The strange factor that everyone did not know and that crowned Verstappen in Suzuka: "It is evident that something has been done wrong"

• Chronicle Verstappen, champion after the ceremony of confusion in Suzuka

• Alonso, against Alpine "What a strategic mistake"

• Show or security?

  The panic of F1 to races in the rain

It was all too gross to be taken seriously.

The peculiar interpretation of a convoluted rule, which only eight months ago had been drafted with resounding clarity and publicized to public opinion, yesterday carpeted

's path to his second world title.

"To be honest, I don't mind if it was a bit confusing.

Actually, I find it quite funny, "explained the winner.

However, at that time not even his own team seemed to give credit.

“It is clear that something is still wrong with the regulations.

In the garage we were convinced that only 75% of the points at stake would be awarded, "said

,

Red Bull, without qualms about calling what happened an "error".

The highlight of the year ended yesterday with an air of farce in Suzuka.

Almost a year after the Abu Dhabi GP, when the race director deprived

of his eighth crown, the resolution of the championship was clouded again yesterday by a controversial decision by the judges.

On the last lap, a five-second penalty on

for his irregular maneuver in the

, separated the Monegasque from second place, in favor of

.

But even so, Verstappen should not be champion, since according to the regulatory change approved last February, the winner should have obtained 19 points, by completing less than 75% of the scheduled laps (28 of 53).

That was what everyone in the

thought .

However, to the general stupor, the body chaired by

reported that article 6.5 of its sporting code stipulates that the reduction of points only comes into play if the race is "suspended."

That is, if it ends with a red flag, without action on the track, instead of under the checkered flag.

Therefore, if only two or three laps had been completed yesterday, 25 points would also have been awarded to the winner.

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"It is unacceptable that there is a crane on the track"

An absurd paradox that even the heads of the teams were not aware of, who study every line of the regulation in detail, especially after the scandal of the 2021 Belgian GP. «Everything was confusing and according to our calculations Max had not yet been proclaimed champion », added

, head of Ferrari.

"Finally they made it clear to us and we accepted it," concluded the Italian, aware of the enormous superiority of the Dutchman.

Because nothing should be objected to the tyrannical dominance of

in this 2022, where he has won 12 of the 18 victories at stake (66.7%), with an average only surpassed this century by Michael Schumacher (72.2% in 2004, 64 .7% in 2002) and

(68.4% in 2013).

The supremacy that he has exercised over his rivals and the calm with which he has navigated difficult situations definitively distance him from his unpredictable pilot legend.

A review of the list of his very few mistakes (Barcelona, ​​Hungary and Singapore) is enough to understand how the champion spends them.

After his early excursion through the gravel at turn 4, he reacted in a big way for the victory in Montmeló.

And even greater astonishment would cause the victory of the Hungaroring, starting tenth on the grid and with a 360º spin at turn 13.

An unapproachable Red Bull

Just yesterday he rounded off a superb performance in the wet at Suzuka, with the longest distance over the second-place finisher (27 seconds) in the last 20 races.

Nobody coughs at Verstappen when he starts from pole.

In fact, he has the best percentage of success in history in this section (13/18 for 72%), a figure that causes stings in Ferrari, where Leclerc has only been able to convert two of his nine poles of the year into victory. .

After the promising start in Bahrain and Australia, the Monegasque has hopelessly deflated.

Verstappen, ahead of Leclerc, on Sunday at Suzuka.AFP

Verstappen's authority must be extended to that shown by Red Bull, which yesterday rounded off its seventh consecutive victory.

His best streak since 2013, when the Austrian team reached its zenith with Vettel's fourth crown.

On board the RB18, whose aerodynamic efficiency made it unapproachable when cornering, everything has been much easier.

And this overwhelming mechanical superiority, along the lines of what was shown by Mercedes (2014-2020) or Ferrari (2000-2004), also leaves the new regulations in a very bad place.

, spiritual father of the project, will leave his position as F1 sporting director with a very different legacy than he intended.

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• Max Verstappen

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