Red Bull were quickest in the last four races – Horner

F1 Fanatic Round-up

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In the round-up: Red Bull has been the team to beat on race day in the last four weekends, reckons team principal Christian Horner.

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Phil suggests a surprising next career move for Daniel Ricciardo:

If McLaren look much more competitive next season I think there is a possibility that Ricciardo could end up at McLaren alongside Alonso in 2019. McLaren don’t seem to mind having two really competitive drivers which they have done several times in the past. Also Alonso and Ricciardo are known to get along.

I accept it’s a long shot and it would be tough on Vandoorne. It might be Ricciardo’s best option though, other than Red Bull, when it comes to the crunch.
Phil Norman (@Phil-f1-21)

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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66 comments on “Red Bull were quickest in the last four races – Horner”

  1. This whole tax thing is such bunch of crap.

    1. I have never met a single person that paid one cent more than they had to for taxes. So Lewis gets to save a few million while i save a few thousand. Guess what, the guy flipping burgers is probably only saving a few hundred. The transparent jealousy and greed for other people’s money is pathetic and sad.

    2. Maybe if your country had a more reasonable tax policy your most famous wealthy citizens wouldn’t move elsewhere.

    1. I think the problem is that the middle classes pay a much higher percentage of tax than do the super-wealthy.

      And it’s not just in percentage terms. A billionaire where I live has boasted about how little tax he paid and he, with tens of millions in income that year, paid less tax than I did on my tens of thousands of income. I’m not talking just about as a percentage of total tax, I’m talking the _entire_ amount paid. That is wrong no matter how you try to justify it.

      Of course I don’t own a third of the country’s media nor do I have money to donate to election campaigns, so I don’t get to control the tax regime.

    2. Yes, everybody is piling in on Hamilton, I believe in paying tax, but I also believe that the annual rates of collection are less fair than they could be for people like LH who actually have to physically earn their money while they are young, as professional sportsmen have to do. I’m equally sure that once LHs career is over he will take up residence in the UK or maybe the USA and will pay tax on the income from his investments for the greater part of his life, by minimising his tax now he will have more invested and pay more in tax pa in his retirement.

      1. Problem is, an average Joe may be skipping on his taxes by hundreds or a few thousands at most. One single person like Hamilton skips on millions.

        Then again I’m not British, so I’m probably not fit to comment on it.

      2. tgu (@thegrapeunwashed)
        9th November 2017, 8:24

        @hohum Agree with this. An F1 career is short and uncertain, who wouldn’t want to build as big a pot as possible while they can? All those moaning about Hamilton would do the same in his shoes.

        1. Hamilton earns vastly more in 1 year than most people do in an entire lifetime though. Hamilton earns around $40m a year if I’m correct. Now, to earn that much, someone would have to earn $100,000 for 40 years of working, for example.
          I would certainly want to earn as much money as I could, but I’d still respect taxes as I know it’s not much of a problem for me, especially compared to other people.

          1. That meant to say 400 years haha.

          2. tgu (@thegrapeunwashed)
            9th November 2017, 13:01

            @hugh11 Fair enough, but I note that this isn’t what any of the megabuck F1 drivers have chosen in decades – interesting question: who was the last GP-winning British F1 driver who remained in the UK?

      3. @hohum – Good point about the earning potential of athletes. Very few manage to extend that kind of earning beyond their prime years but it is clearly one of the things Hamilton is trying to do with his “brand” image. That may give him the strength to choose where to live for the rest of his days.

        If I was in his position with regards to the astonishing and largely unjustifiable media vilification I would steer clear of the UK forever. US citizenship would be an easy option to take. Then the UK treasury would see nothing in the future.

        It’s not a great time to be a “foreigner” in the UK.

    3. @lancer033 Yeh there are tax paradises with a more “reasonable” tax policy but they wouldnt work without the countries with a real tax policy.

      1. This is correct. The issue is also one of entitlement and greed. Nurses are far more valuable to society than sports stars. I’m happy to out people who act in self interest. It may not be fair on lewis as its almost become culturally acceptable to be greedy. But it isnt right

    4. I moved from the US to the UK and my tax bill went up. I have the option of moving back to the US if I wish and pay less tax, so I am paying more tax than I have to if the only goal in life is to lower taxes.

    5. William B Davis
      9th November 2017, 10:14

      What an arrogant comment. Perhaps you should go and live in Trump’s America

      1. It is *not* Trump’s America. It’s not even Putin’s America, in spite of Putin’s best efforts.

        But yes, the American tax code is somewhat broken. A relatively high rate, easily avoided if you’re already wealthy. At least our sales tax is considerably lower than your VAT.

