F1's huge Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton Abu Dhabi GP controversy explained

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this is the F1 equivalent to how the astros won the world series a few years back lmao

This felt like it was rigged from the top

The Australian GP's Safety Car finish reignites fiery debate over 2021's controversial Abu Dhabi season finale.

In a whirlwind reminiscent of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the recent Australian GP has once again ignited the debate surrounding how the season finale should have unfolded. Seasoned racing veteran and former Ferrari and Williams team manager, Peter Windsor, passionately argues that the conclusion of the Australian GP serves as "absolute proof" that the 2021 season should have come to a close behind the Safety Car, as dictated by the rulebook.

Echoes of Abu Dhabi in Albert Park

The Australian GP's final lap saw the remaining 12 drivers navigate the Albert Park Circuit behind the Safety Car after a number of incidents, including both Alpine drivers crashing into each other and the barrier. A sight familiar to many, as fans rose to their feet saw Windsor highlight the striking similarity between this scenario and the controversial 2021 season finale.

The Rulebook Speaks, But Did Masi Listen?

If the rulebook had been followed to the letter, Lewis Hamilton would have cruised to victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing an unparalleled eighth World Championship title in a scenario identical to the end of the Australian Grand Prix. Unfortunately for Hamilton and his Mercedes team, that's not how things played out. 

Former race director Michael Masi's rule-breaking decision led to a green flag finish, allowing Max Verstappen to snatch the win and the title from Hamilton in a jaw-dropping final lap at Yas Marina Circuit.

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Australian GP Fans Embrace the Safety Car Finish

Windsor points out that the fans at the Australian GP didn't seem to mind the race concluding behind the Safety Car. In fact, they appeared to revel in the excitement, cheering and applauding the drivers as they completed their final lap. This reaction, he believes, is a testament to how the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix should have ended in 2021, allowing Hamilton to secure his record-breaking championship.

“They finished the race [in Melbourne] behind the Safety Car. Ring any bells?” Windsor said told his followers.

“That’s the finish we should have got in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

“I didn’t see any Australian fans – and they’re pretty vociferous at the best of times – complaining or booing saying, ‘no, we want this race to finish as a proper one-lap race, this is terrible.’

“They were all cheering and clapping – exactly as I said they would have in Abu Dhabi ’21 if they’d finished it behind the Safety Car, as they should have done, and Lewis had been cruising round to win his eighth World title.

“That, to me, was absolute proof – again – of what went wrong in Abu Dhabi and I still feel very hot under the collar about that as well.

“I still think it’s rotten that they completely blew that and Lewis Hamilton was robbed of that eighth title in that one incident.

“Of course, you don’t win or lose a Championship in one race. What I’m talking about is the decision that was taken.

“And nobody cared at all [in Melbourne]. The Australians just loved that Safety Car, they were all cheering.

“I thought actually a couple of the drivers might wave to the crowd, because it wasn’t as if you could overtake, but they didn’t.

“But nonetheless, it was nice.

“They came round slowly and everybody stood and cheered and clapped and it was a great moment – just as it would have been in Abu Dhabi in ’21.”

Hamilton should of been world champion but that would of taken the record away from Michael schumacher, in f1 history they have never let cars pass the slower drivers after a safety car, if you pit you make that decision to lose your track position, if that was the case they should of let Hamilton change tyres too, don't say one thing then when red bull start complaining over the radio changed your mind, it was a joke and has made people doubt F1

I despise all the F1 media for not saying it how it was. Shame on them. I cancelled my subsriptions.

I think it was pretty fucked up they cleared out the cars between max and lewis. essentially they gave the championship to max on fresh soft tires vs hamilton on old hards. max didn't have to fight to win the race. in my opinion the point of the safety car is preserve the state of the race, from before the accident, long enough to resume after it's safe to do so. in this case they altered the ordering of the cars and gave red bull a massive advantage. i'm surprised they don't install remote controlled speed limiters on the cars to limit them to the same low speed during the entire safety period and then do a count-down over the radio for when the race will start again. there are lots of ways they could preserve the state of the race and figure out where cars in the pits would end up if they had left the pits during the normal race. in any fair scenario, hamilton would've won it because he had already created a safe lead to win it. you simply ask yourself "who would've won if there had not been an accident" and it's clear that hamilton would've taken the win and the championship.

that said, max is a very good driver and I think he would've taken the next season easily considering how bad the mercedes new car turned out to be.

