The Italian Grand Prix, held on Sept. 11, was business as usual with Max Verstappen having a comfortable lead over Charles Leclerc, but that all changed when Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren had to pull over to one side due a mechanical failure with just eight laps remaining. This is when the race director, Niels Wittich, followed the rules and brought out a safety car in order to properly remove the car while keeping both the marshalls and drivers safe. The removal process took longer than anticipated and resulted in the race finishing behind the safety car. The race director did nothing wrong, but fans and commentators alike were not pleased — so much so that after the completion of the race, the Tifosi, Ferrari’s diehard fans, booed the winner, Verstappen, when he went to the podium to collect his trophy.
One problem, two wrong answers: Does the sporting integrity or viewing experience matter more?
