2021 - Race 22 Abu Dhabi

[Sulland]

If you leave lapped cars to unlap themselves you must leave them all unlap, not just the ones required to orchestrate a finish.

yes, but that did not have an impact on the result,
so what about lap 1 that was the incident in question.

[denkimi]

Max launched and pushed him wide. When you overtake the rules require you give a car's width. Max didn't give Hamilton a cars width, and forced him to go wide. He was entitled to keep the place. You can't force a car off the track and expect to gain a position.

It can't remember you blaming hamilton when he pushed verstappen on the curbs in monza?

If this situation would be judged like simular cases have been judged throughout the season, this would have been a penalty. But apparently cases get decided by who is involved.

[The Black Knight]

yes, but that did not have an impact on the result,
so what about lap 1 that was the incident in question.

It did have an impact on the result because if they had all been left past the race would have finished under the safety car.

[The Black Knight]

It can't remember you blaming hamilton when he pushed verstappen on the curbs in monza?

If this situation would be judged like simular cases have been judged throughout the season, this would have been a penalty. But apparently cases get decided by who is involved.

Monza was another launch by Max where he was too far back.

[Nitrodaze]

It was indeed not the correct procedure.
But whatever they did here, it was always going to create controverse.

Well allowing all the backmarkers through would have been a safety car finish, not allowing all the cars through would have made it difficult for Verstappen to win the race but we would have got racing action of Verstappen passing backmarkers but he may not catch Hamilton to win the race. The only way to give Verstappen half a chance was exactly what Masi did. So this is a very questionable decision which leaves everyone wondering what happened here? As that decision only serves to bring Verstappen into contention of winning the title with a clear advantage of having fresh soft tyres. it leaves this season a very clear predetermined outcome. And the indicator of it was Horner saying to Masi, we only need one lap.

The first two options are within the regulation. The latter isn't. The thing that most people are overlooking is that, this part of the rules is not discretionary. There is no allowance in the rule for the racing director or the stewards to apply the safety procedures in this way. The rules only allow overtaking or not overtaking of backmarkers. So there is more to come on this and it could go all the way to the FIA commissions.

Does the regulation matter as long as we have racing enjoyment? F1 is a sport and also an entertainment. But the same is true for Football, Tennis, Boxing etc etc. You would not abide a referee of a football match twisting the rules just to produce a few more minutes of play for entertainment purposes at the expense of the other team

As with most of this season, we now have an invention of a new interpretation of the rules. This is a new precedent as this is the first time this has ever been done in F1. I really hope we have a change of racing director next season.

Masi appears to be corrupt. I don't think l can enjoy F1 racing with such a fellow in charge.

[Fortitude]

FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2021 - RACE RESULT
10 12 Dec 2021 Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island

https://www.formula1.com/en/results....ce-result.html


MUST-SEE: Watch the moment Verstappen passed Hamilton to claim the drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi
12 December 2021

He’s been on the back foot, he’s been on the front foot – but when it mattered, Max Verstappen did everything in his power to claim victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, winning it on the last lap with a dramatic pass over title rival Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen had looked set to finish P2 for much of the race, a result that would have seen the title going to Hamilton, who’d jumped the Dutch driver at the start.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...banBrD2u9.html


Brilliant Verstappen claims maiden title after victory in Abu Dhabi season finale following late Safety Car drama
12 December 2021

Max Verstappen secured his maiden World Championship with victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton finishing second as the race ended in a nail-biting one-lap sprint after a late Safety Car. The result, which saw Valtteri Bottas finish sixth and Sergio Perez retire, means Mercedes have clinched a record eighth consecutive constructors’ championship.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...PUsJgKqpZ.html

[denkimi]

Monza was another launch by Max where he was too far back.

But you didn't think lewis had to leave space then. You didnt think he had to leave space in jeddah.
But now you suddenly feel drivers have to leave space.

Pretty inconsistent don't you think?

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton blasts Sergio Perez’s ‘dangerous’ driving as Max Verstappen hails Red Bull teammate as a ‘legend’
Metro Sport Reporter
Sunday 12 Dec 2021 1:59 pm

https://metro.co.uk/2021/12/12/f1-ha...o=newsnow-feed


Max Verstappen wins Formula 1 world championship with stunning last-lap overtake
Sun, 12 Dec, 2021 - 14:40
PA

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after becoming F1 drivers world champion after winning the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 12. 2021.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/...-40764402.html


Verstappen becomes first Dutch driver to win Formula One world championship title
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Max Verstappen created history by becoming the first Dutchman ever to win the Formula One world championship title after winning the dramatic season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix under the floodlights at the Yas Marina circuit on Sunday.

https://www.gulftoday.ae/sport/2021/...pionship-title


‘Finally, a bit of luck’ – Max Verstappen reacts to controversial F1 title win
Mike Stavrou
Sunday 12 Dec 2021 2:53 pm

Max Verstappen is glad to have received ‘a bit of luck’ after his controversial win in Abu Dhabi to edge out Lewis Hamilton and claim the Formula One World Championship.

