A moment to define sports for the next generation
One year ago, I was in the pub. Not drinking, but eating pancakes, drinking juice and reminiscing about the Birmingham 10K race in which my team and I had just completed. A perfect Sunday morning for a student. A far cry from the world that we are in today. I remember leaving the pub to run to my flat at 12:50 pm, arriving just in time to see five lights go out at the Monaco Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton would spend the next 78 laps being hunted by the ever-hungry Dutchman, Max Verstappen. Hamilton would have what the engineers call a ‘sub-optimal strategy’ and, despite Max throwing himself at the Brit from all angles, Lewis managed to hold on to his third win in the principality.
Yes, it was just one of Hamilton’s 84 wins so you wouldn’t think it was that special. However, such a notion couldn’t be further from the truth. Firstly, Monaco is the biggest challenge for any racing driver: a tight layout creates one of sport’s most significant challenges. It is often compared to cycling around one’s living room. Just one mistake usually results in a crash so it’s not for the faint-hearted. Thus, a win in Monaco means that little bit more to any driver, even Lewis.
Secondly, Hamilton’s Mercedes and, indeed, Formula One had just lost one of their greatest heroes. Niki Lauda lived and breathed what it meant to race. So, to win in Niki’s honour, wearing a tribute helmet would have been emotional.
Finally, to shrug off the young charger, Max Verstappen, is no mean feat. It has been evident in recent years that there is a changing of the guard in Formula One and fresh-faced talents, like Max, are coming for Lewis’ title as ‘the King of F1’. Monaco 2019 embodied the transition that F1 is going through.
One year on, all sports find themselves at a critical juncture: the approach to competitive events returning is crucial for the success of any championship for the following generation. As we all sit at home, watching on, the world is more open than ever to the sports with which it interact. Human culture needs sporting competition. A captive and thirsty audience provides an opportunity to sell plenty of drinks. I envisage a world with unprecedented levels of sporting viewership on the horizon.
So what does this mean for the not-so-distant future of sport? Sport is just as much about business as they are about the excellence on the track, court or pitch. Hence, those with fingers in a sporting pie will be interested in getting the show back on the road, an interest further strengthened as sports jostle for position to be the first and the best entertainment to give those waiting patiently in the sofa-like grandstands what they want. Consequently, while competition has ceased in the arena, it continues behind closed doors and is set to burst from its confines as soon as possible.
Another thing to consider is the reality that many will financially suffer from governmental restrictions. Such economic issues have many consequences. Primarily, the government are going to want to allow sporting events to take place as soon as possible. Sports taking place means consumers spending money, which is positive for the economy. There are also those who can gradually gain sources of income from sporting events taking place. From the book-makers to the groundskeepers, many will welcome the return of sport with open arms. Economic recession means that the captive audience that sports will be fighting for has reduced funds to spend on watching competitions. As a result, access to sports for a lower price will become a necessity.
In past weeks, E-Sports have come into their own. F1 has done a fantastic job of getting many great names involved in online races. This weekend’s Virtual Monaco Grand Prix will feature 8 of the 20 drivers from the 2020 season. It will also include other sporting names such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Thibaut Courtois, huge for Formula One, as it beckons interest from supporters of different sports. Virtual ambassadors have also headed to the USA, an audience upon which F1 puts emphasis. Lando Norris would have won the Virtual Indy 500 were it not for being taken out in a headline-making crash with Pagenaud. F1 owners over the years have often credited Lewis Hamilton with attracting new audiences but there is no doubt that Norris’ involvement will put Formula One in the global conversation.
F1 have used E-Sports to court a significant audience which is interested, particularly in comparison to those watching football players play FIFA. The difficulty is that Formula One, like tennis, golf and many others, is an international sport. This puts these sports at an inherent disadvantage compared to sports that take place within national boundaries. As has been proven in Germany, football can be restarted relatively quickly, albeit eerily, behind closed doors. Yet to get a Grand Prix season underway requires multiple governments to approve a globe-trotting group of people flying from circuit to circuit for a motor race. The hoops to jump through seem endless.
