[Artemis]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

I think the exasperating thing is, if positions were reversed, and Max had made the same move Pia did, it would have been Max getting a penalty for pushing someone off track as we have seen. So that is the thing I find unacceptable. I am ok with elbows out racing in general, but it needs to be consistent. The problem is mostly every driver (except for a couple), and the FIA don't want racing, especially not hard racing. They want guys gingerly driving around a track and are watering down the series. Just wait for the Nascar (don't watch it) style 'playoff series' in a few years.
At this point, they might as well move to spec cars or extremely close to spec with minimal formula engineering. At least that way you'd consistently get competitive racing - but the latter is something most don't want either because they'd never beat Max in equal cars since they can barely beat him when their car(s) are significantly faster.

Rules were changed in 2025 to address 'divebombing' (what's allowed / not allowed), but apparently FIA isn't quite transparent about the set of conditions. Makes the F1 press and Joe Public guess + source of confusion: dirty racing or smart racing ? And no difference should be made between drivers performing a divebomb.

Nov 2024:

"Verstappen’s “divebomb” will be addressed in 2025 F1 racing rules – Russell
RaceFans - 24 Nov 2024
https://www.racefans.net/2024/11/28/...rules-russell/
George Russell says the FIA will adjust its Formula 1 driving standards guidelines for 2025 after meeting with drivers.
The change follows concerns expressed by several drivers over the stewards’ handling of some incidents this year, notably Lando Norris’s penalty for overtaking Max Verstappen off the track in Austin, after he was forced wide by the Red Bull driver.
Since the start of the 2022 season, stewards have relied on a set of ‘driving standards guidelines’ to help them assess racing incidents, providing a general framework for their decisions. Verstappen in particular has been criticised for his so-called ‘divebomb’ defence which relies on him being ahead of rivals at the apex of corners to deny having to leave space for them at corner exit.
After F1 drivers met with FIA stewards, Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, said new updates for 2025 will include a revision to outlaw ‘divebomb’ defending.
“I don’t think a lot needed to be changed,” Russell told the official F1 website. “I think there was maybe the odd sentence that needed to be gotten rid of. Such as if you were overtaking on the inside, you need to leave a car’s width apex-to-exit, hence why I got the penalty in Austin.
“There wasn’t necessarily anything in the guidelines about Max’s manoeuvre: If you divebomb and go off the track, that is effectively out of control. So everybody’s in agreement with [changing] these things.
“It’s not like turning the thing upside down and rewriting the whole rulebook. I think just the odd thing needed to be changed and I think that’s been positive.”
The GPDA published an open letter to the governing body earlier this month calling for more transparency from the organisation and its president, Mohammed ben Sulayem. In the weeks following, the FIA changed F1’s race director and also dropped regular steward Tim Mayer.
“Obviously, in the meantime, someone else has just been sacked,” Russell said. “So just when we’re asking for a bit of transparency and consistency, there’s no transparency and there’s no consistency. So let’s see who the next one is.”
Russell’s team mate Lewis Hamilton was pleased with the discussions. “The meeting was really, really productive with the stewards,” he said. “It’s the first time we’ve really sat down and really had a real clear, open discussion with the stewards who have such a difficult job to do over the weekend.
“Every overtake and every scenario is so different to the others. There’s nothing that’s going to change for these next two races. But for next year we’re working on the process. We welcome having more conversations with them moving forwards because we want to help them do a better job, and they welcomed that.”

Verstappen pointing out post-race that rules have changed for 2025 and that it's not in his interest to appeal the stewards penalty decision (no review). That can be understood as: "OK, point taken. Learned today how the stewards apply the 2025 divebomb rules so watch me divebomb next time I'll get the chance to do it. I'll remind everyone to what was ruled today."

Repost of the video featuring F1 journalists or commentators pointing out that FIA is rather secretive about the 2025 divebomb rules, requiring them to guess how to assess the Jeddah 2025 Turn 1 incident:

[Rono63]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

Pia def did well in the juniors, but he was driving a Prema (easily the fastest and best car by material amount) and a rather lackluster field of talent. Lance Stroll also dominated F4 and F3 with Prema cars. Not saying Pia is Str but winning was easy as can be with a Prema and any decent driver would have also won given that car. Pia as I have said is a guy who is good and fast when the car is good and fast but I would guarantee he'd do rather poorly driving the R18/19/20/21 just as anyone else who is not Max has.

And yet Pia beat Max with a car that Horner said wasn’t as fast as the RB21.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by Rono63

And yet Pia beat Max with a car that Horner said wasn’t as fast as the RB21.

Again, the data shows not only were Mclaren faster, but also Ferrari. And Pia would not have won had the 5 second penalty not been applied incorrectly.