Formula One’s management culture needs cleansing. In the most dramatic racing circumstance in years, the sport’s leadership manufactured the result.
We cover Formula One and are pleased to share news and commentary with our readers. But we are extremely troubled by what took place — in plain sight — on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It’s clear that the Formula One management culture needs cleansing. Here’s why.
Across sports and time, it’s undebatable that sporting results must be a product of what happens on fields of competition, and that those responsible for overseeing a sport can not and should not be a determining factor in outcomes. But on Sunday, Michael Masi, a Formula One official, determined the winner of the race. Worse yet, his action determined the 2021 championship. Upon appeal, the verdict was upheld. Put another way, a travesty was upheld.
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) was the clear winner of the race until Masi intervened and adjusted the rules in favor of Max Verstappen and Red Bull. He made a mockery of the event because everybody who knows anything about Formula One knows that the last lap wasn’t a race. Verstappen had pitted to get fresh tires, and Hamilton was running on the same set since lap 14.
Formula One violated competitive norms and brought shame to the sport.
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Marke Gero on the race.
Dan Cawley on the controversy.
It looks to me that the officials did everything they could to help REDBULL’s Verspatten take the championship away from Lewis Hamilton. If this is the way of the future it is also the end of Formula 1.