Abu Dhabi GP: Max Verstappen threatened to lose the world title – restarting before overtaking is highly controversial

“No Michael! No, no, Michael, that wasn’t right,” raged Mercedes Motorsport boss Toto Wolff on the radio in the direction of race director Michael Masi.

In the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen had just overtaken Lewis Hamilton, who had been the leader until then, in turn five of the Yas Marina Circuit, and had thus also regained the virtual championship lead, which he should not give up in the last few meters.

The Dutchman’s path to fulfilling his childhood dream on this memorable Sunday in Abu Dhabi was difficult enough as it was.

Verstappen vs. Hamilton: The Chronology of Events

Starting from pole position, Verstappen at first glance had the best starting position in this World Cup showdown, in which he and Hamilton each went with 369.5 points.

However, the 24-year-old had to start on the soft tires, which experience has shown would last significantly shorter than Hamilton’s medium tires. It was all the more important for Verstappen to stay in front at the start.

But he got off to a “shitty start”, as he himself explained after the race, and his championship rival passed in the first corner. The Dutchman tried to counter with an aggressive maneuver in turn six, but pushed Hamilton off the track. He used the run-off zone and lined up again in front of the Red Bull.

Despite complaints from the Austrian team via radio to the race management, there was no investigation and so Hamilton pulled away thanks to the powerful Mercedes engine.

Verstappen’s teammate Pérez provides support

Thanks to the help of a strong Sergio Pérez, who successfully stopped Hamilton, Verstappen briefly came back after the first pit stops, but when the Briton passed the Mexican, he extended his lead again.

Verstappen used a virtual safety car phase for a second stop. His attempt to attack again with fresher tires failed, although Hamilton could not change himself. The World Cup seemed decided.

But then came the 54th of 58 laps and Williams driver Nicholas Latifi put his car into the wall immediately after passing through the hotel. The safety car came out. Red Bull reacted and brought in Verstappen again. He got soft tires.

Hamilton, on the other hand, had to stay on his worn-out hard tires because the safety car phase was only called after he had already passed the pit entrance.

Race management revises its own decision before the restart

But from the British point of view everything was still okay. Verstappen had fresh, soft tires in second place, but in between there were still a few lapped cars that the Dutchman would have had to overtake all of them after the restart.

After the message that the order behind the safety car would remain in place, the race management decided shortly before the end of the SC phase that the lapped cars could drive past the safety car in order to clear up the racing situation on the track.

So Verstappen came very close to Hamilton and was finally able to overtake the record world champion in the last lap and put on the world championship crown himself.

Much to the annoyance of Toto Wolff, who even demanded the cancellation of the last lap from race director Masi after the race and wanted the result to be counted one lap before the end. The race director replied, slightly annoyed: “This is motorsport.”

Russell shoots at race director: “That’s unacceptable”

Williams driver George Russell, who will be Hamilton’s team-mate at Mercedes next year, also heavily criticized the jury’s decision. “That is unacceptable,” tweeted the Briton after the race in capital letters, obviously angry.

In another tweet he added: “Max is an absolutely fantastic driver who has had an incredible season and I have a lot of respect for him, but what just happened is absolutely unacceptable. I can’t believe what we just saw to have.”

Mercedes protests against two violations of the regulations

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, however, had a different opinion. “You made the right decision,” said the 48-year-old.

His hope that the case would be over with, however, was not fulfilled. Instead, he and his team had to go to the stewards a little later.

Mercedes had lodged a double protest against the race result. From the perspective of the German team, two conditions of Article 48.12 of the sporting regulations were not met at the restart: The safety car did not enter the pits at the end of the following lap, but rather in the lap in which the overtaking took place. In addition, not all of the lapped drivers were allowed to pass the safety car before the restart. Accordingly, the restart would have been released irregularly.

In addition, just before the restart, Verstappen briefly overtook Hamilton behind the safety car.

Verstappen threatened to lose the world title

It looked like Verstappen might actually lose his world title again. Because with a time penalty, as well as with the decision to score the race as requested by Mercedes after the penultimate lap, Hamilton would suddenly have been world champion.

And so shortly after 8:00 p.m. German time it was clear what had already been decided at 3:33 p.m.: Max Verstappen is Formula 1 World Champion 2021!

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was relieved: “We didn’t want the stewards to go, but they made the right decision, for which we are grateful. Michael wanted to let them go, and that’s exactly what we’ve been talking about for years . Niki Lauda started with the ‘let them race concept’. “

He had little sympathy for the protest itself: “[Wir sind] very disappointed that we had to go through that. “But it was a great year and Red Bull is very proud of Max and proud of the whole team.” He is the world champion, the deserved world champion. Nobody can take that away from him, “added Horner.

Mercedes announces appointment

But it wouldn’t be the craziest season finale in the history of the premier class, if it didn’t have a small restriction: Mercedes announced that evening that it would appeal against the rejected protest.

This last race of the season in Abu Dhabi could keep us busy in the coming days.