Pick the Podium - F-1 - Grand Prix De Monaco, Circuit De Monaco, May 2021

[Retroram52]

Here's How We Did:

ckhokie: 12 points-Correctly selected Verstappen for the win; Sainz for Second Place; Norris for Third Place
forty_three: 2 points-Correctly selected Norris for Third Place
Hank Kingsley: 10 points-Correctly selected Verstappen for the win; Sainz for Second Place
Retroram52: 6 points-Correctly selected Verstappen for the win
Schmoopy1000: 6 points-Correctly selected Verstappen for the win

2021 Season totals:

ckhokie: 37 points
forty_three: 28 points
Hank Kingsley: 41 points
Retroram52: 49 points
Schmoopy1000: 27 points

Next Race: Azerbaijan, June 04-06, 2021

 

[Retroram52]

The official ruling on the minor controversy is as follows: The rule stated in the rules thread for 2021 where it clearly states that picks can be changed before they start their engines which is usually 2 minutes before they flash those lights that drove Michael Andretti nuts in his brief stint in F-1 back-in-the day is upheld.

Thus, ckhokie's changes were legitimate as he did them approximately 10 minutes before engines fired on Sunday even though they were made under conditions on Saturday night. There were two sets of conditions for Schmoopy and ckhokie done on Saturday night and for ckhokie who changed twice more to arrive at the original selections under a given set of conditions made on Saturday, the selections are legitimate, even though there appears to be some slight-of-hand. There is no harm or foul. Style points may have taken a hit though. lol.

I must admit, there have been several occasions where I changed my picks or entered my originals on race day (once was one half hour before engines fired back when IndyAndy was still around) over the seven years I have been doing this competition. So, I think we will keep the original rule and continue forward because sometimes, I simply forget or my crazy schedule gets in the way.

As we have all experienced, changing selections is highly risky. Usually your first picks are pretty close and for ckhokie, he did the originals Saturday night (with conditions which I verified). It just looked like he was changing picks willy-nilly on Sunday outside the rule, when he really wasn't.

Hank, you did pretty well anyways and you have closed the gap between you me for the first place slot. There will be races Hank where you'll be able to catch the early times, so hang in there. So everyone take a breath and chill a bit.

If this issue comes-up again, we may have to do some changes. Just a word of warning though. If slight-of-hand becomes apparent and hard evidence is accumulated and verified, that contestant will be gone from this board permanently. Period. I am not accusing anyone here but I have a zero tolerance for this sort of BS that creeps into sites like these.

So onward we go and I'll see everyone in two weeks.

P.S. if you have any concerns or want to vent, PM me and I'll address each concern or listen privately before we make any changes in public.

 

[ckhokie]

Meant no slight of hand at all. Had A picks and B picks. Went with B (as they were stated the day before) as soon as I saw Charles was going to be out.
thanks for the clarity, regardless. Cant see this happening again.

 

[forty_three]

As we have all experienced, changing selections is highly risky. Usually your first picks are pretty close and for ckhokie, he did the originals Saturday night (with conditions which I verified). It just looked like he was changing picks willy-nilly on Sunday outside the rule, when he really wasn't.

When it looked like they were going to bump everyone up a slot and LEC was gonna start from the Pit Lane my picks were going to be completely different, I would have had 3 of the 4. I would have had BOT 2nd. So changing my selections really ruined this one for me. I just figured whoever had inside at turn 1 was in for the win. When it looked like Verstappen was gonna go there, I would have picked him. All that said, I don't think we have to worry about Ferarri competing for front row starts and blowing it again this year


Speaking of Valterri, apparently the wheel still hasn't come off. They packed the chassis up and sent it back to Brackley with wheel attached. They couldn't get it off, and are going to have to scrap the whole assembly. Dang.

 

[Retroram52]

One additional clarification. If the changing of selections occurs through a scenario strategy BEFORE the race like we just had, I will permit just two scenarios not endless ones and they must represent a PRE-RACE prediction about the finishing podium order like was demonstrated with this race by Schmoopy and ckhokie. I will not accept selection scenarios that include predictions during the race such as: Bottas will win if Verstappen is penalized or something if this nature. I doubt this will occur but I am not surprised anymore of what happens here on the Hoop.

With that, I think this issue is in the rear view mirror and onward we go.

 

[Retroram52]

Meant no slight of hand at all. Had A picks and B picks. Went with B (as they were stated the day before) as soon as I saw Charles was going to be out.
thanks for the clarity, regardless. Cant see this happening again.

That was evident ckhokie and you have not been accused of anything of that nature. This issue is done and closed and onward we go.