        I wonder how many people who claim to despise Hamilton for his tax evasion use either Apple or Google services? Both companies have been screwing the US and EU out of billions of dollars of tax revenue, but let’s crucify the person who figured out how to avoid a 20% VAT on a purchase.

  2. Is he breaking the law? If yes, then shame on him and he should face punishment. If no, then where is the problem?

    Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

    1. the main problem is the tax law but especially how it is enforced – there are so many loopholes which the government either leaves in or actively builds in to the system – but there are as many dodgy cases and back handers. one of the underlying reasons for rich people voting to leave the EU was the impending crackdown on tax havens – the big media moguls (rothermeres etc) would lose out hugely if britain remains in the EU.

      i feel a bit sorry for hamilton because he is clearly just letting his lawyers do their thing (they’ll take a tidy cut of whatever tax they save for him, the more enticement for them to bend the law) and he is copping the brunt of the flak for this. it’s just another stick to beat him with – remember the british press don’t really like british winners. it took them years to accommodate andy murray and if it turns out he’s hidden money off shore too then they will turn on him in a flash.

      on the other hand, it’s hardly as if he can’t afford to pay it, so why not just pay it.

      1. @frood19 This is all caused by ill thought through european regulation on VAT for ‘privately’ owned Aeroplanes. Under no circumstances should Hamilton ‘just pay it’ because he can afford it – he’s done nothing wrong and get’s vilified by a bunch of hand-wringing, self-righteous journalists at the BBC, Guardian and Mirror.

        If it wasn’t for the perfectly ‘legal’ Tax avoidance relating to the highly profitable running and sale of Autotrader there wouldn’t be any Guardian journalists writing these articles! The hypocrisy is amusing as well as the tortured introspection and occasional self-flagellation.

        Don’t get me wrong I have no issue with the solid investigative journalism here and it should be lauded, globalisation has moved faster than the ability of states to agree and shape ‘fair (insert your own subjective interpretation)’ taxation and there should be discourse.

        To target one of Britain’s most successful sportsman, just after a significant achievement should be acknowledged for what it is – fair, but sensationalist (especially the BBC that has been insufferable on this & the Mirror).

        1. @ju88sy i agree, it does seem particularly harsh on hamilton. he was reportedly disappointed each time he lost out on SPOTY (meaningless award that is it) and i think he will be again.

          ‘perfectly legal’ is a bit of stretch. Private Eye have been working on this story for the last couple of years and much of the practice isn’t even remotely legal (i don’t think hamilton falls into this bracket, but others who have been exposed recently certainly do).

          1. As far as I understand it, all flights have to be business flights. Given Hamilton’s lifestyle (jetting around to premieres and such), I think that many of his flight weren’t business flights.

          2. @aapje The issue is the specific EU changes to VAT, for privately owned planes. Although regulations are never simple it could be fixed by allowing the VAT to be claimed back when used for business purposes, until that time privately owned jets will be set up under charter companies with the ‘owner’ paying to charter each flight.

    2. @Steve K Be careful there. The same argument was used for slavery when it was legal.

      Laws are written and enforced by people. Its up to us to write our laws (if you assume a democracy which is a long shot nowadays).

    3. Well, he’s in good company with Her Majesty the Queen, among others.

  3. Wow… four articles on Hamilton & his taxes. All of them full of speculation & criticism. More of the usual fussing about Monaco. Again, never a big fuss when Jenson or many other drivers live there… matter of fact, there was an article just last month (Economic Times, I think it was) where Jenson was practically bragging (and being praised) about his lifestyle in Monaco & how he enjoys it (he can cycle to Italy or France when he feels like it… it’s “fantastic”, he says), as well as his affinity for cashmere, high end sports cars & flying private jets, etc. Matter of fact, Jenson Button has been on the list for a Hondajet since about 2007-2008 (As usual, it’s Honda… took them a while to get it right). Last I heard, he’s still number one on the list in Europe to get one, & I know initially he had plans to get a small fleet of them & open a business… in Monaco… but he’s still Britain’s beloved son. I’d say let’s watch this space to see if that story gets as much traction, if any… but we all know it won’t…

    1. I also beleive Rosberg was in the panama papers and didn’t get the full article and multiple links treatment

      1. If I remember this right @tango, there just was far less to discuss with Rosberg. There was no clear indication that he had evaded an exact amount of taxes by using the construction etc. so there was less detail to dig into. THere was less information on it, and yes, Rosberg was off course less prominent start of last year than Hamilton who just won a 4th championship is right now.