This takes us back to last year - not the pub but the Monaco Grand Prix. Formula One is in a transition phase at present. This week, a cost cap was put in place for the teams - a necessity - mainly because car manufacturers are not going to be cash rich. A change in regulations was already on the cards for 2021 (now 2022). It seems that a substantial engineering change is on the horizon. There is also talk about editing the format of races and even running multiple races at a single circuit; sensible for this year, but who knows? We may like a change, moving forward. And, finally, there are the protagonists. Will Seb Vettel retire at the end of this season? I sense so. Last year, Vettel was calling for the bringing back of the V12s. A forward-facing sport like F1 moves on quickly from someone out of love and missing the past.
The characters and their machinery may be changing, but racing instinct never does. This is Formula One’s opportunity to seize the apex and lead the way for the sport of our future.
Some Good News from F1: Project Pitlane
Given that recent weeks have been dark, it makes me proud to say that the lack of photons has shone the light upon the greatness of Formula One: my sport. While most us, quite rightly, have remained at home, the Coronavirus crisis has united some of the world’s greatest minds to help tackle this epidemic in the best way that we can. The seven British-based Formula One teams have a wealth of intellect and resources. They have come together in what has been called ‘Project Pitlane’. Mercedes Formula One team and UCL confirmed that they had been collaborating and Mercedes appear set to make 1000 Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines per day. These are breathing devices that will help keep patients out of the intensive care units, limiting pressure on the NHS. Incredible. But when you think for a second, this is what Formula One is all about.
When there is an issue in a race on Sunday, the engineers are up against the clock. A team will identify the problem in hours, design a solution in a day and produce the new part by Tuesday or Wednesday. The cameras focus on a weekend sport where the best drivers in the world go wheel to wheel. However, the race continues in the factory, where alumni of the most prestigious institutions search for fractions of a second. This is a world where a tenth of a second per lap is the difference between picking up a trophy or not; an average race has around 60 laps, hence, a tenth of a second per lap, becomes 6 seconds faster per race.
So we know that the people in this sport are good at overcoming challenges to make a real difference. It’s all very good talking about tenths of a second, but what about the real world? Do not fear, Formula One has got us covered there too. With the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, Honda and McLaren involved, F1 is a testbed for the car industry on how it approaches our road cars. Much of the hybrid engine technology, present on the road, comes from Formula One.
Finding a clear identity for Formula One has always been a challenge. Primarily, it is a sport, where some of the finest athletes dance with death, lose up to three kilos of sweat and withstand forces up to 6 g as they negotiate the ownership of a trophy. It can be compared to a high-speed game of chess, in a sauna. Like most sports, with substantial interest comes significant stakeholders, looking to flex their products or even countries as the world looks on. Unlike most sports, the athletes’ equipment is as essential as their ability to drive quickly. While you will rarely hear Roger Federer blaming his racket for bowing out of a tournament, Lewis Hamilton could drive the best race of his life, but if his engine decides that it wants to set ablaze, it’s not exactly his fault.
If you were Mercedes, and responsible for Hamilton’s equipment costing him and your team victory, you’d be pretty concerned about what message that says about the reliability of your engine. Therefore, it’s imperative for the business that Formula One teams find solutions quickly so that they can be the ones that are stood on the top of the podium and headlines at the next race, demonstrating that their products are fast and will last. This is why teams hire the best in the business: the best people produce the best results.
It’s important to note that the majority of those involved in Formula One do so out of love for the sport. They are true racers. But when a crisis such as this takes place, racing and sporting competition, in general, is put into perspective. This is why ‘Project Pitlane’ makes so much sense. It would be nonsense to waste such abundant talent and resources by asking them to sit at home. Many have likened this period in time to a war period. Such comparisons feel almost uncouth, – we must stay at home whereas our ancestors and relatives faced the demolition of their homes. But the war was a time when industry and intelligence discovered a new level due to its unified approach, and you can bet your bottom currency of choice that the world’s greatest minds are convening as you read this to fight this pandemic. Surely that is good news.
