F1 using red flags to spice up the show?
Sep.18 - Lewis Hamilton thinks Formula 1 is deliberately using red flags to spice up the show.
After Mugello, F1 race director said he took it as a "personal insult" when Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas suggested the safety car was switching off its lights late at re-starts to boost excitement at the expense of safety.
But Hamilton says it goes further than that.
Mid-race red flag stoppages are historically very rare in Formula 1, but amid Mercedes' utter dominance in the covid-affected 2020 season, there were red flags at both Monza and Mugello.
When asked if F1 is trading safety for the show on purpose, six-time world champion Hamilton answered: "I don't know. I don't want to overstep the mark.
"I know the fans were excited with the restart and everything at Monza so it seemed like they ... if there's a piece of paper on the track they're going to put the red flag out and do a restart.
"I can understand why and that is exciting," the Mercedes driver added after the Mugello race, where the race was also red-flagged and re-started from the grid.
"These races can get boring when everyone streams out and there are such big gaps between everyone.
"They do it in Nascar, they put out the yellow flag all the time and safety cars all the time to keep the race exciting. But they definitely need to take into account the safety aspect," Hamilton said.
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Getting more kids comic cartoon like as F1 etc. only want 12 year olds to watch, they are going to lose all the adults who watch soon.
Oldwit, you and I have to accept that "adults" are no longer the target demo in any sport.....well, maybe the Americas Cup. The target is 25-40 yr olds. Young enough to love bling and old enough to have disposable income. So, attract them in their teens and they will be around into the target years.
Back to point, the guys will NOT respect full course yellows, so we get red flags. Easily solved by simply parking offenders, but that won't happen.
Guy's don't forget the world has changed. The focus is back to people who actually watch the complete race. Young people have a focus span of 6 sec...
Leopold, what data suggests that, "The focus is back to people who actually watch the complete race"?
Whatever happened to virtual safety cars? All but major accidents used to be handled very successfully using this and it at least preserved hard fought for leads. Just work on making overtaking possible without unnecessary tweaks, and let's get back to proper motor racing.
If F1 goes the way as CRASHCAR to manipulating the race with cautions and red flags I will quickly lose interest.
So will all the rest of the real fans
On se demande pourquoi la voiture de sécurité virtuelle semble ne plus exister ?
Hamilton has absolutely no respect for anything or anybody, other than what is in his own selfish interest & continues to spews out insults at anybody who does not agree with his somewhat self-serving opinion.
Kyle, what does you comment have to do with a red flag discussion?
Well said, he sure is not a nice person
Ham is a hypocrit moron.
I was alerted that George posted the following "So will all the rest of the real fans", I wonder what happened to it.
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