        1. Quite true @bascb.

          My point would actually be not to blame the player but blame the game. Also, I’m quite sure all F1 drivers, the Queen and most very high earners actually don’t personally manage such schemes and trust someone (or a company) with their money and investments. Those professionals will then do what all professionals will do : maximise their and their clients’ earnings and minimise their losses (hopefully within the confines of the law).

          Footballer’s contracts are now dealt within obscure schemes with the sole purpose of limiting tax. The problem was exposed in France with Paris Saint Germain. I doubt said players had a say (or an understanding) of all that.

          Ona personnal note, with my relatively lower income, I actually trust a consultant firm to help me with my investments. i only ask of them to insure it’s the best value to risk. I get the gist of where it goes and what’s the associated tax scheme, but bugger if I know where exactly my money ends up. I feel if I owned 100 or 10 000 times more, it would be difficult to avoid such deviances allowed by the system and the law. (especially as my additional income would open up the possibilities multiple folds as the scandals show)

          1. Yeah, I get that, and indeed agree that we should push for change in the system (much like recent years have shown a slow, sluggish change in football with tax doding/evading and strange connections actually get investigated and even prosecuted, but most importantly rules were changed) @tango.

            As for the people involved, I am sure that, just as HAmilton mentions, he has a team of dedicated people minding these things for him – afterall he is not knowledgeable, nor interested in, investing, international law etc. – his interest is in being a racer, enjoying his music and seeign the world.

            For me personally, I too invest through funds that spread their investment based on their professional work. I do think however if I had enough available capital to make sensible investments on my own, and felt compelled not to invest it in my OWN business, I would probably take a more personal approach and actually try to invest based on my ideas of what I want to see develop though. But again, that presumes both the available funds AND the interest to actually be involved in the management of them.

  4. @lancer033
    a) major difference between purposely evading tax and not paying more than you have to
    b) major difference as well: when you’re out a hundred on a low income that can mean making rent or not, or eating properly or not, or a whole host of actual real deprivations, when you’re a multi-millionaire out half your multi, not quite the same dilemmas
    c) it’s not just Hamilton and it’s got naught to do with jealousy, it’s about people who’d have a hard time spending all their money if they tried believing that taxes are for little people, yet having no problem, not in Hamilton’s case specifically, but for example, insisting that public money should subsidize commercial sport because of all the wealth it creates, mind you none of it for those with no money to hire accountants to hide what little they have.

  5. Hamilton’s taxes-up

  6. “Arise, ye workers from your slumber,
    Arise, ye prisoners of want.”

  7. Keith beating the drum to his anti Hamilton agenda again. Sad.

    1. Well, Keith is British.

      Most of his sources are British.

      Take a wild guess what they are all talking about right now in regards to Formula 1.

      1. @kelvin38, How many of these do you see on autosport.com, f1racing.net, motorsport.com etc etc. A dozen or so over the last three days including a “feature article”? Or one article at most?

    2. Only 50% of articles highlighted by Keith on that topic (and none in the top 3). But 100% of comments on this topic. @patrickl

      Maybe Keith beats a drum, but moreso we love to dance to that beat.

      1. I like that you say “only” as if that is normal.

    3. @patrickl Since the story broke I’ve kept an eye out for views on it as it’s obviously going to invite a variety of interpretations: You only have to read the 200-plus comments on the original story to see that.

      Today it happens that I came across two pieces which were critical of Hamilton. Yesterday’s round-up featured one which was positive about him.

      If I’m banging the anti-Hamilton drum today, does that mean I was shaking the pro-Hamilton maracas yesterday?

      1. @keithcollantine

        or you could just choose to stop reporting this farcical tax-affair drama – no matter if supportive of Hamilton or an faux-outrage criticism of him – because it actually has nothing to do with the sport.

      2. @keithcollantine if you’re writing about F1 and not being accused of being both biased in favour of, and against, every relevant driver, you’re doing it wrong!

      3. @keithcollantine, Well that’s one positive story vs a deluge of tax “evasion” nonsense from the tabloids.

        But I stand corrected. I understand now that it’s the clickbait aspect of these articles that attracts you rather than an urge to bash Hamilton. Fine. Outcome is the same though.

  8. McLaren are encouraged, but make no mistake Red Bull are classy chassis builders. McLaren were nowhere near them for ages.

