Before the final laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was on track to win a record-breaking eighth world championship. The Mercedes driver is still incensed about how he was denied the victory.
At the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton claimed he was “obviously robbed” of a record-breaking eighth world championship.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull and the Mercedes driver were engaged in an epic championship battle going into that historic race. Verstappen was second in the closing stages of the race, with Hamilton leading, when Williams star Nicholas Latifi collided with a wall.
As a result, a safety car was brought out, forcing Hamilton to remain outside in order to maintain his track position while Verstappen stopped for new tires. Then, shocking the Formula One community, race director Michael Masi permitted only the lapped caps separating Verstappen and Hamilton to rejoin the lead lap.
This led to a final-lap battle for the championship, where Verstappen overtook Hamilton thanks to his newer tires. Masi’s choice incited intense anger, leading to the Australian’s subsequent dismissal. Hamilton has since acknowledged that he still thinks about the race.
“Were I taken advantage of? Of course. You are aware of the tale, after all. However, I believe that the most beautiful thing that I remember about that moment was that my dad was with me. And we had experienced the highs and lows of this enormous life roller coaster together,” Hamilton said to GQ.
“He was there on the day it hurt the most, and he raised me to always stand up and hold your head high. Naturally, I went to congratulate Max. Little did I know the effect that would have, but I was also acutely aware that a miniature version of myself was watching.
This marks a turning point in my life. And I believe it was. I sensed it. I had no idea how people would take it. I hadn’t really imagined it. However, I was acutely aware of the fact that these next 50 meters are either where I die or where I rise.
Hamilton’s loss in Abu Dhabi would ultimately cost him the championship by just one point. The FIA then fired Masi before the next season because of his choice to alter the safety car protocol.
Although “human error” was cited as the reason for the decision, Hamilton and Mercedes were incensed. The ensuing two and a half years haven’t seen a decrease in this rage, with Silver Arrows manager Toto Wolff calling Masi a “idiot” in December of last year.
“There were severe wounds! Amazing wounds that, in a sense, we will never fully heal. There are times when you wonder, “How could that happen?,” and they turned into scars. We are aware of how it occurred,” he said to Motorsport.com.
“However, I don’t want to waste any time [considering] the causes [of it], as that would give Masi too much credit. He’s just a foolish person who chose poorly.”
Ever since that notorious race, Hamilton has been fighting just to be able to finish on the podium. Verstappen, on the other hand, has dominated, taking home the last two world titles for drivers.
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