mercedes is so dominant they don't need a win like this. Just like how Michael Schumacher didn't need that win in Austria back in 2002.

No, he didn't gain anything at all. Lewis was flying, then suddenly Vettel just shot forward—it's not like Lewis had to slow down or change his line or anything...

And as for this "give to the poor" stuff—look, people can go volunteer for charity events, but this is still a professional sport...

Raymond Anderson4 said:🤣
It doesn't matter if he was already driving at his absolute limit without knowing. Still, withholding that info from the driver right behind him who’s hunting them down? That’s a low blow. 😁

I don't see it as a low blow. It's clean.
Actually, it's probably better they kept him in the dark. He could just drive without getting bogged down in math and split-second calculations.

The real question is whether they would have told him if he'd closed the gap to within five seconds of catching Vettel. I bet they would've reacted then, which isn't something I'd appreciate.

Personally, I find it more intriguing to wonder if they told Vettel that Leclerc was closing in on that five-second lead. Honestly, I doubt it. As my fellow forum member put it, doing so would create too many complications.

Nicholas Newman2 said:Look, I’m a Mercedes fan through and through, but I’m not about to start glorifying stuff that doesn't deserve it—like how Hamilton acts after a race and all that nonsense. If I had my way, I'd give him a piece of my mind for that stuff.

But let's be real, this isn't some contest to see who has the best personality; it's Formula 1.

I’m still sticking to my guns here. That comment you made, even with the link, just doesn't hold water. Just because there's something written between the lines doesn't mean it actually says what you think it's suggesting.

Obviously it's not a character contest, but still, history and F1 fans tend to value character just as much as they value the drivers taking home the titles. Honestly, sometimes people respect a driver with real grit even more if they never won a championship, or maybe just once, compared to some guy who racked up multiple titles but has zero soul.

Raymond Anderson4 said:https://www.racefans.net/2019/06/10/...ttels-penalty/

🤣

It is entirely irrelevant whether he was pushing at his absolute limit regardless of that knowledge; failing to inform a driver who is chasing him down is simply a slap in the face. 😁

Just standard Ferrari practice. Nothing unexpected here. Even back in the Kimi Raikkonen era, Sebastian Vettel was always the priority. It isn't controversial; it's just a team decision. I doubt Charles Leclerc will make any fuss about it.