  9. I disagree with the COTD.
    It’s not only a longshot about how Ricciardo perform against Verstappen, about how Vandoorne perform against Alonso, about how strong will be next McLaren season, about how Honda (tipped to be next Red Bull engine) will perform on Toro Rosso, etc.
    Even if all the part of the puzzle will be in favour of a Ricciardo move to McLaren, still they have Lando Norris ready for f1 in 2019 and the Woking team is the best place for him to debut as they don’t have junior teams and traditionally they took risks with rookies (Hamilton, K Magnussen and Vandoorne to name the last).
    If Ricciardo will move out of RB and can’t find a seat in Ferrari (a Leclerc great season in Sauber and then a promotion) or Mercedes (Bottas closing the gap to Hamilton or Ocon getting a promotion), maybe a competitive Renault or at least a stronger Williams will give Ricciardo a seat.

  10. I guess it’s the same everywhere: when you have a low to normal income you have to pay it all. And when you’re really rich, be it a company or a person, there are ways to go around paying it all.

    But I think I would also do it, if I’d had a chance

    and now back to F1

  11. That Mirror article is pure trash. Defoe shows kindness to a dying kid and somehow he’s a better person than Hamilton all because he didn’t get a tax rebate?

    Hamilton has a well documented history of being aligned to major charities across the world and has helped raised millions for impoverished kids all over the world. It was Hamilton who reached out and invited Billy Monger to be his personal guest at Silverstone. He’s a supporter of Great Ormond Street Hospital, took time out of his busy schedule to surprise kids & had a private screening at the hospital of the new Cars movie. What about his work with UNICEF?visiting and helping raising money for those who were affected by the earthquake in Haiti? And countless others

    This is the same guy who has said on many occasions that one of his biggest inspirations in life was his brother Nicholas. He’s devoted and loyal to his family and friends.

    You can say what you want about the guy, but he’s probably one of the most caring and selfless drivers or human being we have. But the British media are intent on tearing him down. He wasn’t the most high profile name on that list, but he’s the one being used as the face to push an agenda of hate and vilification.

    2014 Bernie Ecclestone owed HMRC £1b in back taxes and penalties, his lawyers were able to get that down to a mere £10m, but were was the uproar? Where was the vilification?

    But if we truly look at it, not only is Hamilton different from many of those on the list because he’s black, but he’s also probably the only one who is not a descendant of ‘old money’. These tax schemes were setup by wealthy people to benefit wealthy people, Hamilton’s true crime, was being a kid from a council estate who made it against all odds and became extremely successful in a sport that was meant for the elite members of society, who now had the audacity to benefit from a system that was not meant to be used by the likes of him.

    He killed no one, he stole from no one, his advisors followed the same system that exited long before Lewis made his first £100 much less a £100m. And as for those who say, “yes it wasn’t illega, but morally it was wrong”… really?

    A financial advisor & accountants job is to work in the best interest of their clients in helping them better manage their money and reduce their tax/expenditure liabilities whilst increasing their profits. When I was at university studying accounting, my tax lecturer in nearly every lecture was telling us how to exploit the system. Everyone does it, from the sole trader to the millionaires. The difference is, it’s morally wrong for the millionaires but not so for the builder or chippie who doesn’t run every job or sale through their books. But it’s easy to say, “oh but they’re rich and they make a lot of money, so they can afford to pay this or that amount”. No one volunteers to pay more than they have to and if there is a way that they can legally pay less, then they will exploit those avenues. Want to put and end to this so called rampant problem, close the loopholes. But then how do you do that when the major accounting firms are headhunting senior figures within HMRC? A few years ago, the head of HMRC left to take up a position within one of the big 4 firms. Where were his morals?

    Howard Quayle’s the chief minister of the IoM when interviewed by the BBC on Monday, said Hamilton and his advisors did nothing wrong or illegal and had the same been done in the U.K., he would’ve been entitled to the refund. Quayle also said HMRC has reviewed the Islands practice on how they treat VAT and found no wrong doings and has invited them back to review their procedures again.

    This is a targeted attack on Hamilton and his character and it should stop.

    1. +1

      I’m fed up with the whole “it’s not ethical” reasoning that the media and politicians are spouting. Don’t like people “gaming” your system – change the system. It’s within your power but you don’t have the cojones to do it. Taxation needs a serious rewrite but it will never happen. In the mean time we get to tut and be passively aggressive about those that by luck/skill get way richer than 99+% of us will ever experience.