Thursday evenings at 8pm have become a time to put scrabble, walking and other self-improvements or sanity-maintainers on hold as we applaud the NHS for all of their hard work. Like many, I shudder to imagine the stress that is faced by our champions that wear white and work day and night. Let’s be clear. They are our soldiers. While the world of sport stops and stares, I can’t help but feel proud to look at what my sport is doing; taking the initiative, doing what it does best and playing the supporting act in this tragedy where doctors and nurses play the role of the heroes.
This post was originally published on my Medium Site on 6th April 2020
Ferrari should leave Formula One; it’ll be best for them.
Recently in the media, there has been a threat of Ferrari walking away from Formula One, a sport they have competed in since the first world championship season. So what has caused such as serious consideration? Is it a real threat?
Many members of the Formula One paddock have rolled their eyes, recalling that there have been similar threats from the Italian outfit before. But as the Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne put it, “if the sandbox is changed to the extent that it is unrecognisable, Ferrari don’t want to play.” This comes after Liberty Media, who bought the sport in the Autumn of 2016, unveiled plans for the future of Formula One. Liberty Media is an American brand who Marchionne believes are looking to build Formula One into a “global NASCAR.” Something of which Ferrari are disinterested.
Ferrari are not the only ones who are complaining after attending the meeting in Paris which outlined the changes to the teams. Mercedes and Renault have both expressed their concern too. But neither have threatened to quit the sport like the team in red. This issue appears to lie with the proposed plans for new engines; however, the teams are arguing that it will mean redesigning the whole engine, making the millions, even billion pounds of investment into the current engines pointless.
Many people who have been involved in Formula One or Ferrari have said more or less the same words. “Formula One is Ferrari and Ferrari is Formula One.” This includes Marchionne and the former boss of the sport, Bernie Ecclestone. In a recent interviewer, Ecclestone claimed that he and the former head of the FIA, the governing body, would change the regulations to suit Ferrari as it was best for Formula One for them to be at the front. So perhaps it was clear that Ferrari wasn’t likely to be as supportive of the new bosses as much as Ecclestone simple because they were probably going to want to make the sport more well-balanced. And so it has been.
Liberty has revealed plans to make it cheaper for teams, something of which Ferrari are in favour. But what is likely to cause the issue is the fact that Liberty Media isn’t expected to grant Ferrari an extra $70 million per year for their “heritage”. What will also be playing on the minds of those on the Ferrari board is that they have not won a championship since 2008, which happens to be when the former FIA boss, Max Mosely, who may or may not have helped Ferrari, left the sport. It would appear too that Ferrari’s shareholders would be happy if Ferrari walked away from Formula One as it would be financially beneficial. So if it makes Ferrari more money and they aren’t winning anyway, why are Ferrari not pulling the plug already?
What is stopping them is the heritage with Marchionne being one of many believers that Formula One is part of Ferrari’s DNA, it is hard for them to walk away as it will be a significant gap to fill for them. What is more, back home, in Italy, Ferrari are seen not just to represent a brand, but a nation. This pride and passion is shown each year at the Italian Grand Prix with the “Tifosi”, a word used for a group of Italian fans. It is widely accepted that these Italian fans are some of the most passionate in the world and they are all there to support the Ferrari team, irrelevant of the driver. This was demonstrated when Italian, Riccardo Patrese, crashed out of the lead of the Italian Grand Prix in 1983 to be met with cheers around the circuit as it had granted a Frenchman a win in a Ferrari. This pride and passion for Ferrari would probably diminish, affecting the Ferrari brand in Italy if they were to pull out of the spot. This is because Ferrari has an image of passion and excitement, if that is no longer clear on a global stage, then people may lose interest in the brand.
