31/08/2021
NEWS STORY
F1 MD, Ross Brawn justifies the issuing of half points for Sunday's parade by claiming that they reward the bravery shown in qualifying.
Since taking office at F1 Towers in St James's Market, Ross Brawn has come out with some tripe but his reaction to Sunday's events takes the biscuit.
"Half points were awarded," said the Briton in his post-Belgium debrief on the sport's official website. "It's not ideal but if you can't reward someone for the race, reward them for the bravery in qualifying.
"A lap like George Russell did in qualifying in the absence of a full race should be rewarded," he added. "As I say, it's not ideal, but it's where we are. The weather just wasn't in our corner on Sunday."
Drivers and fans have already expressed fears that the introduction of Sprint Qualifying - another gimmick championed by Brawn - might dilute the value of the Grand Prix, now here we are with points being awarded for bravery shown in qualifying.
If this is the case, why stop with the ten drivers that finished at the front of Sunday's parade, who no points for Lando Norris' bravery in qualifying.
Indeed, if bravery in qualifying counts for points in Belgium why not every weekend… if nothing else, a 'Qualifying Bravery Award' sponsored by Megacrypto someone or other would bring in some much-needed wonga.
Those fans that waited out the endless messages from race control from the comfort of their homes - as opposed to the poor souls in the grandstands and lining the track - will be aware that from when the race was officially suspended, a number of drivers, including Russell, opined that only two laps needed to be completed in order for (half) points to be awarded.
While as MD and PR man for F1, Brawn might feel that awarding points - even for qualifying bravery – is justified, one wonders what Brawn the technical director and team boss might have had to say on the matter.
Always one to push the envelope to the limit... and then some, one can only imagine Brawn's reaction had a rival team been awarded points over his own for "bravery" in qualifying.
Meanwhile, in a classic case of cherry-picking, the media chaps at F1 Towers tweeted in reference to an article on the official site in which Lewis Hamilton's praise of the "incredible" fans at Spa was widely quoted.
Somehow, they omitted to mention the world champion's call for refunds to be issued.
Funny that.
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