      1. Politicians won’t change anything while the majority are, themselves, incredibly wealthy. It’s not like there’s really a viable political party which can/will make a commitment to genuinely improving the situation. In fact, it’s very clear that there is complicity at every level. Look at the places used for these tax havens – the British Virgin Islands, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Bermuda, the Caymens… These are all British crown dependencies. There is a vested interest in Britain effectively maintaining the world’s tax havens. Yes for sure British people need to be outside of Great Britain in order to not have to pay income tax – hence why many will relocate to the likes of Monaco. Small, very rich states, who will welcome with open arms anyone wanting to bring their riches there. The tax havens exist so that shell companies can be created in order for money and goods to be bought and used by an individual essentially in a way which avoids paying tax to anyone.

        This has nothing to do with people not having the balls to make changes. It’s not in my power to change anything, no matter how strongly I feel about it. There is, as I say, complicity across the highest levels of British society – politicians, the landed gentry, royalty, captains of industry, media moguls, and so on. We present the illusion of democracy, that there is some kind of underlying power to the will of the people, but it’s false. Our politicians don’t work in our interests – if they did then they would never support such a shambles as Brexit. Wouldn’t lie to us and bury reports that show how dire things can be. They work purely for themselves.

    2. Quite right. Rubbish mirror article. It’s great that Defoe formed a bond with Bradley Lowery, but all the press coverage cheapens the whole thing. For Lewis to go around supporting all the good works that he does, without the big fanfare and without the emotional good feeling that Jermaine must have got from a personal connection, is, I would suggest, a greater sacrifice of his time.

      As to the tax thing, it simply wouldn’t be worth the average Joe going to the expense of having people manage a likely genuinely ‘small fortune’. The people who do this for Lewis will likely be on a percentage rather than a salary and it’s their job. It also keeps many people in HMRC employed to ensure such loopholes are kept to a minimum. Arguably everybody is behaving like busy fools in this pursuit, but it’s life as we conduct it today.

    3. Spot on.
      Blue eyed Jenson Button can live in Monaco and no one cares.

  12. COTD: Vandoorne is a future superstar, who has had bad luck driving that car. He’s done very well getting close to Alonso. I don’t see Ricciardo being a massive improvement. They also have Norris, who may well be Verstappen-esque in talent. No need for this move.

  13. Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
    9th November 2017, 9:36

    If Horner thinks that Red Bull have been the quickest in the last 4 races, then I think it is getting close to Ricciardo being as unlucky as Verstappen this season. Lets remember that they both now have had 4 retirements down to reliability. Verstappen has retired 3 times related to other incidents. Ricciardo has retired once down to his team mate taking him out. That isn’t a very good point of Verstappen’s season. But that means Ricciardo has only had 2 less retirements than Verstappen. And he’s also retired in the last 2 races. If Horner is right, then he’s missed out twice when Red Bull were at their most competitive by far this season. So considering the points gap is still 44 between them, I don’t think that necessarily means Verstappen would definitely be ahead if they had equal luck. I think they are very close. Verstappen had the edge in qualifying. That is certainly true. And generally in pace too. But I think Ricciardo makes less costly mistakes and does better overtakes and is on the whole slightly better overall. But I know many won’t disagree here. But Given Ricciardo’s bad luck recently, I don’t think their luck has been has been as dramatically different this season as it was earlier and the gap is still pretty large.

    1. What is not visible in the stats is that when RIC scored the majority of his points it was because he inherited the position from Maxs DNF. This can not be said vice versa.

      1. Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
        9th November 2017, 19:44

        I’m not so sure. Ricciardo started ahead of Ricciardo in Russia. Then Ricciardo had a problem almost instantly and started dropping down the grid. So maybe he will have stayed ahead if not for this?

        In Hungary, Ricciardo clearly got a better start and Verstappen took him out. Verstappen may be the one who gained an advantage this time as Ricciardo possibly could have beaten him.

        In the USA, Ricciardo out qualified Verstappen and then had to retire. Maybe Verstappen gained another position then as considering he got a grid penalty, it makes it much less likely that he will have beaten him. Not that it is fair that he gets the grid penalty, but I can only say he gained a position on his team mate due to him retiring.

        Verstappen certainly has gained a position in some races surely. So I can’t really agree with what you are saying. Maybe not to the same extent as Ricciardo, but I still think they are not that far apart now in terms of the bad luck they have suffered.

  14. Horner and Red Bull will be bricking themselves if they turn up on Day 1 of testing with a car that’s nowhere near the top runner as has been the case since 2014.