So will Ferrari leave? As they have never left the spot before, it would be a surprise to see them go now. This is why the likes of Jonny Herbert and Paul Di Resta believe that Ferrari are “playing games” and making noise in the media.” This is all in a bid to make the new owners of the sport reconsider their plans. However, Martin Brundle’s remark; “If they want to leave, leave, you can’t let the tail wag the dog.” Is probably similar to the stance that the new owners will take. This means, of course, that Ferrari are likely not to get what they wish which indicates that they may just call it a day in Formula One. A sad revolution, but all great relationships must come to an end. What Formula One has now, regarding pillars of history, is perhaps the tracks of Monaco, Monza, Spa and Silverstone. In good time, they will go too. This is called change, unfortunately for those who like it now, or like the past, this is life, it is how we grow as a human race.
This post was originally published on my Medium Site on 7th December 2017
10 Years On In Canada And They’re Still Winning
This weekend in Canada, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes were well and truly back. This is a good thing; for Lewis, for the fans, but most of all for Formula One. On Sunday it was as Sir Patrick Stewart put it, “a nice Sunday drive by the lake,” for Lewis, who lead every lap of the 70 lap race, to win the Canadian Grand Prix for the sixth time in his career. It is the fourth time in his career that he has got pole, led every lap, set the fastest lap and won the race in what is called the “grand slam”, more interestingly though, it is the second time this year that he has got a grand slam. This suggests two things, either the previous 10 years in Formula One have been a bit mediocre or this season, he has managed to step up his game even more. I think that you’ll probably find that it is the latter.
This season, we have the clash of the titans in Lewis Hamilton against Sebastian Vettel, who have been the victors of all but one of the last eight world championships between them. Many experts would argue that the German in Vettel has the easier car to drive which seems to suit most tracks and contend for every race as a result, on the other hand, you have the Mercedes of Hamilton which has been described by team boss as a bit of a “diva”, that’s the car, not the driver. The reasoning behind this comment is that despite the Mercedes being as good if not better than the Ferrari, it has a much smaller window in which it performs at high level. The outcome being that Hamilton has been off the pace in two races; Russia and Monaco, two street circuits, which suggests that the next race in Azerbaijan could be a challenge for the Brackley-based team. However, at other tracks, with high speed elements, Hamilton has shone brightest.
The 2017 season is already being labelled unpredictable as the momentum seems to alternate between the two world champions as they push ever harder for the ultimate prize of the greatest driver on the planet. Martin Brundle, a former driver and commentator, observed on Saturday, that the pair seemed to be finding an “overdrive” which pushes themselves and indeed each other to limits that neither they nor we knew were possible. Saturday’s scintillating performance from Hamilton was a prime example of man and machine combining in a concoction so sweet that the racing Gods probably patted themselves on the back for. It was masterful the way that he stayed calm on the wheel as braked later than the bride to a wedding and accelerated, foot-down where no other human would so he could brush a wall so to utilise every inch of speed out of his car. Simply stunning.
Beating his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who is more than quick by 0.7 seconds in the same car, which is an eternity, when it comes to motorsport was unheard of since the great Ayrton Senna, Hamilton’s hero. And so so it was rather apt that Lewis Hamilton equaled the number of pole positions that the Brazilian champion managed at 65. To make things even more special, the Senna family generously gifted the Briton with a race-worn helmet of Senna’s. Lewis was almost in tears, as were the rest of the racing world as they looked on at Hamilton cradling the distinctive yellow helmet. Whether you are a fan of Hamilton or not, you cannot deny his undeniable talent and speed, he certainly deserved it. What a moment.
It could be argued that Lewis Hamilton is the fastest ever driver to get behind the wheel. His natural ability to get a car to fly around a track, on the edge of control, yet being in complete control in record-breaking time is something that sets him apart from the rest. As well as for his team, he is good for the sport, he brings a new audience to Formula One as he engages with them both at the track as he climbs the barriers to see them or on social media as he shares his life, be it watching basketball with Neymar Jr or hanging out with Justin Bieber. Rather than being plastic PR stunts like many drivers, he brings an element of himself to his job. This personality won’t necessarily give him speed on track, however, the fact that he is being himself means that he may be more comfortable than Vettel in the car.
