Thread by @davemusing

@wbuxtonofficial @karunchandhok I know you guys love F1. But being inside the bubble, I think you have (and perhaps benefit from) a different perspective to many other fans.

I'd like to try and explain why so many of us are still outraged by what happened in the 2021 #AbuDhabiGP

We all saw what happened.
So. The Safety Car comes out.
@MercedesAMGF1, correctly, judged that the race would end behind the Safety Car.
@redbullracing, correctly, judged that their best and only chance of winning was to change tyres and hope.

The message comes that LAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO OVERTAKE.
And that's it. We all know that Hamilton has won.

@CroftyF1 in commentary said:
"Well, I'll try and look at this objectively.
We should get one lap of racing here.
If we allowed the lapped cars to overtake we'd have no laps of racing to the chequered flag.
So what do Red Bull want?"

@MBrundleF1 added:
"Yeah, I mean the regulation, as I said, it's they MAY allow the lapped cars through, it's not mandatory.
But as you point out Crofty, there'd be no racing laps if they let the lapped cars through."

And then after Horner asks Masi "Why aren't we getting these lapped cars out of the way?", another message comes:

LAPPED CARS 4 (NORRIS) - 14 - 31 - 16 - 5 TO OVERTAKE SAFETY CAR

Then

SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP

And that's it. Now we all know that Verstappen will almost certainly cross the finish line first.

What we don't know, is how can this happen within the rules?

The race ends. Verstappen is obviously delighted.

Hamilton is heartbroken.

Mercedes, rightly, protest.

And the @fia go through a slow-motion death spiral of denial.

First, the @fia Stewards said there was no problem.

fia.com/sites/default/…

Then, the @fia said it wasn't their problem... even going so far as to suggest that the fans misunderstood what happened.
fia.com/news/statement…

Then, the @fia said it wasn't a big problem, so they should go ahead and hand out trophies and everyone had to pretend it was all fine, OR ELSE.

bbc.com/sport/formula1…

Then, the @fia told us that the Race Director would be replaced, and communications to the Race Director would no longer be broadcast, to prevent their big problem from happening again.

fia.com/news/fia-presi…

And finally, after several months, an executive summary of the investigation was published, telling us it was too late to do anything to fix the @fia's big problem.
fia.com/2021-f1-abu-dh…

So no, sorry @wbuxtonofficial, it is not time to move on.

Moving on requires:

1 - The @fia must publish all documents from the detailed analysis and clarification exercise on the internet for everyone to read; including all evidence and submissions from all parties.
Full transparency is the only way to restore the integrity of our sport.

2 - the 2021 WDC must be declared void. There can be no champion, and the record books must record that the FiA Race Director, and Stewards, caused the championship to be voided. The @fia must carry the stain on their record.

Some might ask why Max should be punished for the FiA's mistake.
And I do pity him. This scandal will follow him through his whole career, regardless of what success may follow.

But F1 is a team sport.
The original mistake may have been Masi's;
But Red Bull were complicit in the Steward's subsequent refusal to correct the error: "Any does not mean all" was a lie.
And so, sadly, yes, as part of that team, Max must also share the blame, and consequences.

At this point, I will just say that Max is driving brilliantly this year, in a class of his own, and if he wins the championship, he will become a true and deserving champion.
But, this will be his maiden title. Anyone who mentions "Double" should expect a tide of anger.

I don't pretend to be neutral.
Had the roles been reversed, I like to think I'd have the courage to admit being embarrassed about how it was won.
But I'm a fan. I'm allowed to be biased.

The @fia have no such excuse.
And until they correct their big problem, #F1 will be a tarnished sport.

On behalf of my fellow outragees, I'd like to apologise to you folk in the F1 media who often take the heat of our anger.
We don't mean it personally, and we'll try to do better.
All we ask is that you try to represent us, and use every opportunity to insist on justice for 2021.

EDIT:
Many people are saying the title should be awarded to Lewis. I get it💜

But both drivers earned the right to fight for the title to the last race, under the rules.

For the sake of the future of the sport, I think the history books must say that the FiA took that from us.

"We knew the regulations. The regulations led to the same result...
And the guy decided to do something completely different...
You can't change an outcome of the race by starting to freestyle to put on the best show."

-Toto. Great interview.