F1 2026

[JerryMungo]

Oh.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2111741254090318037

Christian Horner has revisited the final Safety Car controversy of Abu Dhabi 2021, and openly described Red Bull pushing Michael Masi to allow the lapped cars through.

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿: “Originally he said, ‘No, the cars are not to unlap.’ And then by putting pressure on him, he agreed to unlap the cars.”

But Horner also acknowledges the crucial detail: Masi only released the cars positioned between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿: “The only controversial thing that he did… [was] only the ones between Lewis and Max.”

Horner adds that, looking back, Masi could simply have allowed 𝗮𝗹𝗹 of the lapped cars through.

That decision transformed the finale: Verstappen restarted directly behind Hamilton on fresh softs, while Lewis was on hards more than 40 laps old.

𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝗲𝘁-𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗮𝘀.

[Christian Horner via Up To Speed]

EXCEPT that unlapping the cars between lewis and max were not the only controversial thing he did... he also let them race a lap earlier. They should have finished behind the safety car - a lap later - as is the norm...

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

OH the butthurt continues 5 years later. Still looking for excuses for a team that kept their driver out on old hards.
FACT: Hamilton should have gotten a penalty for cutting the corner on lap 1. Even the bias British commentators said so. So there end all your last lap controversy.

 

[quovadis]

EXCEPT that unlapping the cars between lewis and max were not the only controversial thing he did... he also let them race a lap earlier. They should have finished behind the safety car - a lap later - as is the norm...

and going alongside and ahead of Hamilton before the restart.

 

[caroper]

Horner also neglects to report that he told Messi that not all the lapped cars need to be un lapped, it was Horner that fed the race director the idea. It was perfectly clear in the TV coverage the com's were all live on Sky.

Edit: I just tried the F1TV archive footage and it appears that that conversation has been edited out and so far I have not managed to find any Replays of the Sky F1 coverage. But still it is all water under the bridge, Horner should not be staring it all up again...

 

[Heisenborg]

 

[FlashSA]

Horner also neglects to report that he told Messi that not all the lapped cars need to be un lapped, it was Horner that fed the race director the idea. It was perfectly clear in the TV coverage the com's were all live on Sky.

Edit: I just tried the F1TV archive footage and it appears that that conversation has been edited out and so far I have not managed to find any Replays of the Sky F1 coverage. But still it is all water under the bridge, Horner should not be staring it all up again...

I'm not saying you are wrong, but I recall Horner saying to Masi "Why are we not getting these lapped cars out of the way?" and "you only need one racing lap".

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

I'm not saying you are wrong, but I recall Horner saying to Masi "Why are we not getting these lapped cars out of the way?" and "you only need one racing lap".

Oh he is wrong. Thats how they roll, lie to go with they/them narrative.
Thats why you will see he claim the conversations have now mysteriously disappeared. We will hear more conspiracy theories, anything but the truth.

 

[caroper]

I'm not saying you are wrong, but I recall Horner saying to Masi "Why are we not getting these lapped cars out of the way?" and "you only need one racing lap".

Not as Good as the origional recordings would have been but I did find this:

The Controversy and the Rulebook

At the end of the 2021 season finale, then-race director Michael Masi used his discretion under Article 48.12 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. The crucial phrase in the regulation stated that "any lapped cars may now overtake the leader."
• The "Any" vs. "All" Argument: Red Bull and supporters of the decision argued that "any" meant "as required" or a select group, giving the race director the flexibility to clear only the cars separating the title contenders.
• The Counter-Argument: Mercedes and opposing interpretations maintained that in the context of the rulebook, "any" implied all applicable lapped cars, and cherry-picking only a few cars (specifically the five between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen) while leaving other lapped cars further back un-unlapped was an irregular application of the procedure.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Oh for God's sake...

Thank goodness there's a race coming up this weekend.

 

[Craig_]

Oh for God's sake...

Thank goodness there's a race coming up this weekend.

Yeah, I really don't see the purpose of dredging up this whole discussion again, its old news now.

 

[caroper]

Yeah, I really don't see the purpose of dredging up this whole discussion again, its old news now.

I agree, as I said, Horner should never have brought it up.
I have had my say I will not mention it again.
It did enough damage to F1 the first time round, Looking forward to CoA it is normally one of the better races of the season
.

 

[Scuderia1]

So who do you guys think will be taking 2nd place in the drivers championship? I think it is going to be hard to beat Max. We have seen from the 2nd half of the season last year, once he is one with the car, he is very difficult to beat and the last few races have shown that.

 

[JerryMungo]

OH the butthurt continues 5 years later. Still looking for excuses for a team that kept their driver out on old hards.
FACT: Hamilton should have gotten a penalty for cutting the corner on lap 1. Even the bias British commentators said so. So there end all your last lap controversy.

Butthurt at the FIA rigging the championship? You bet.
As for Hamilton's penalty, we'll never know will we.

 

[wallace1]

As for Hamilton's penalty, we'll never know will we

He is forced to date Kim K

 

[satanboy]

He is forced to date Kim K

10 internets to you!

 

[handyman007]

Qualifying Saturday 23:00
Race Sunday 22:00

Might be a difficult Monday coming up...

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Butthurt at the FIA rigging the championship? You bet.
As for Hamilton's penalty, we'll never know will we.

Yes I hate this rigging.
Why did Rosberg suddenly retire?
Why was one manufacturer allowed so much better engine than the rest for so long?

 

[JerryMungo]

Yes I hate this rigging.
Why did Rosberg suddenly retire?

Because he knew how hard it was to beat his teammate and admitted as much.

Why was one manufacturer allowed so much better engine than the rest for so long?

Oh that's indeed a big issue.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

Because he knew how hard it was to beat his teammate and admitted as much.

Oh that's indeed a big issue.

No you said the FIA rigged championships, so I just gave you more examples of it.
Rosberg was paid to leave and then they got old slow Bottas.

I don't know why you so angry. I am agreeing with you when you said FIA rigged championships.

 

[FlashSA]

He is forced to date Kim K

Well done!

I saw a meme recently where Hamilton was staring into a massive canyon which looked to have a G-String across. Proper summary of his current squeeze's dating history.....