Where sport and soap opera mix
Criticism of 'contrived' F1 finish, but what a story line for Drive to Survive
Was it sport, entertainment, a soap-opera or the pay-off line in a long-running joke?
It was a little bit of everything.
One of the great man-and-machine duels of modern times between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton came to a suitably bonkers conclusion in Abu Dhabi overnight.
There is no expression that doesn’t have multiple swear words that can sum up the drama of the final few laps of the most emotionally charged Formula One season since Senna and Prost were battling all those death-defying years ago. (Click through on the below picture to get the final lap.)
At the end of it Verstappen took his first world championship and Hamilton showed incredible grace, despite, by common consent, being ripped off in the extreme by circumstance and the rules.
Hamilton had dominated the race, as he has the past few since Mercedes replaced his engine ahead of the Brazilian GP where the seven-time world champion made up a total of 25 grid places across the weekend in penalties to win, reigniting his campaign.
Here he beat Verstappen off the line, avoided a collision on the first lap (while controversially being allowed to keep his position when he left the track) and stretched his lead significantly until a back marker crashed with five laps to go.
He stayed out to hold track position while Verstappen opted for new tyres but it all seemed academic until a late call by Australian race director Michael Masi to let the back markers between Hamilton and Verstappen overtake the safety car and restart racing with one lap to go. It left the Brit at the mercy of the Dutchman and his fresh tyres. It was a decision that left Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff fuming over the live radio channel. “This is so not right,” he raged.
Verstappen passed, held off the slip-streaming Hamilton and crossed with an euphoric and guttural roar.
Mercedes protested about two separate matters pertaining to the final lap, both being dismissed by the stewards so Verstappen was not officially crowned until four hours after the race.
Even now, Mercedes have indicated they will appeal to a higher authority.
It was a drama fit for the hit Netflix series, Drive to Survive, a reality show behind the scenes of F1 that has re-energised the sport that was looking out of touch with the world around it.
And that, some say, is a problem.
Others are more relaxed about it.
This morning I counted seven separate stories on the Daily Mail website on the race alone, The Sun had even more.
Off the top of my head, outside of the Olympics as a whole, I cannot think of any sporting event that has generated this much buzz in 2021. This is an extremely technical sport that often devolves into procession-like ‘races’, but Drive to Survive has brought it into our homes in a relatable way and kids are flocking to it.
What happened in the early hours of the morning might not be the ‘right’ result, but it’s a huge result nonetheless.
Of all the stories on F1, this one that wasn’t even about the race, caught my eye. In it the author, who confesses to not liking sport, explains how F1 changed her life. It’s worth a read.
Broken?
The Australian NBL is a long season but just three games in and with three losses, two of them double-digit, I fear for the Breakers, whose “home” status remains uncertain and, even if they do get home by February, it might be academic.
The result might not have worked, but this thread analysing NBA prospects Hugo Besson and Ousmane Dieng is 🔥.
MUNEYBALL
Was Colin Munro jettisoned too quickly by the New Zealand selectors?
Probably.
Would he have been useful at the recent World T20?
Possibly.
Is he happy about scoring a century for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash?
Definitely.
PIC OF THE WEEKEND
UPCOMING
Just a quick note to say there will be a reduction in newsletters over the next couple of weeks as Christmas approaches and my “to do” list grows. Thanks so much for the support over the first few months of The Bounce. As always, please share with any friends, family or colleagues you think might enjoy it.
