Let Him By

[Bazile]

I'm aware there are a few F1 fans on here .

What on earth is all this fuss about ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/45701725

F1 is a team sport - That is to say each team are competing against the other teams for the Driver's and constructor's titles .

Valtteri is not in the race for the title -Vettel and Hamilton, are
Valtteri , with the same machinery has not performed to the standard of Hamilton this season - so at this stage in the proceedings should accept that he will have to be the wing man to Hamilton .

//"You need to weigh it up. Do I want to be the baddie on Sunday evening for many of the right reasons or the idiot in Abu Dhabi at the end of the season? I would rather be the baddie today and not the idiot at the end of the year."//

Well said Toto

What are your opinions on this issue ?

I would appreciate it if ( as is often the case ) that if you are not interested , then don't spoil the question with silly comments about F1

[Ellipsis]

It would definitely mess up the betting if you didn't know it could happen.

If you did know, then it should influence the betting but not mess it up. For example, Bottas winning the next race would have to mean that Hamilton was never in a position to be let through, which means that the odds on Bottas winning should be longer.

[ToraToraTora]

ellipsis, there are no hard and fast orders, they react to circumstances. In other situations they have been permitted to race. Wolf was reacting these specific circumstances. Spicey, even when outlawed they did it using their own method. The famous Smedley: (northern accent): to Massa, "Fernandoor is fasta than yooo"!

[saintpeter48]

It's cheating, pure cheating!
They deprived the public of a 'race', they contrived a result.
In any other sport they would both be banned for cheating, it was not a fair run race, what if this had happened in a horse race when an owner has more than one horse in the same race, jockey one slows down to let jockey two win, it would all turn into a farce!
What about the punters who had bet on Botta to win?
Its turning it all into a farce!

[Ellipsis]

OK thanks, TTT.

[Spicerack]

Saintpeter- Jockeys/Trainers/Owners banned for life. Even from going near a racecourse. ;)
Yes, ttt, they used to use coded messages. I'm surprised they're allowed to do it so blatantly. They've obviously changed the rules.

[ToraToraTora]

SaintPeter, I am offering only explanations here, I'm not saying it's right but it is with the current rules of the sport. Your horse racing analogy does have some validity and no doubt there are people who backed Bottas feeling cheated too but in horse racing it is against the rules. In F1 the odds are set such that what happened is a possibility.

[New Judge]

"Just to have a different point of view. I'm fairly certain that F1 banned such blatant race fixing one time. (obviously the rule has now been rescinded)"

Yes, from 2011 (IIRC), spicey.

"And know for a fact that a bet I once had on F1 was stymied by such cheating. Can you imagine an owner/trainer pulling such a stunt in a horse-race."

Yes, spicey, but F1 was, from its outset, a constructors’ championship. The drivers’ title was something of a “bolt-on” and anyone gambling on the latter must realise that, with or without “team orders” there is always the chance that one driver may be favoured over another.

Interestingly, in relation to horse racing, I believe in France, there is a system called “Parimutuel” betting (similar to the “Tote”). I’m not sure if it’s still so, but at one time a punter could not bet onf a single horse where a trainer had more than one entry in the same race. He had to back them all.

“It's cheating, pure cheating!”

It would only be cheating if it was contrary to the rules.


“…what if this had happened in a horse race when an owner has more than one horse in the same race,…”

It would be cheating because it’s contrary to the rules.

“…what about the punters who had bet on Botta to win?”

They would have lost. And when placing their bets they should have been fully aware that what happened yesterday is a possibility. My grandfather once offered me this very wise advice: “Never bet on nuffink that can talk!”

[Canary42]

Horse racing is not a team sport, so comparisons are irrelevant.

Both Vettel and Schumacher won WCs under similar circumstances, so it's no reflection on Hamilton. Therefore the fuss is unjustified IMHO.

[New Judge]

Agree 100%, canary. And added to that, as mentioned earlier, Ferrari employed team orders when they were outlawed.

[Bazile]

Roll on Suzuka - the best race circuit on the planet

If the Ferrari's can't get a result there , then I fear ( barring car problems / crashes for the mercs ) it will be looking grim for them to take the title

[TonyV]

Have not read all the answers but Hamilton is the one that will win the championship and team orders prevail. At the end of the day you do as the boss (whose paying your wages) says.

[TonyV]

Saint it happens in horse racing or point to point all the time.

[TonyV]

New Judge you may be old enough to remember when ground effect cars where racing ~ and it was simply a large cooling fan.

[New Judge]

"...and it was simply a large cooling fan."

I preferred "an upside down hovercraft!" :-)

[douglas9401]

The Ferrari season evaporated when their shenanigans (as yet to be fully disclosed) were discovered and they were told to cease and desist.

DeeSee pointed it out yesterday, wispy emissions from the rear of a prancing horse.

Mr Bottas must do some hardcore yoga to stay that calm though.

[TonyV]

NJ sucked it to the ground though

[TonyV]

I only went to one Grand Prix at Silverstone, think it was around 1980, went for full weekend, was brilliant seeing people throwing water over qualy tires after fast lap to cool them down again

[New Judge]

"NJ sucked it to the ground though"

Exactly Tony - a Suckercraft! :-)

[Davemano]

I watch it but would prefer if it were left entirely to the drivers, to race without any radio contact with the management team.

[rowanwitch]

Be a bit difficult with cars being so technical, and you need the contact for organising pitstops, and instructions like giving back places that were gained illegally. They tried restricting the info that was given. They just worked out codes.