P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1’s biggest blunders: The days Hamilton, Vettel and Masi would rather forget
In Formula 1, mistakes can happen due to the immense pressure on teams, drivers, race directors, and even the sport itself. One notable blunder was when Mercedes failed with their radical ‘zero-pods’ design for the 2022 season, resulting in poor performance. Another significant error occurred during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when race director Michael Masi mishandled the safety car restart, affecting the title battle. Additionally, Sebastian Vettel’s costly mistake at the 2018 Hockenheim Grand Prix, where he slid off while leading, heavily impacted his championship aspirations. Moreover, the introduction of the ‘elimination’ style qualifying format in F1 was widely criticized and ultimately reverted after causing chaos and controversy. These instances serve as reminders of the high stakes and challenges present in the world of Formula 1.