What was a fairly boring Italian Grand Prix, has resulted in contrasting opinions on how the race at Monza should’ve finished, after race director Niels Wittich opted to follow the rulebook.
Max Verstappen claimed his fifth consecutive victory on Sunday at the ‘Temple of Speed’, where he cruised across the finish line behind the Safety Car.
The final five laps of the 53 Lap race were completed behind the Safety Car, after Daniel Ricciardo pulled to the side of the circuit between the two Lesmos to retire from the race.
The Australian’s car was unfortunately difficult to recover, after the marshals were unable to push his MCL36 due to it being stuck in gear.
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This meant a tractor was needed to come onto the circuit and lift the stricken McLaren to safety, something which took the final five laps to do.
Wittich followed the rulebook to a tee, with the race finishing behind a Safety Car as written in the sport’s guidelines.
However, Wittich has come under fire from both the fans and people such as Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who wanted to see the race end under a green flag.
This would’ve only been possible had the race been red-flagged; however, the situation with Ricciardo’s McLaren didn’t make a red flag necessary.
Sir Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff have praised Wittich for the way he dealt with the scenario, after proving how the 2021 season finale should’ve ended.
Wittich followed the rules the way former race director Michael Masi should’ve done at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a race which, of course, saw Hamilton robbed of an eighth World Championship.
Had Masi followed the rules as written in the rulebook, as Wittich did, then last season’s finale would’ve ended behind a Safety Car, meaning Hamilton would’ve won the race and the championship.
The Italian GP was the first time since Abu Dhabi were an almost identical situation took place, something which was debated after the race on Sky Sports F1.
“There will be people watching saying ‘is that what should have happened in Abu Dhabi?’” said ex-F1 driver Damon Hill.
“Yes, it was,” Sky reporter Ted Kravitz immediately replied.
“The FIA’s view on it – they hoped to recover the car quicker but doing it takes time. It is important, the FIA say, to get the cars to bunch up to allow the marshalls space to recover Ricciardo’s car without cars rushing past. That’s why, they say, it took a while.
“If there is a question, it is about the lost lap 50. Why was the green light not shown to George Russell earlier?
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“Was the race director playing it steady? Yes. Could he be quicker? Yes.
“Was it a just result, in the way that Abu Dhabi wasn’t? Yes.
“There is a technical, sporting working summit between the FIA and F1 team managers on Monday to discuss lots of things. This, I’m sure, will be a part of it.”