20 Grands Prix were not enough to assign the drivers and constructors world titles in this endless head-to-head between Mercedes And Red Bull. The now unanimous conviction is that, with only two races left, both championships will be awarded in the Abu Dhabi grand final on 12 December. Yas Marina’s race will probably be – given the very small gaps in both classifications – a real play-off. The tension between the two leading drivers of both teams – Hamilton and Verstappen – has been high throughout the year, but it is the antipathy between the two teams, both based in the United Kingdom, that have now transcended the limits of simple rivalry.
Complaints – or threats of complaints – attacks and controversies on both sides can no longer be counted. In Qatar, however, the skirmishes between the two master teams of this 2021 were not limited to vitriolic jokes between the two team principals, but also involved the team mechanics. In fact, normally the pit lane ‘etiquette’ would like that when a car is returning or starting again, a mechanic of the team in front and one of the one following the pit lane involved in the pit lane to move the equipment of his team to facilitate the entry and exit of the car that is is stopped.
Mercedes and Red Bull, based on last year’s constructors’ classification, occupy the first and second garages in the pit lane and are therefore ‘neighbors’. However, several fans on Twitter have noticed how, both in the stops of the Mercedes drivers and in those of the Red Bull standard bearers, the opposing team has done nothing to facilitate entry or exit from the pitch of the rival car. In fact, some interesting screenshots show how Verstappen’s entry into the lay-by and Hamilton’s exit see a mechanic of the opposing team approaching the wires that connect the guns for changing tires, but moving them marginally. In fact, therefore, the mechanic creates more of a footprint, forcing the pilot to change his exit line.
Conversely, when Verstappen leaves his position to enter the pit lane, the McLaren mechanics – the box next to that of Red Bull – ‘open’ a much wider way out for the Dutch driver. Small rudes which have a minimal impact on the clock in terms of time, but which testify to the now fierce hostility that reigns between the two teams and the intention to resort to any trick to bring even the slightest advantage on their side.
Did you know that @ MercedesAMGF1 and @redbullracing have stopped pulling the pneumatic lines in for each other, narrowing their pit box exit and approach respectively?
Credit to u / sammccarty for spotting this 🔍# F1 pic.twitter.com/kRLTecujsC
– r / Formula1 (@ F1Subreddit) November 22, 2021
#MercedesRed #Bull #spite #pit #lane #PHOTO #FormulaPassionit