https://metro.co.uk/2021/12/12/max-v...o=newsnow-feed


Unacceptable: George Russell slams Max Verstappen F1 championship win
DANIEL BROWN

'THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!!'
George Russell has criticised the decision to allow lapped cars to overtake the safety car, which subsequently allowed Max Verstappen to overtake Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen won his first ever F1 World Drivers' Championship after overtaking Hamilton on the final lap of the race, much to the frustration of the Brit and Mercedes.

https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/unaccept...hip-win-305892


‘THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!’ George Russell, Mercedes boss rage over shocking last-lap call in Abu Dhabi
Verstappen overtakes to lead on last lap
Max Laughton from Fox Sports@maxlaughton
December 13th, 2021 2:12 am

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was scathing of F1 race director Michael Masi after his decisions in the final laps enabled Max Verstappen to pass Lewis Hamilton and become world champion.

And future Mercedes driver George Russell leapt to criticise the decision-making on social media.

In the most controversial finish to a championship ever seen, a safety car on lap 53 of 58 saw Verstappen pit for soft tyres and remain second, but in the actual running order due to lapped cars, sit at least five or six cars back of Hamilton

Initially it was determined that lapped cars could not overtake the safety car but on lap 57, the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen were told they could, putting Verstappen directly behind his rival for a one-lap dash to the finish.

Hamilton was a sitting duck on his old hard tyres and was duly passed by the Dutchman, who held off a last-ditch dive to claim his first world title.

But as the decision was made Wolff was on the radio to Masi, proclaiming “this isn’t right”.

Wolff: “You need to reinstate the lap before (57, where Hamilton led, as the finish). That’s not right.”

Masi: “Toto? It’s called a motor race, OK?”

Wolff: “Sorry?”

Masi: “We went car racing.”

George Russell, who retired from his final race at Williams and will replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes next season, declared the late call was “absolutely unacceptable”.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...2f8706413f975f


Mercedes boss Toto Wolff blasts ‘unacceptable’ decision as Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to F1 title
A late safety car caused chaos at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Verstappen beat Hamilton to the title on the final lap of the season
Jamie Braidwood

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has called the decision to turn the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix into a one-lap shootout for the title as “unacceptable” in a heated exchange with race director Michael Masi.

Max Verstappen won his maiden F1 championship in dramatic and unbelievable style as the Red Bull driver passed title rival Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the race after benefiting from a late safety car.

Nicholas Latifi’s crash into the wall with four laps of the season-deciding race to go proved decisive, as it gave Verstappen the opportunity to pit for fresh soft tyres and line up behind Hamilton as the green flag waved.

“Michael, you need to reinstate the previous lap. That was unacceptable,” Wolff said on the team radio. “That is not right.”

In response, Masi hit back by arguing: “Toto, that is called motor racing.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-b1974550.html


Verstappen is champion as controversial last-lap call leaves Mercedes seething
2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix summary
Posted on
12th December 2021, 15:0012th December 2021, 15:31 | Written by RJ O'Connell

Max Verstappen has won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and clinched the 2021 Formula 1 world championship in a sensational conclusion to the season.

On the final lap, he made the lunge of his racing life to take the lead at turn five. Hamilton had one final chance to slipstream past and take the lead around the outside of turn nine, but could not take the position back, and Verstappen drove away to the race victory and his first drivers’ championship.

Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff was immediately on the radio to race director Michael Masi to complain about the last-lap decision. “Toto, it’s called a motor race,” Masi responded. “Okay? We went car racing.”

https://www.racefans.net/2021/12/12/...edes-seething/


Max Verstappen: 'Mad Max' evolves into Formula One world champion
Formula One's latest world champion Max Verstappen has developed into a top driver, as his stunning win in Abu Dhabi proves. The Dutchman is anything but tame, though.

https://www.dw.com/en/max-verstappen...ion/a-60093395

[The Black Knight]

But you didn't think lewis had to leave space then. You didnt think he had to leave space in jeddah.
But now you suddenly feel drivers have to leave space.

Pretty inconsistent don't you think?

No he didn't have to leave space as he was ahead and owned the corner in both incidents, so no, not inconsistent.

Mercedes have lodged two appeals and I think they have a case especially around the unlapping procedure.

[Zico]

I have to agree that they should either have let all the cars through or none at all... nearly all of them was not right, especially for the other teams affected by that.

I guess this is what happens when F1 is run by Americans... the 'show' , the controversy and drama is far more important for viewing figures than the finer details and perceived fairness. Not that F1 ever has been fair... it's just even less so now.

That said, I do fully recognise Max as the legitimate WDC, even if it was decided in a bit of a farcical way.

A big shout out to Lewis for behaving in such a dignified manner post race, it left me very impressed.
There is a fair chance he may not get the opportunity at another title with Russell beside him.. and especially if Merc are no longer dominant. He has had a great run though, 7 WDC's is still an outstanding achievement. Sure, he has Merc to thank for most of these for providing such a dominant car, but still.. huge respect for what he has achieved. A true great in the sport without a shadow of a doubt.