FIA: Max is champion, the public doesn’t understand the rules, Hamilton pay a fine for not coming to our party.
Also FIA: Masi fired, race directors will have less responsibility and more work and a guardian angel next year. Totally unrelated to last year.
FIA: We’re strictly enforcing all lines now.
Also FIA: Except pit entry and I guess pit exit because the race director has no authority now?
Bizarrely, Ferrari’s protest of Max crossing pit exit was denied because
the race director’s notes for this race quoted last year’s pit exit rule, which was stricter than this year’s (“stay to the right” of the line vs. don’t “cross” it). Apparently the current rules override whatever the RD says (the opposite of last year, which sounds like an improvement until you realize either way is used to justify something after the fact, which is ultimately the same situation as last year: ambiguity of the racing rules). Does the FIA lack the funds to proofread their missives?
Whatever’s happening with Crofty that he can’t tell teammates apart has infected the RD/stewards, who “noted” Checo for pit exit infringement when it was obviously Max. Sloppy.
Good for Checo and (still strangely for me, though he’s behaved this year) composed for Max. Typically good Red Bull and bad Ferrari strategy.
Edit: Props to Gasly for pulling off two surprising passes on Zhou (IIRC) and Daniel after switching to inters. Props to the Monaco director for actually capturing them live, though I don’t think we saw Lewis pass Ocon live or the second contact between them (presumably after their contact at T1) or George pass Lando.
Props to Perez who apparently locked up early in the final stint avoiding a bird. Also congrats for resigning with RB (apparently he said to Horner “I signed too early” on the way to the podium). His cooperation in Spain probably helped his negotiating position. Could a signing confidence bump help explain his performance today? Endorphins are rad.
As much as I’m nitpicking the FIA for this race, it wasn’t the shitshow at the Champs League final. Not a good look to have the FIFA and UEFA bosses in the stands instead of helping solve the fan entry problem.