[jpcoolguy]

Originally Posted by shibujp

I am sorry but if FIA does not take away Max's position for this behavior they cast themselves in very poor light as a governing body of Motorsport. Penalties have been really inconsistent this year. Threatening another sportsman with violence and then actually following it through. Rubbish.

Originally Posted by arunphilip

That said, pretty dumb of Max to throw away any earned sympathy (and the stewards' support) by picking an altercation with Ocon post-race. Ocon also played the victim perfectly, with his innocent facial expressions while being confronted by Max. I'm sure Max will pick up a reprimand (and maybe even penalty points) for this conduct

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

Whatever happened during the race Max's action is unacceptable. He can't and shouldn't get away with it. I don't think just taking away the race points is enough, i don't know what the FIA code says but in mind he should be banned for the remaining races and his points table wiped clean ( what happened with Michael Schumacher for deliberately crashing into Mika Hakkinen in 98 (or was it 99). I hope Ocon press charges with the local authorities too.

Max has been handed "Public Service" punishment for his confrontation with Ocon.

Source: http://www.espn.in/f1/story/_/id/252...g-esteban-ocon

Both drivers were called to the race stewards to explain the incident later that evening, and the four-person panel found that Verstappen's actions had been in breach of the FIA's International Sporting Code. However, instead of issuing a sporting penalty -- an option that was available to the stewards -- they handed down a punishment of two days public service under the watch of the FIA.

[dmplog]

This is what Hamilton had to say to Max post race - wise thinking I must say
"In the green room before the podium ceremony, Hamilton told Verstappen that Ocon had the right to unlap himself. Verstappen agreed, but added: "But you can't crash." Hamilton responded: "You had more to lose than he did. He had nothing to lose."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/46173103

[deetjohn]

Verstappen threw it away! No two ways about that for me. That sense of 'Entitlement' is crowding his judgement and he is not picking the right battles.

Ocon was way faster on his fresh rubber, in the slipstream and was on the outside. Verstappen should have looked at the bigger picture and left Ocon more room . There was no need for Verstappen to turn right the way he did. He should have left the steering a bit more open. He was on the inside again for the next left-hander.

Yes, Ocon deserves punishment for influencing a race result from an inconsequential position. But the fact is that Verstappen turned into the Force India and both of them spun. Look at the onboard from Ocon. He was carrying way more speed and just held his line. Verstappen could have and should have avoided this. He had way more to lose and he did.

Verstappen will not agree with this now, but he will definitely look back at this incident in a few years time and agree. He is just 21 and that got exposed today. If he is not keeping his cool in 50-50 situations like this, he is going to lose more wins and even titles.

Verstappen has been ordered by FIA to complete two days of "public service for his post race antics on Ocon. And no further punishment for Ocon as expected.

Also, I wonder what to make out of RBR' resurgence. They finally unlocked the potential in their car. And maybe both Mercedes and Ferrari are looking at 2019 with more vigor now. While its come too late for RBR, they are going to divorce Renault when the partnership is working well. It will be a big surprise if Honda can fill that void so well. I hope so for the sake of a better championship fight next season.

[swissknife]

I quite understand the frustration that Max went through. The race was his till the time Ocon did what he did. The Stewards should have given Max an time advantage... Instead of penalising ocon alone. Say at least the time that he was ahead of LH. With times this (reverse penalty), this would come in. While the person who faulted was penalised it still didn't undo the damage done to Max. Yes, there have been many a race that has been lost/won due to racing incidents, but then, losing a race due to a back marker is quite different.

Having said that, Max should curtail his temper. The sooner the better for him.

[sgiitk]

I personally enjoyed the race. More overtaking than two races, also incidents. I support Verstappen. A chap who is a lap behind, has no business to try and interfere with the leaders. Situation was tight, and Ocon should have moved out. What was he doing tangling with the No.2, going hell for leather for the lead? Maybe his 'handlers' should have warned him.