The last lap wasn't controversial. It was illegal. The race director altered the rules to sculpt a 'flashy finish' and the governing body recognized the manipulation but then rubber-stamped it. Sad day for the sport.

it actually doesn't matter if the decision was right or not, if Masi would've just followed the rules Lewis would've won. Max is in great form this year but to say he has earned both of his current WDC is a joke. 2021 was handed to him on a silver platter at the end. Also hate how much Max downplays being an F1 champion. You can tell it doesn't mean much to him because he didn't earn it legitimately. And no, I'm not team LH, I'm a Lando fanboy all day long baby

Whether a great season or not they spoiled it with that ending.
CORRUPTION GALORE

Crashtappen can only win gift Championshits

Both deserved the championship, Hamilton deserved the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Masi should be kicked into the hospital for what he did!!! 🤬🤬🤬

“No Mikey no no” 😂😂😂😂 fuckwitt

Just a prove that Mercedes are sore losers

Im suprised how many people just dont give a shit about this. Like they'd rather enjoy a fake storyline than watch actual sport.

The rules stated that the Race Director! Mazi! Could overthrow all the rules! And He did! Go cry out! This was in the rules! He did the best thing ever! Would anyone wanted a championship ended behind a safety car?

The result was fixed / manipulated a d the last lap should not have counted. Everything else is gaslighting and a distraction to make you think it was a human error which it was not.

Not sport more like crime

Red bull boxed and Mercedes played it safe. Mercedes played it wrong and lost

LATIFI G.O.A.T.☠

🤭 Toto probably should have been nicer to Michael that might change the outcome!

Trash decision

I loved Red Bull, but they play dirty. Disgusting for the sport.

If they want a fair fight at end they could let hamilton change the tire at least.

sounds to me like someone got a preferential treatment for the sake of putting on a "show" for the crowd

I am not taking anything away from max( I am a fan) but when the other drivers think it was shifty, fishy win......

This is hardly an explanation

no matter boycot or not the fact is 2021 massi race director helps max world champion, this really tarnishes the F1 world, it's better the Schumacher vs Damon Hill incident without the help of the race director

Cheats prosper. That's what I take from it.


Will NEVER EVER FORGIVE Masi,the FIA or RBR. The title was NOT fairly won.

latifi's fault ngl

Can someone explain in basketball terms

Being a Ferrari fan and not giving rats ass about red bull or Mercedes, I will say this - Bosses shouldn't be allowed to yell at race director trying to influence him. Second, the safety car rules are fucked up. Don't count safety car laps into races, let the race be race. Following safety car to finish the race by Mercedes logic is absurd. Allowing only 4 cars to unlap is equally absurd. Let all cars unlap themselves and safety car laps don't count and we would had 5 rounds left isn't it? That would have been awesome.

Hamilton was fastest driver on the track. Fpr 52 laps he had easy lead . Alowing them to race under unequal conditions for the last lap isn't racing. It is FAAAKEEEEE

Race control not allowed lapped car to pass at first because the marshall is on track..how dumb can you be?

michael massi fucked the end of the season

If drivers had to maintain the gap they had to other drivers when a (virtual) safety car enters the track (in other words, If drivers got to keep the leads they have built up for themselves during a safety car) none of this bs would have happened.

Just for the record, Hamilton was laying the smack down on Vestapen the entire race. If it wasn’t for the crash, the fresh tires, and unlapping the cars, Hamilton was clearly the better driver that day. It was obvious with fresh tires and all the help from the FIA that red bull was gona win the final lap. Tainted championship for sure.

Hamilton would have won by a mile, hadn´t it been for the crash incident. Plain and simple.

FIA should have told hamilton to pit and have than 1v1 1 lap race instead

Watch this twice and was waiting for this Brit to lean towards Hamilton getting screwed. After rewinding here and there I must give credit to the producers, this was a very "neutral" analysis. The Brits on ESPN let bias slip out. This analysis was right down the middle and left us to decide. I'd like to see you keep the Steward there for entertainment value, allow these guys to bitch all you want, let the Steward rely the decisions but don't let that guy make the decision. He's the messenger, other guys make the decision behind the scenes. Keep the entertainment there by allowing them to lobby the race director and elevate the decision to higher authority (3 guys voting on this). Listening to all the comments are some of the best parts of the race.

It's all Lafiti's fault XD
I know nothing about F1 before watching the Netflix show but now I tried to read hings about the past seasons in the last decade or so.
My favorite characters are Gunther and Cyril :D

Michael Masi brought an increase in the F1 fan base. He should be promoted not axed ,what a legend lmao

I still don't understand how Hamilton is obligated to give up an 8 second lead.

Verstapn doesn't deserve the title. They did Hamilton dirty.

What a hoke

It's pretty obvious how F1 management micromanaged and manufactured the final set up. That's not what sport should be about, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's the ultimate example of how, at its core, sadly, F1 is a deeply corporate sport with an artificial and commodity-focused basis; it was almost better when it was just a bunch of rich gentleman spending their money in entertaining ways, as at least then there was a realness to it.

Or just retire cars the moment they get lapped. Might as well send em home for the weekend.

I agree with it. In my opinion I would have done it sooner. Why give the championship away under a safety car?