If nothing else, this weekend’s Grand Prix reminded us about how great this sport is. Of course it is a shame that Fernando Alonso can’t join this ever-tastier scrap at the front, he and McLaren should be fighting at the front and I have a feeling it won’t be long before they return. What is for sure though is that this season, if it continues with it’s peaks and troughs, highs and lows, ups and downs, this season will be up for grabs until the very much debated conclusion. Like a good book, we don’t want this season to end, yet we very much look forward to seeing what happens at the finish line in November.
This post was originally published on my Medium Site on 13th June 2017
F1 2017: A shuffle of the pack, but who’s got the Ace?
I’ve just seen an article on Facebook that claims that Lewis Hamilton is the obvious favourite for winning the world championship this year. Obvious?
I’m a huge fan of Lewis Hamilton and all that he has done for the sport. I am also not surprised to see a fan page for him posting anything positive about the triple world champion.I would like to think that I am a positive person. Usually I would be onboard with this article and that would be the end of that, however this time, not so. The reason; the word, “obvious” gives me a cause for concern that some are under the impression that 2017 will be another walkover of supreme dominance by Mercedes and due to the fact that Nico Rosberg has departed the sport, Hamilton is a shoe-in for the title.
Obviously, that may be nice for Lewis and his fans. If it does happen, great. But I can’t help but feel that Red Bull are playing down their chances a little too well. Don’t forget, this season sees an aerodynamic overhaul as far as the regulations are concerned. In simple terms, records are expected to be smashed in terms of top speeds and lap times. So why have I singled out Red Bull as a team who will be tough to beat? Well let’s just think about the last time the regulations were based around aerodynamics. Between 2009 and 2013, Red Bull won 8 out of the ten championships available. This must come down to the genius of Adrian Newey and his men. Then they also have arguably the strongest driver pairing on the grid in Ricciardo and Verstappen.
So there’s no doubt that Red Bull are a force to be reckoned with. By no means though have I written off Mercedes. They, most likely, will have the stronger engine package and they have one of the greatest drivers ever to grace the paddock in Lewis Hamilton within their ranks.They too have a fine aerodynamics team, they must do, you don’t win three titles on the spin without one. They have also signed an ace of this department in James Allison. As a result, I predict a close battle between the teams.
At the end of the day, close racing is fantastic for Formula One and it’s new owners. What we must remember is that testing is yet to come, so nobody really will have an idea of the pecking order until at least after the eight days in Barcelona. We might even have to wait until the first race in Melbourne. So my predictions may be completely incorrect. I do hope not though because close competition between teams is usually a recipe for epic battles between the best drivers in the world.
Reading through the media reports on what the teams expect, many are expecting to be closer to the front, not least McLaren, with Alonso not just wanting podiums, but wins. That would be great to see. But let us assume that only Mercedes and Red Bull are in the hunt for the title. If you think about it, that would be fascinating alone. Which of the drivers would come out on top? Would it be the mighty but mercurial Lewis Hamilton who has the speed, experience and talent to take on anyone? Would it be the “nicest guy in F1” who shows that it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy? Danial Riccardo has made it clear on social media that he feels it’s his time. Would it be the “next Senna”, the rising star of F1? Surely Max Verstappen will become world champion one day. Or will Valtteri Bottas cooly and calmly brush off the pressure of the before-mentioned to show Mercedes why they should keep him for longer than 1 season? Who knows? I don’t.
It is unquestionably close as to which is the best driver, however, a factor that we have been told by the teams and drivers that may make a difference is which driver is the most fit for the new cars. This is because they will be much more of a physical challenge due to the higher speeds. It is clear on social media that all of the drivers have been training harder than ever over the winter, so that could be an interesting development to add to the growing list as to why this season could be stellar.
I am already on the edge of my seat and the season hasn’t even started. If there can be more than one team in the battle for top spot, that will be enthralling. It would be great to see McLaren, Williams and of course Ferrari running close to Mercedes and Red Bull, even Lewis Hamilton probably admits that he prefers to win a tough race than dominate an easy one.
