After a hard-fought battle, Lewis Hamilton lost out to Max Verstappen for the Formula 1 world championship title. And his defeat also affected former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.
In the year 2021, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen had an intense duel for the Formula One world championship title. The two drivers did not give up, so much so that everything came down to the last Grand Prix.
In Abu Dhabi, the British F1 driver was heading straight for an eighth title. But after a totally stunning scenario, Lewis Hamilton lost to the Dutchman. It was a crushing defeat for the Mercedes driver, which also had an impact on former drivers from the German team such as Nico Rosberg.
“I felt a pain, an incredible pain”
“I felt a pain, an incredible pain. I have nothing to do with Mercedes now, but of course it’s my family from before, and I felt an incredible pain.
“They were 99% sure they were going to win the world championship until three laps to go. After losing it, and losing it in a fight like that, where they couldn’t do anything because the tyres had 50 laps on them… it’s an incredible pain.
“It’s a shame it ended like that with a bit of a strange decision from the FIA,” the former world champion revealed.
Nico Rosberg was the last F1 driver to properly challenge Lewis Hamilton and beat him back in 2016, becoming World Champion himself.
Nobody wanted to see it end like that. Verstappen was amazing and Hamilton was ruthlessly consistent in a slightly worse car. The fans deserved better than that ending for what, when people sit back and reflect, was the best season we’ve ever seen
completely disagree with the consistent and worse car comment. Hamilton was poor early season, until his car was suspiciously dominant towards the end. Verstappen was pure consistency.
Don’t agree Hamilton’s car was worse. On the contrary, Massi’s decision was unlucky, but not compromising the race. RB was on higher alwet, gigher energy, pressing each and every possible chance out of the uncontrolable circumstances, instead of sitting on the dog of the bay and watching time going by as Mercedes did. Even wihout Lafiti’s crash they took a huge risk by keeping Hamilton on his old tyres. In full racespeed they easily could have been blown up in pieces. So, though it seemen a comfotable lead, it wasn’t: Hamilton never had the time to secure his win on track with minimal risks.
Tucker.. Whilst I agree Hamilton’s car was not worse than RB unlike the first half of the season when RB had considerably more speed, hence Max’s large lead. What I do take issue is your comment on probably the most ludicrous decision and certainly the most controversial in the history of F1 when Masi decided to break his own rules and gift the win to Max with a couple of laps to go he was 12 seconds and five places back and you call that decision ‘Unlucky’!! As an ex racer, with a couple of laps to go in first place I would have done the same and stayed out to preserve my place, Max had nothing to lose being so far back, many of my ex driver friends would also have done the same as no one could have foreseen the ridiculous decisions to follow which has shamed F1 and turned it into a laughing stock. Races should be won on the track by the drivers not in the stewards office, this wasn’t racing it was politics which has no place in F1. As a driver I was taught to trust the stewards but how can Hamilton do that now? So to carry on driving what would be the point unless FIA clean house, get rid of Ecclestone’s influence and have a clean sweep and only then could F1 recover from the stench of that last race. For the record although I admire Hamilton’s talent I’m not a Hamilton fan I’m a racing fan that is appalled by what has happened to a sport that I’ve been involved in since racing karts as a kid. Max wont be considered a worthy champion by anyone other than the Dutch and die hard Max fans until he wins the title fairly and without FIA assistance, given his driving style I wont hold my breath.
Well Steve you sound like a hamfosi alright. Imagine for a second that this happened midway through the season? Nobody would have protested this long, as A) rules allowed it B) rules are always interpreted occasion by occasion (as in every sport). Here’s a thought for you: if Silverstone happened in the last race, would you have judged it differently than it happening in the midway of the season?
These kind of situations happen all the time, and I’m wondering how a racer like you haven’t noticed these while racing
That’s an interesting concept and all sports are an ever changing scenario. You are right in as much if it happened half way through the season it would have less impact but the fact is it wasn’t it was a decision that decided the championship one way or the other. As an ex racer I believe in settling things on the track not the stewards office which is what happened. Lewis did everything right and with 2 laps to go was 12 seconds and five places ahead until Latifi forgot how to steer and Masi decided to break his own rules and change the whole outcome of the race. That isn’t racing its Politics, races should be decided on the track by the drivers and not in the stewards office. Why Masi chose to break his own rules and gift the title to Max smells very badly and most racing fans consider Max the benefactor of a ridiculous decision which I’m sure isn’t the way Max would want to win his first title. He doesn’t deserve it which isn’t his fault but the FIA will struggle to get past the massive fan backlash which is still raging now. I’m lucky enough to know people who know Lewis and he is totally disillusioned and clearly wont trust the stewards again and who can blame him. He did enough to win and they robbed him anyway and the stupid thing is that the FIA are terrified he will retire citing loss of faith in the FIA, what a terrible mess.