    This year was nothing short of a disaster – they were clearly on the back foot and it took half a season for them to turn it around.

    With drivers like Ricciardo and Vestappen, they know that the heat will ramp up incredibly on them if they can’t present them with something capable of winning races from Race 1.

    No wonder Daniel is holding off on signing up with them for 2019. My only surprise is that Max did, although I’m sure that somewhere in his contract there’ll be an escape clause if he gets a crap car at the start of 2018.

    Let’s see if they deliver this time. GIven their past 4 efforts, I’m not overly confident.

    1. Well ok, but I predict RBR, given their current form, has learned a ton and has adapted well to an underpowered and unreliable Renault pu, such that it is hard to envision they will be ‘disastrously’ behind from race 1. Who knows though and that will depend on how much Mercedes and Ferrari turn up the wick with their new cars too.

      I don’t think Horner is thinking this year has been ‘disastrous’ whatsoever. The opposite. I think he (we) knew before the season began that Mercedes were still going to be the benchmark, and it happened Ferrari initially gave them a run for their money too, so I think he has many positives to take from this season, with the perspective that the Renault has progressed in spite of it’s unreliability. He’ll be buoyed by what has happened this season with the wins, and podiums, and competitiveness they have shown on more than a few occasions.

      So sure, one could look at the glass half empty on this, but I’m positive Horner and RBR are chuffed that they themselves have done an amazing job with their car itself, and have only really been held back by the Renault pu being a little less powerful and less reliable. Horner can only think positive thoughts about the 2018 Renault pu, for he and his team have done all the right things from their end, and that’s all that Horner can control.

      1. Meant to add, Max is the one that approached RBR about renewing his contract. I suspect he is highly enthusiastic, as I claim Horner must be, at what they have done with their third place package. Max is dominating DR, sees only number two seats at Mercedes and Ferrari, whereas he is sitting as a natural number one at RBR while probably sensing they’re on an upswing. I’m not surprised at all that Max has done this, and would be surprised if he has felt the need for out clauses, like he is taking some huge risk by staying at RBR.

        DR apparently hasn’t approached RBR yet, or maybe he has, but there’s lots of time anyway, and he is the one who has been vastly out qualified and for the majority of the time outrace when both cars have been healthy. Hard to say what DR is thinking in terms of staying where he is getting beaten or going wherever, that would be better for him. Could/would he go to Ferrari against SV? Mercedes against LH? He’s not in an easy spot so probably needs the time he has in order to suss things out.

    2. Must agree on that… same story, different year.

  15. Amongst all the hysteria surrounding the so-called ‘Paradise Papers’, rational comment has been missing. The actual background and situation of Hamilton’s Jet is well covered, on a link I followed to another blog-piece on the ASI Protectionism Article: .

    Quite rightly this blog points the finger at the bureaucratic apparatus of the EU (states) as being the root cause in the warping of the VAT rules.

  16. Well, what about the Queen?

  17. Well said Kgn11

    The main issue is, Lewis Hamilton is black. Thus, his tax avoidance becomes a much bigger issue. This is the “neo racism” i have always noticed and mentioned. It is about holding black people to a different standard than their white counterparts, punishing them far more for the same “crimes”. It is a well documented phenomenon.

    We see this time and time again with criticism against Lewis Hamilton. However, whenever it is mentioned, it is shouted down as nonsense.

    But with so many other F1 drivers doing the same thing (including Jenson Button),and so many British sportsmen, entertainers, politicians, the Queen, even Bernie Ecclestone, but none getting close to the same amount of uproar and vilification, I wonder what their excuse wold be now?

    1. Coupe of things on this. Are you sure you are comparing all media outrage and vilification toward all manner of wealthy people using tax havens and tax shelters? There sure is a lot of it out there. Or are you comparing the amount of flack LH gets on F1 sites vs the amount of flack F1 sites mention other F1 drivers doing this? Also, there must be hundreds if not thousands of wealthy black athletes who also use these tax plans to save themselves millions. Can you point us to all the other black athletes that have had extra attention paid to their tax behaviour, such that it must only come down to skin colour? Just curious as to what proof you have for making such a slanderous statement about authors of articles and their media employers. Are these media outlets white only?

  18. Thank you @keithcollantine for COTD.

    I like to indulge in a little idle speculation. It’s a change from all the Hamilton angst!

  19. Am I still on F1fanatic.co.uk or lawyer-accountantfanatic.co.uk?

  20. Thanks for the birthday wishes – twice @keithcollantine, much appreciated sir.

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