As I say, nobody knows what will truly happen this year. It will be what it will be. You will join me in hoping it will be a damn good one. It certainly has the ingredients. I suggest that you tune in, the first race is Mother’s Day, it’ll be a lovely treat for them.
This post was originally published on my Medium Site on 26th February 2017
Hamilton-Rosberg Rivalry Heats Up For Summer
Currently, nobody can argue against the fact that Lewis Hamilton is in his unstoppable, unbelievable, untouchable form. After winning 6 of of the last 7 races and being the first driver to win four races in a calendar month – July, the triple world champion has overturned what was once a 43 point deficit to lead by 19 points over his title rival Rosberg as the sport goes into it’s summer break.
There was never a doubt of Hamilton’s driving ability and there certainly never will be, for his natural ability has been one of many things that have aided his incredible success no end. It cannot be easy to watch your teammate win the first four races of the season whilst being held back by multiple engine failures during qualifying. Getting caught up in first lap contact and therefore damage as a result would only have made it worse. When the Mercedes pair collided in a first-lap crash which saw them both out of the race and out of favour with the simply seething bosses branding it as “stupid”, Hamilton admitted his “heart sunk.” And so too, at the time, did his title chances.
Since this ultimate low for Lewis, he has been on an exponential upward curve, but for crashing in Baku qualifying. He has won from in front and behind his rivals to make clear that he has the racing instincts. As his form grows, so does his confidence and maturity. It seems that he used to just win races, now he controls them as he decides the pace which suits him. It also appears that the poor race starts, which haunted the earlier races of the season are a thing of the past. If he was at rock bottom in Spain, he is flying high as he leaves Germany, thanks to his private jet but more importantly, mentally, he is on top.
On the contrasting other side of the Mercedes garage, his title rival and Monaco neighbour; Nico, is rather down in the dumps after what he described as a “crap” race. It must be said though that it was a collection of low-quality performances that must have built up to this mood of despair. In Monaco, he was left behind by the leaders as though he had offended them, lacking pace in the circuit he knows best. Then in three of the last four races, the German was called to the stewards for illegal radio transmissions and not giving drivers space in battle, with one case ending in him crashing into Hamilton, his teammate and dropping like a disgruntled rock to 4th. In Hungary too, Rosberg was under investigation for getting pole whilst under double yellow flags, which Hamilton personally pointed out to him meant that he needed to slow down and prepare to stop. This is all likely to be playing on the mind of Rosberg as it would to anyone.
As touched upon briefly, Hamilton has been playing off this misfortune and catalogue of errors from. Rosberg to perfection. After the race in Hungary, it was clear to all that Nico’s sarcastic pat on the back more than epitomises the frosty relationship the pair have as Lewis smiled knowing he was doing just what he had to do to dominate him rival mentally off the track as well as on it. It was very much interesting watching the contrast of Hamilton joking around with the Red Bull drivers in the press conference one week later.
Many were shocked when they heard the roar of delight reverberate around the Hockenheimring on the first lap when the crowd saw that Hamilton was leading and Rosberg had been overtaken by the Red Bull drivers of Ricciardo and Verstappen. There were reasons for this response. Firstly, despite having a German passport and Mother, Nico’s Father in Finnish and the title contender has lived in Monaco all of his life. When he described Monaco as his home grand prix earlier on in the season, these thing build up in the minds of the fans. causing them to find it hard to relate to and therefore like Rosberg. This could explain why last year the German grand prix was cancelled due to lack of interest. This year though, to seemed as though there were more fans from Britain and certainly The Netherlands, who had their men at the front after both making good starts. The fact though, that Hamilton beat Rosberg on his own turf and the Germans weren’t fussed about it won’t have helped Rosberg’s confidence.