[nair]

Uncharacteristic from Ocon. I don't think Max overreacted. Here is a guy who clearly has a superior car only on a few circuits, driving his heart out, outclassing multiple world champions and on his way to his most memorable victory ever. And Ocon was being lapped for the second time. There was absolutely no incentive for him to make that move on Max.

I wonder what Schumacher would have done in a similar situation as Max? And for that matter, Lewis as well.

Max is really one to watch out for the future. I hope Honda can give RedBull a good reliable engine for 2019.

Anyway, what happened to Vettel? He is usually a great starter, I was surprised to see him lose ground at the start. On the other hand, seeing Kimi on the attack was so refreshing.

[phoenixash]

Brilliant race, been a while since a race has been this interesting to watch. Brazil never fails to deliver! RBR's resurgence is good for the sport, however a little too late in the season for the team.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I support Verstappen. A chap who is a lap behind, has no business to try and interfere with the leaders.

Originally Posted by nair

I wonder what Schumacher would have done in a similar situation as Max? And for that matter, Lewis as well.

Lewis said it best - Max had more to lose than Ocon in that situation. While Ocon's move was definitely not called for, Ocon does has the right to unlap himself and was going faster than Max on the straight. Max could have easily let him go through and then overtaken him in the next corner (Ocon can't ignore the blue flags), it's not like Lewis was breathing down Max's neck to overtake!

This is where the experience of Lewis counts, and has made him the WC - Hamilton was in a similar situation in Singapore and he waited for the backmarkers to get clear out of his path instead of making a risky move.

[mayankk]

What a race. Total humdinger!
Congratulations to the champ and bottas for bringing home the championships before the season ran out. An absolute blast!
I enjoyed verstappan's drive, and he was to be commended before he went off behaving like a school bully. Better suited for Nascar. Maybe instead of alonso, he should be heading to America. Akin to maybe Maldonado getting physical with someone for a fender-bender. I mean, this is the guy with his own tribute website, crashstappen.com . He wont go far in the sport with that attitude without the paddock's respect.

[arun_josie]

Interestingly, Jos Verstappen was the last backmarker to takeout the leader of the race in Interlagos. He ran into the back of leader Juan Pablo Montoya just after being lapped.

This time his son Max is at the receiving end.

Watch from 1:57

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAQokaIC63k

I do agree that Ocon could have slowed down, but if Max was in Ocon's position, he wouldn't have done anything different either. Especially when the backmarker here was quicker on fresh tyres and tailing the leader for couple of laps before the team asked him to unlap the leader. And Max's behavior after the race is not very gentlemanly and definitely not a great endorsement for F1 or its racers.

And its a shame that Christian Horner is defending Max's post race actions saying "Ocon was lucky just to be pushed".

[F150]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I personally enjoyed the race. More overtaking than two races, also incidents. I support Verstappen. A chap who is a lap behind, has no business to try and interfere with the leaders. Situation was tight, and Ocon should have moved out. What was he doing tangling with the No.2, going hell for leather for the lead? Maybe his 'handlers' should have warned him.

May be we should now start floating theories that Totto Wolf had Occon take out Max, like Hamilton accused Kimi and Ferrari of taking him out on purpose.

Max is a great racer and if Ferrari doesn't come up with an answer to Mercedes next year, I will shift my allegiance to Max, Horner and RBR.

Max has every right to be upset but, I don't support his behavior post race.

Ferrari spoiled their race by starting on soft tyres. I think the strategy let them down yet again.

I hope Vettel comes off fresh from the break next year. He looked out of sorts , he could neither overtake nor defend.

Kimi overtook Bottas like he was a relentless demon.

Even Ricciardo looked better than Vettel. May be Leclerc will be give some respite to Ferrari fans next year.

[shibujp]

Originally Posted by jpcoolguy

Max has been handed "Public Service" punishment for his confrontation with Ocon.

