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The infamous Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen clash in the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi GP remains, to this day, one of the most controversial incidents in the history of Formula 1.
A 24-year-old Max Verstappen clinched a historic victory at the Yas Marina Circuit two years ago on December 12th, becoming the first non-Mercedes driver since Sebastian Vettel in 2013 to win the F1 world championship. As he crossed the finish line, the Dutchman blocked Mercedes legend Lewis Hamilton from bagging a record-breaking eighth world championship, an incident that remains a point of debate among F1 enthusiasts.
But how did it all unfold? How did a last-gasp decision from F1 race director Michael Masi change the course of Formula One history? Follow along as we reminisce about the infamous night in Abu Dhabi.
The 2021 season had seen two of the biggest title contenders in Hamilton and Verstappen go toe-to-toe with each other throughout the season. If their status as the best drivers wasn't enough, notable crashes in Silverstone and Monza and penalty incidents in Brazil and Saudi Arabia added fuel to the fire of their rivalry.
Leading up to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, both Hamilton and Verstappen were at 369.5 points each, making the grand finale a winner-takes-all affair.
Whilst Lewis Hamilton maintained his lead for the first majority of the race despite Verstappen starting from pole, it wasn't until Lap 50 that the drama began to unfold.
In the 50th lap, a pivotal moment unfolded as Nicholas Latifi's crash prompted a Safety Car deployment. What proved to be the turning point of the race was Mercedes deciding against pitting their champion, anticipating that a restart was not in contention. Red Bull pitted Max Verstappen.
Lap 58 saw the drama intensify. Although Race Control's initial announcement that lapped cars would not be allowed to overtake suggested an anticlimactic end, a dramatic U-turn on the penultimate lap allowed only the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to overtake.
The stage was finally set for the 58th and final lap, winner-takes-all. The Mercedes camp was left questioning race director Michael Masi's decision. Toto Wolff was left seething, Lewis Hamilton flabbergasted.
With the advantage of softer tires, it was Max Verstappen who etched his name into the history books. The Dutchman beat Hamilton in the final lap of the season as Michael Schumacher's record remained intact.
What was the aftermath of the Lewis Hamilton-Max Verstappen controversy?
In February 2022, the FIA's response to the controversy saw Michael Masi being removed from his position as a race director. The inquiry also prompted significant changes, including restrictions on team bosses communicating with the race director and the introduction of a Virtual Race Control Room akin to VAR in football.
The decision to only allow specific lapped cars to overtake was attributed to "human error," with Masi acting in "good faith" to end races under green flag conditions. The FIA's emphasis on safety and the desire to avoid concluding races behind a safety car when unnecessary were cited as contributing factors.
Lewis Hamilton, who undoubtedly suffered the most from the entire fiasco, famously said (via Sky Sports F1):
"I think ultimately a sport that I've loved my whole life, there was a moment where I lost a little bit of faith within the system."
Max Verstappen on the other hand, offered words of support to Michael Masi. He said (via Sky Sports F1):
"For me it's very unfair what happened to Michael because he's really been thrown under the bus."
Both Christian Horner, the Red Bull boss, and Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, defended their polar opposite opinions. Whilst Horner defended Masi, Wolff couldn't digest the changes that were made to the regulations on that fateful night.
Although it has been two years since the incident took place in Abu Dhabi, its impact still reverberates through the paddocks.
