"Lewis Hamilton 8x championship, what a great day": Fans react to Red Bull social media suggesting AD2021 as the day it will never forget

Fans recently reminisced about the 2021 championship battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Red Bull's social media comment, referencing the season's final race, sparked lively discussions. Some fans celebrated the day as Hamilton's championship victory, while others expressed a subtle hit of sarcasm in their comments.

The 2021 season finale turned out to be one of the most dramatic moments in an extremely competitive season. Both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen started the race at equal points. Hamilton seemed poised to win the race and secure his record-breaking eighth F1 World Championship. However, a last-lap incident reversed the fortunes, and Verstappen clinched his first-ever title.

A recent post on Threads asked people a date that they "will never forget." Replying to that, Red Bull Racing mentioned 12.12.2021, referring to the final race of the 2021 season at Abu Dhabi on the 12th of December.

Fans on social media had mixed reactions to Red Bull's response. One fan sarcastically commented that Hamilton won his eighth title on the day, writing,

"Lewis 8x championship, what a great day."

Post by @francesco_sciotti_

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"No Michael no that was so not right," a user wrote.

@momoamos129' comment on Threads

'“It’s called motor racing Toto!” 🙃', another cuser wrote.

@robertolthuis's comment on Threads

A few users also mentioned the controversial decision made by the Race Director towards the end of the race, which resulted in reversed consequences and final standings.

"Very on brand to celebrate a championship you won due to an incompetent race director."

Post by @nicholsonjulian

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"Oh... the big cheat day😂," a comment read.

@roland_rozsnyoi's comment on Threads

Post by @a1exandra.png

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What was the controversial decision taken by the Race Director in Abu Dhabi in 2021 that led to Lewis Hamilton losing the race?

As mentioned, Lewis Hamilton seemed to be winning the race and his eighth title. However, on lap 53, a major crash involving Nicholas Latifi brought out the safety car. During the cleanup, Verstappen pitted for fresh soft tires, while Hamilton remained on the track to maintain his position.

Initially, race control signaled that the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen wouldn't be cleared. However, after communications between Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and Michael Masi (the race director), a decision was made that initiated a series of controversial events.

The lapped cars were initially allowed to unlap themselves, which would have meant the entire grid. However, in an unusual turn of events, only the five cars between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were instructed to do so. This was later attributed to "human error," as messages were sent manually to the cars instead of using an automated system.

Post this, the safety car was withdrawn, and the race resumed for a single lap. According to the rules, the safety car should have remained on the track for one more lap after clearing the debris. However, it was unexpectedly called in, and the ensuing one-lap sprint battle resulted in Verstappen taking the victory."

These controversial decisions led to an uproar in the F1 community. Masi was removed from his position as race director, and new rules were introduced, one of which blocked any direct communication between the race director and team principals.