As a “spectator”, what I viewed in the last race was brilliant team play and tactics by RB to pit Verstappen when they did. Mercedes chose a different strategy resulting in LH staying on old tyres and ultimately coming second. So from my amateur perspective, he indeed lost on the track – even if it was on the final lap to his teams decision. But thats racing 😉
If you knew anything about racing at all, RB strategy was from desperation they had nothing to lose. Hamilton was way in front and with two laps to go and stayed out to preserve his position and as an ex racer of twenty years I would have done the same. The fact is that no one could have foreseen the terrible decisions that followed which have shamed F1 and made it a laughing stock. Had it been a race played by FIA’s own rules Hamilton would have come home in the lead he held from the start where he drove the pants off of Max and left Horner saying we need a miracle. Suddenly Latifi forgot what a steering wheel is for and gave Masi the chance to change the outcome. It stinks to high heaven and no matter how many cleans the FIA do, the stench of politics from Abu Dhabi wont go away. Friends of mine that know Hamilton say that he has had it with the FIA, Ecclestones influence is still there and what is the point of racing if the result is made in the stewards office. They doubt he will return but the competitor in him may be the only thing to bring him back and set things straight, I hope he does, he beat Max once and if he believes it will be a fair fight this time he may return. I’m so fed up with armchair F1 fans that have no idea what it feels like to be on the grid when the lights go down and to battle on the track and what experience brings to racing. Max has a great raw talent but is too arrogant to think he could learn from Lewis and that is yet another mistake of many. It is a shame that such a talent will come undone because he refuses to accept he still has things to learn. He had already thrown away his chance this last season until the FIA decided to step in, they cant do it again so unless Max wakes up and realises just what a lucky boy to be the first champion to have it gifted to him by the very people supposed to regulate the sport, he will mess it up again.
Are you a racer yourself? And do you know people that know Lewis? You almost never bring it up.
Yes I do and it’s only because armchair racers like you have no idea what you are talking about. Your nearest experience of racing is a PlayStation yet you feel qualified to make ridiculous statements and don’t expect a reply! Go and comment on a site you are more suited to like how to remove Acne.
Right on strategy !!!!!!
I’m so fed up hearing this from morons that know nothing about racing and were so desperate for Crashstappen to win facts and rules make no difference. It wasn’t brilliant tactics you moron, when the SC came out Lewis stayed out which as an ex driver I would have done as would many of my friends, also ex drivers to conserve your position. Only someone with nothing to lose like RB would pit their driver. Also, no one could foresee the dreadful decisions to follow that would shame F1 and turn it into WWF. These decisions were political and have no place in F1, races should be fought on the track by the drivers and not in the stewards office where one decision would shame F1 and make it a laughing stock putting Max on Lewis tail making him a sitting duck after driving the arse of of Crashstappen for 53 laps. If you are a Max fan and live in La La Super Max land everything is great because rules and facts don’t matter but for the rest of us in the real world know Lewis is the real champion and the FIA are running around like headless chickens terrified LH will retire citing lack of faith in the FIA. It is so bad that they have pressured all teams and drivers to back this ludicrous decision to look a united front even though most drivers believe the whole thing a fiasco. So if you love racing it is bad and F1 is holed below the waterline and sinking but as a Max fan everything is fine and there is no controversy. From what my friends tell me LH wont return and has ignored all the FIA daily calls and is totally disillusioned with the sport and who could blame him. this means F1 could lose one of the greatest drivers ever but what the hell Max is champion why should that matter. You aren’t racing fans and are a disgrace to everything in racing.
I think Hamilton has damaged F1 beyond repair. A lot of F1 drivers have been arrogant, but Hamilton is detrimental to the sport by being a totally obnoxious, dangerous idiot.
I will never buy another Mercedes product for them supporting such a narcissistic maniac.
Anyone who intentionally wrecks others over & over needs to be banned.
I’ve never heard such ridiculous drivel, how you make Hamilton the offender is beyond belief, did you even watch the race!! Firstly, I don’t think you could ever afford a Mercedes and as a typical Hamilton hater your comments are hardly relevant. You talk about obnoxious idiot then look no further than Crashstappen who having been 12 seconds and five places back with two laps to go and Horner saying we need a miracle, then Latifi forgetting what a steering wheel is for gave Masi the chance to give him one and make the worst decision in F1 history and Max saying everything was fair and square!! Idiots like you wont grasp that the stench of politics from Abu Dhabi that wont go away for a long time and right now the FIA are running around like headless chickens terrified that Hamilton will retire citing lack of faith in the FIA. They are already scored below the waterline and taking on water from the huge public backlash and yet on planet Super Max, Crashstappen is carrying on like nothing happened. He has said there was no controversy I won fair and square which not only shows a total distance from reality but an arrogance not seen since Schumacher. My friends tell me Lewis has calls from the FIA but ignored them and is so disillusioned that I don’t think he will return and who can blame him, if you can’t trust stewards to let the drivers win on the track what is the point?? If you are going to comment try a site you are more suited to like how to make friends from a basement.
There is only one way to settle this and that is a celebrity boxing match between Max and Lewis.