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WHAT HAPPENED IN ABU DHABI 2021?
SHORT ANSWER
With Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton tied on Championship points heading into the final race of the 2021 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton lead the race comfortably towards the closing stages.
Following a late crash and safety car with just five laps to go, Red Bull took to team radio where they lobbied the FIA race director, Michael Masi, to allow one final lap of racing, instead of abiding by the rule book and ending the race under a safety car.
Buckling under the pressure, and with motives to provide an end of season grandstand finish spectacle, Masi improvised his own version of the rules, allowing only the cars between Lewis and Max to un-lap themselves.
This protocol defying decision altered the outcome significantly as it placed Verstappen with fresh rubber, immediately behind Hamilton for a one-lap shootout.
This made an overtake almost inevitable and aided Max in claiming the race and his first World Championship, whilst denying Lewis a record breaking eighth World Championship title.
This has been manipulated man... Lewis Hamilton
DETAILED ANSWER
- Date: 12th December, 2021
- Location: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi 🇦🇪
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the climax of a thrilling and highly competitive season. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen entered the race tied on points, setting the stage for a winner-takes-all showdown that ended up becoming one of the most debated and controversial moments in sporting history.
THE BUILD-UP
Hamilton and Verstappen had been locked in an intense battle throughout the season with numerous, heavily debated racing incidents; the most notable being at Silverstone where Lewis received a 10s penalty for sending Max hurtling into the barriers at Copse corner with over 50Gs of force, and another where Max returned the favour by parking his Red Bull on top of the rival Mercedes at turn one of Monza.
He just turned in on me... Lewis Hamilton
The two competitors arrived at Abu Dhabi with identical points, an extremely rare occurrence that amplified the stakes of the final race.
The last time two drivers were tied going into the final race was during the 1974 season between Emerson Fittipaldi and Clay Regazzoni.
THE RACE
At the start of the race, Hamilton took the lead and appeared to be in control, pulling away and building a gap over Verstappen. There were accusations of Hamilton leaving the track and gaining an advantage, but no further action was taken by the race stewards.
Red Bull tried various strategies, including an early pit stop to put pressure on Mercedes. Max's teammate Sergio PĂ©rez also lived up to his nickname "The Minister of Defense", by stalling Lewis as much as possible to allow Max to try and close the gap, but it wasn't enough.
By lap 53 and with just five laps remaining, Hamilton had built a comfortable lead of 12 seconds, setting him on course to claim his record breaking eighth World Championship title.
THE FINISH
With just a few laps to go, Nicholas Latifi (characteristically) lost control of his Williams, rear-ending it into the barrier and prompting a late safety car.
With Red Bull trailing behind and nothing to lose, they un-hesitantly pitted Verstappen for fresh soft tyres, whereas Mercedes opted to keep Hamilton out on his worn hard tyres, allowing him to maintain track position.
This was a crucial decision by the Mercedes strategists, who had calculated that there weren't enough laps remaining to allow all the lapped cars to un-lap themselves and rejoin the back of the pack.
The Championship was in the bag.
As the laps continued to tick down, Red Bull’s Sporting Director, Jonathan Wheatley, communicated directly with FIA Race Director Michael Masi, urging him to deviate from the rule book and allow only the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves.
"Any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car."
"Having overtaken the cars on the lead lap and the safety car, these cars should then proceed around the track at an appropriate speed, without overtaking, and make every effort to take up position at the back of the line of cars behind the safety car."
Excerpts taken from article 48.12 of the 2021 Formula 1 - Sporting Regulations
You only need to let those cars that are between them go. You don’t need to let them all go. Jonathan Wheatley
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s Team Principal, also pressed Masi, emphasizing the importance of avoiding a race conclusion under the safety car and pushing for one final racing lap.
Under this pressure, Masi made the controversial decision to allow only the five lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves, setting up a thrilling but controversial one-lap shootout for the Championship.
On the final lap, Verstappen, with fresher and faster tyres, overtook Hamilton to win the race and secure his first World Championship.
Mercedes was furious, with Team Principal Toto Wolff immediately protesting over the radio, accusing the decision of being manipulated.
No Michael! No, no, Michael! That was so not right! Toto Wolff
It's called a motor race Toto. We went motor racing. Michael Masi
THE AFTERMATH
Mercedes immediately lodged protests with the FIA, arguing that the race director’s decisions breached the sporting regulations. However, these protests were dismissed, and Verstappen's title was confirmed.
The handling of the situation, particularly the radio messages and the direct influence from team principals, led to intense scrutiny and backlash. Critics argued that such communications should not influence race control decisions, especially in such high-stakes moments.
The controversy led to the FIA reviewing its procedures, eventually removing Masi from his role as race director, and implementing changes to limit direct communication between teams and race control, including the introduction of a Virtual Race Control Room to assist in decision-making.
THE LEGACY
The outcome left the F1 fan base deeply divided, with many feeling that Hamilton was unfairly denied his eighth World Championship, while others celebrated Verstappen’s title as the result of a hard fought and brilliantly executed season.
Hamilton and Verstappen's fierce rivalry significantly boosted global interest in Formula 1, driven in part by the popular Netflix series "Drive to Survive", which brought the sport's drama to the attention of an even broader global audience.
The term "Masi-ing it" is now also a common phrase amongst F1 fans, meaning to just make up rules on the spot to manipulate a competition or situation in someones favour.
CONCLUSION
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is remembered not just for its dramatic conclusion, but for the controversy that followed. It reshaped discussions around race governance and left a lasting impact on the sport, ensuring that it will be talked about for years to come.
Max Verstappen, you are the World Champion! The World Champion! Christian Horner