Yeah, basically the line is that he was determined that this would be decided on track.
Obviously his method means some could claim the decision was made off the track… No win win there, but as both Horner and Wolff asked for racing he found the most pragmatic and fairest way to do that within the rules (or at the very least the spirit of them).
I think that sums it up, it was a pragmatic solution to at least allow some racing rather than the championship deciding race ending under the safety car. Was it right or wrong? I suspect discussion will rage across the internet for weeks to come.
In truth Mercedes had the better car, all things being equal, would have won, but as ever, in racing, things never are. There was also a questionable call at the beginning in the Max vs Lewis overtake, which may have changed the dynamic of the race.
You think ?
Well, I guess there an actual finite chance it won’t, that is realised in some universe. 
I wonder if Toto Wolff will walk away after this. There was talk of it a couple of years ago but the way the ‘sport’ is heading is probably not one he wants to involved in.
He’s a pragmatist.
New regs next year and he is a share holder. Merc F1 need to prove that they are worthy of Merc money.
He won’t leave due to political intrigue. He’ll leave when it’s financially viable.
Merc lodge protest over Max overtaking during the safety car and only letting some of the cars unlap themselves. Wonder if this one will end up at CAS. Despite the fact there was some bullshit at the end, I hope they let the result stand. Be nice if the sort out strict adherence to the rules for next year though, too many inconsistencies this year.
I’m guessing this is the first Grand Prix you have watched this season?
All of these things happen multiple times in multiple races.
I think that it’s the right thing to do.
There is enough conflict about the decision (from people who know what they are talking about) to be worth a protest.
A Race Director’s decision should be final, especially when both RB and Merc asked to finish under a Green Flag.
Just because it didn’t go your way, shouldn’t be the only reason for a protest (although I suspect it is), but F1 investment is huge, so these things will happen.
Part of me would prefer the simple (on track) solution. But I am not naive and I understand how F1 works.
The interwebs are close to complete meltdown at the moment.
It’s. Fucking. Great.
Not sure why this should be used as a stick to beat Mercedes. They probably weren’t expecting the director to go completely off piste.
Not a good couple of races for him. Has he been this controversial all year?
And it was after the realisation that shit is rarely fair, that I stopped being a driver Fanboi.
Any driver, who has the “minerals” to drive an epically quick car at the front and has the mental strength to do this week in, week out, is worthy of support.
I don’t see it as a stick to beat anyone. It was a decision. The consequences were pretty obvious. If Merc called for it, then they understood the consequences and that their only recourse was protest. Not exactly an “elegant” way to go racing. Caveat Emptor.
Masi has made a few decisions that have been questionable under the spotlight of TV. This is the first year that the TV companies have had access to the Control Room. What happened under Charlie Whiting is unknown to the wider world.
The biggest issue has been the Stewards. I believe, their inconsistency has created more bad blood than anything Masi has done (unless you are emotionally, rather than logically, invested).
No mate. They did not. Stop being a dick
Then as a professional team basing their careers on strategy, they should reconsider their place in the sport.
What the giddy fuck are talking about? How could they know the race director would let SOME cars through, when the rule says ANY.
You fucking melon. How do you do strategy for that?
They wanted to race to finish under a Green Flag. Their telemetry tells them where all the cars are on the track. They have 20+ people on PCs churning through all the data.
It was obvious from the stands what would happen under that scenario.
They. Fucked. Up.
You are correct.
But first time or not I had to understand to be able to work out how it ended.
It’s no different to watching a cup final and asking what offside is when a winner is chalked out. Now I understand it makes sense.
Didn’t take too much to explain. And I thank some of you for helping me!
Just don’t ask about golf.
Why did they let only those cars through? Why not 0. Or 1. Or 2. Or 3. Or 4. Or 6. Or 7?
Did all the lapped cars pass through or just the ones between Max and Lewis?
If only the front ones surely this could have cost driver and manufacturer points to the lower teams as they couldn’t overtake and hence $$$$