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The season finale for 2021 saw Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battle it out for glory, coming in equal on points. There was nothing to separate the two title protagonists as they went down to the last lap to crown the champion. It was, however, the Dutchman who reigned supreme at the end of 55 laps at Yas Marina.
The battle, albeit controversial, went down as one of the best the sport has seen. It also brought along with it criticisms regarding the nature of the battle. McLaren CEO Zak Brown is the most recent to comment on the 'toxic' battle between the two drivers, saying:
“It’s been an incredible year from first to last place on the grid, there have been a lot of fights, starting with the battle between Lewis and Max for the title. I don’t remember a year that has been so toxic between two drivers and teams since the Senna/Prost era.”
The American added that the issues did not end with Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen and their respective team principals also had a part to play throughout the season. Both Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have been engaged in a volatile battle since the first race weekend. Nevertheless, Brown added that the sport is going to get better. He said:
“They [Wolff and Horner] definitely have a real repulsion for each other. I don’t think Formula 1 has ever been this exciting. And I think it’s going to get even better.”
Lewis Hamilton's wish to become a reality — South Africa might return to calendar
29 years after its discontinuation, the South African Grand Prix might make a return to the F1 calendar, hints F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, too, has wished for the race to return to the Kyalami circuit.
Domenicali said:
“Interest from China is growing, which is why the region will also move into our focus. A comeback in Africa — whether in the north or south — would be great. How quickly this works will also depend on the situation around Covid, we must not continue to underestimate the corona pandemic.”
Meanwhile, the record-breaking 23 race-long 2022 season is set to start on March 20th with the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain.