Maybe one of the reasons for Rosberg’s seeming lack of self-belief if that every time the Mercedes drivers have battled on track, Hamilton has come out on top or they have crashed. Hamilton seems to be less affected by these collisions too whereas Rosberg goes into his shell and becomes cautious. The result of this is that Hamilton tends to win at the next opportunity after they battle. This only boosts mental strength of Lewis whilst Rosberg clearly has a dent to this confidence.
Many believe that this remarkable fight-back. just goes to show how strong the Brit; Hamilton, is mentally. But he still feels like he is “chasing” even if he leads the championship and has momentum in his direction. The reason for this being that he is already running on him last engine due to the early failures that he suffered. This means that it is more than likely that the reigning world champion will incur a grid penalty later in the season. The result: Lewis will be fighting through the field whilst Rosberg has the chance to walk away with it. This produces an entertaining prospect for the viewers as one of the greatest drivers has yet more challenges thrown him way. It is a good thing then, that the man from Stevenage is not complacent after his fantastic return of late, yet again showing Hamilton’s ever-wiser demeanour that we are becoming more accustomed to.
If we have learned anything from the past two years, it is that one should never question Lewis Hamilton, when he is on song, has the car alive and has confidence like he has done of late, he is, as Toto Wolff said, “unbeatable.” Let us not forget though, Nico Rosberg is a fine driver. The four straight wins at the beginning of the season was not luck. He needs to get his head back in the game over the summer, if he manages this, he has just as much of a chance to become champion as the form man who he calls his teammate. One thing is for sure, drama is on the cards, which is a mouthwatering prospect, especially as Red Bull close in to add more spice.
This post was originally published on my Medium Site on 3rd August 2016
Messi Magnanimous, Not Mean.
On Sunday evening, Barcelona took another step closer to the La Liga title in an enthralling 6–1 win in which each of the feared front three of Messi, Suarez and Neymar scored, with the the Uruguayan, Suarez, scoring a hat trick. The third of his goals came as a result of Messi passing his penalty so that Suarez could pass the ball into the net.
Myself and many others see this as genius from the Argentine. Messi, who could have wrapped up his 300th goal for Barcelona if he had scored an orthodox penalty, was so team-spirited, that he set up Suarez for his hat trick. To me, this is a sportsman being a gentleman, which is something that we tend to see little of nowadays in football. It was a moment to savour as we watched in awe of what must be one of the best teams in our generation.
I have read though, that some of the press are branding this action of Messi’s, as “disrespectful.” What he did could be seen as cheeky, you can empathise with the Celta Vigo players, who may argue that they were already losing at a resounding 3–1, so the Catalan side didn’t have to show off. This view is understandable, but not a reason for pundits and the press to rip apart the Ballon d’or winner.
My thinking about the whole situation is that we should not complain when a moment of brilliance, like this, comes up. We should celebrate it. After all, this is what makes sport great, giving those who do it freedom. Luis Enrique, the Barça manager, has given his team just that and that has put them at the top of the league. As a result of freedom, we look at moments such as Dustin Brown volleying a tennis ball behind his back to win a point, with joy, Max Verstappen overtaking around the outside of at speeds of 200 mph, with disbelief and indeed would we have seen the full potential of Lionel Messi without his freedom to create a moment of magic that he does in every match?
What would have been disrespectful is if he had passed the penalty to Suarez who had passed it back to the goalkeeper. That would be against the game of football whereas what we saw on Sunday was pure football, they scored from a penalty, just in a different way. It was as clever as a dribbling skill or a nutmeg.
In conclusion, we, as sports fans should not suppress or complain about what Messi did in Camp Nou at the weekend, this would be killing one of the great things in sport, that is the liberty to be creative and express oneself. Sports stars, especially those at the top of their game, need to constantly add fresh and dynamic aspects to their game. This is so that they keep improving and capture the attention of the audience that they know watch and copy their every move. So don’t label what happened on Sunday as contemptuous, flippant or bad-mannered, label it as something else to appreciate from the magnanimous magician that is Lionel Messi.
This post was originally published on my Medium Site on 16 February 2016