MURRAY WALKER, of course, would have loved all this.
The Voice of Formula One would have been thrilled at his beloved sport gripping the nation like the good old days, as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen stage a winner-takes-all duel for the title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Walker died in March, aged 97, but he left behind an encyclopaedia of memorable quotes.
Many of them were bloopers, born out of the extreme excitement of a much-loved enthusiast whose motormouth could not keep up with the 200mph action he was trying to make sense of.
One of these ‘Murrayisms’ has been brought to mind during this compelling but chaotic title race.
“Unless I’m very much mistaken … I AM very much mistaken.”
Because, while this great modern rivalry has enthralled us, it has also bewildered us.
Last Sunday’s Saudi Grand Prix may have been box-office — featuring yet another prang between the two title contenders — but it was settled by rules and regulations rather than two cars racing.
In Saudi, as in the opening race in Bahrain, Verstappen was punished for overtaking Hamilton while going outside the track limits.
As the bad blood reached boiling point at Silverstone in July, Hamilton was punished for a crash which ended his rival’s race, yet roared back to win anyway — a red rag to Red Bull.
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Today we will sit down to watch the action from the Middle East, expecting to find out whether Hamilton or Verstappen is crowned world champion.
But will we even get an answer on the day?
Extraordinarily, after 21 races, the reigning champion in the Mercedes and the young Dutch tyro in the Red Bull, begin the final race tied on 369.5 points.
Yet if neither man finishes, Verstappen would prevail by virtue of having taken one more chequered flag than the Brit. So what if Verstappen takes the nuclear option and shunts Hamilton out — as many believe Michael Schumacher did to Damon Hill in their title decider in Australia in 1994?
Race director Michael Masi tells us he has power to deduct points from Verstappen — or any other driver — although he may not.
And both Hamilton and Verstappen claim they are unsure about the exact rules of combat.
So, what price a stewards’ inquiry and a lengthy legal battle?
Let’s hope not. Let’s hope for an actual car race. Perhaps even Hamilton and Verstappen overtaking one another legitimately.
When the F1 season began in March, there was little fanfare.
Even if Hamilton fails, he will gain more respect from defeat than in many victories.
Britain may have boasted a record-equalling seven-time world champion in Sir Lewis the knight rider — but too many grands prix, and too many title races, had felt like processions.
Hamilton won the previous four titles.
But F1 needed a young challenger such as Verstappen, no respecter of reputation, determined to disrupt.
Verstappen, 24, was labelled ‘a f***ing crazy guy’ by Hamilton last Sunday — but he has been a godsend for his sport.
Formula One was becoming a niche sport as for too long, it had lacked the scenario laid out today.
Hamilton’s early jousts for the world title — when he lost out to Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 and when he pipped Felipe Massa on the final lap a year later — are in the dim and distant past.
Now, though, the 36-year-old can surpass Schumacher to become motor racing’s undisputed GOAT with an eighth world title.
And even if Hamilton fails, he will have gained more respect from defeat than in many of his previous victories. Either way, let us hope it is settled on the track.
Let us hope we can all watch a damned good race, that the best driver wins, and that our eyes — unlike dear old Murray’s — do not deceive us.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