Source: http://www.espn.in/f1/story/_/id/252...g-esteban-ocon

FIA is going out of it's way to prove that it is a circus and not governed by any sort of sporting ethics that other sports are governed by. In which other sport is retaliating to an offender no matter what his offence is, tolerated. Remember Beckam's sendoff in a previous World Cup with Argentina.

And from the video, Verstappen did what he usually did and that is squeeze out the opposition. We have seen this multiple times in his career so far. He gets away with it because he is one of F1's most marketable stars. Well this time Ocon had nothing to lose and held his line. Verstappen had plenty of space on the his left while Ocon had two wheels outside the white line demarcating the track limits. The penalty is absolutely nonsense. Ocon was well within his rights to unlap himself. Just because we normally don't see it done, doesn't mean he can't. The race leader also has his responsibility to keep his nose clean. Horner supported his blue eyed boy, till he ended up with egg on his face as Verstappen took out Riccardo. He is setting himself up for something similar.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[jpcoolguy]

Originally Posted by nair

Anyway, what happened to Vettel? He is usually a great starter, I was surprised to see him lose ground at the start. On the other hand, seeing Kimi on the attack was so refreshing.

Originally Posted by F150

I hope Vettel comes off fresh from the break next year. He looked out of sorts , he could neither overtake nor defend.

Kimi overtook Bottas like he was a relentless demon.

Even Ricciardo looked better than Vettel. May be Leclerc will be give some respite to Ferrari fans next year.

Seems like a sensor issue in Vettel's car, however Vettel himself admitted that the Soft rubber strategy has gone wrong and he was unable to get the grip that his rivals in SuperSoft tyres got. Though, Kimi managed to get his tyres working and was able to fend off Daniel to finish in the podium.

Source: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...em-hurt-vettel

[nair]

Wow. The disdain towards Max is unreal. He has clearly shown improvements in the second half of the season. In fact I think he is second in the points after the summer break.

People should give him a break. Ocon clearly didn't follow the racing etiquette. If it was the other way around, Max touching Lewis/Vettel while being lapped, people would have eaten Max alive.

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by Mohan Mathew A

I don't think just taking away the race points is enough, i don't know what the FIA code says but in mind he should be banned for the remaining races and his points table wiped clean ( what happened with Michael Schumacher for deliberately crashing into Mika Hakkinen in 98 (or was it 99). I hope Ocon press charges with the local authorities too.

That was in 1997, when Schumacher crashed into Villeneuve.

Originally Posted by nair

I wonder what Schumacher would have done in a similar situation as Max? And for that matter, Lewis as well.

In 1998 Belgian GP, racing under heavy rain, Schumacher while leading the race, crashed into the back of Coulthard's McLaren which was about to be lapped. An angry Schumacher barged into McLaren garage to confront Coulthard and even accused him of trying to kill him. Later Schumacher retracted that and even Coulthard accepted years later that he could have done better when letting Schumacher lap him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjTGXC5zXjY

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...r-1175302.html

In 2005 Belgian GP, Antonio Pizzonia in his Williams, while trying to un-lap himself, crashed into Montoya who was running 2nd.

A backmarker trying to unlap is much more common occurrence than people think. Only when there is a crash, do people talk about it.

In an extreme sport like F1, where tempers are running high, drivers will not be at their best behavior when something like this happens. Which is why, it's disappointing to see Christian Horner encouraging Verstappen's behavior. Basically he has no control over his driver, and it's not the first time we are seeing this.

[jpcoolguy]

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

A backmarker trying to unlap is much more common occurrence than people think. Only when there is a crash, do people talk about it.

Yes, I think even in this year's Italian GP at Monza, Sirotkin got unlapped himself by Kimi when his tyre was hanging by threads literally, however got back his place in the next blue flag. In hindsight, Max should have waited for the next blue flag to lap Ocon again however he was succumbed to the intensity of the occasion. However, what would have happened if Ocon crashed into Hamilton for a change and I am sure everyone would be calling for Ocon's head.