BRUNDEL: It should be a red flag

If Michael Masshi wants to sprint to the championship and world champion late in the race, he should show the red flag at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Martin Blundell said that would at least mean a "direct final duel" with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on matching tyres.

The season's finale was a controversial ending, with CIA Superintendent Marcy issuing an unprecedented directive to allow the car between leader Hamilton and second-placed Verstappen to unwind on its own, with a total of 8 snare cars but only 5 allowed to undo it.

The decision angered Mercedes because it put Hamilton on the defensive, with the Briton's hard tyres already used more than 40 laps and Verstappen putting on a new soft tyre as he pitted under the safety car. Brundell thinks it could have been done in a fairer way.

After the race, he wrote in his column: "In hindsight, it should have been a red flag so that everyone could re-trim and clear the track obstacles and we could see a final duel with matching tyres." ”

Massy has to deal with this to make sure everyone on the track is safe, and he has to listen to the debate between the Red Bull and Mercedes teams.

Brundell added: "At the same time, race directors have to make safety a priority, participate in the pit stop lobbying of the teams, control what happens next, or find out if they can unwind, form the vehicles in the race and restart as soon as possible. Understandably, Marcy didn't want to release these snare cars until the accident cars, rescue cars and people on the track were removed. ”

However, the former driver-turned-media personality was quick to refute any conspiracy theories.

He added: "I will not make any allegations here that there was any malice or intent in these decisions and actions because I do not have any evidence in this regard. I can understand why Mercedes and Hamilton would feel indignant, but if the race ended in the safety car, so would Red Bull. ”