Lewis Hamilton has led the F1 decider from beginning to end but an astounding call has handed Max Verstappen a wild world championship.
Max Verstappen has won the F1 world championship in the most insane circumstances, being handed a miracle finish to claim his maiden title.
Verstappen was on pole but beaten off the start by championship rival Lewis Hamilton as the Mercedes driver dominated the race.
Catch the F1 finale, the Ashes and over 50 sports live all for only $5 for 2 months of Kayo basic (new customers only) Runs until 13/12/21. Sign up today.
But with five laps remaining, Williams’ Nicholas Latifi crashed and changed the whole championship finish.
Verstappen was about 10 seconds in arrears when the crash happened but was allowed to pit and get fresh soft tyres while Hamilton had old hard tyres.
It looked as though Verstappen would have five lapped drivers in between him and Hamilton. That was until a call came through that the lapped drivers could overtake the safety car and Verstappen was next to Hamilton for the final lap once debris and marshals were cleared from the track.
While Hamilton fought hard, Verstappen just had the fresher tyres and claimed the miracle finish as he romped home to claim his first world championship.
Mercedes protested the result over the controversial finish and Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle said “I wonder if there is a post-script to this yet”.
Verstappen was in disbelief over the victory and sounded as though he was in tears crossing the line.
“Max Verstappen, you are the world champion, the world champion!” Red Bull boss Christian Horner screamed over radio. “You absolutely deserve it.”
Verstappen said: “I love you so much.”
“We needed a bit of luck and we got it,” Horner added. “We love you. We ****ing love you.”
Just before he got out of the car, Verstappen said: “This is unbelievable guys, can we do this for another 10 to 15 years together?”
Red Bull were rapt, hugging and celebrating, while Mercedes were devastated and team boss Toto Wolff was furious.
“This is not right,” Wolff said as the Masi made the decision to allow the lapped five between Hamilton and Verstappen to drive past the safety car.
2016 World Champion for Mercedes Nico Rosberg said “in the document it says ‘all cars will be required to unlap themselves’ and yet they only let those five cars that were between Lewis and Verstappen unlap themselves. That’s where Mercedes are asking if it’s OK or not. But I guess in the end Michael Masi can decide what he wants, he’s the race director.”
But Verstappen claimed the win in an insane finish and will be crowned the world champion for the first time.
“It’s unbelievable. Throughout the whole race I kept fighting and to have an opportunity on the last lap, it’s incredible. I’m having cramp. It’s insane,” he said.
“I don’t know what to say. My team and Honda, they deserve it. I love them so much and I really really enjoy working with them. This year has been incredible. Finally a bit of luck for me.
“I also need to say a big thank you to Checo. He was driving his heart out today, it was great team work and he’s an amazing teammate.
“My team know I love them and I hope we can do this for 10-15 years together. There’s no reason to change ever, I want to stay with them for the rest of my life. I hope they let me.
“Christian and Helmut trusted me to be in the team in 2016, our goal was to be world champion and now we’ve done that.”
All hell broke loose after the result as the protests were lodged and everyone tried to comprehend what had just happened.
It was a wild race from the opening laps as the F1 world believed Hamilton was given a golden ticket in the race on the first lap after a Verstappen lunge pushed Hamilton wide and he rejoined the track with a massive advantage.
Race director Michael Masi explained: “He’s forced him out there, that’s why we told him to give back all the advantage. All the advantage was given back prior to the first lap ending”.
It left fans scratching their heads as Hamilton seemed to get a huge advantage and built on it in the early part of the race.
It looked as though Hamilton was about to run away with the win, leading by eight seconds after both men had pitted for hard tyres.
However, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez pulled off the ultimate team play to cut the gap for Verstappen back to two seconds by holding Hamilton off with some brilliant moves on the 20th lap.
Hamilton looked to fly past Perez but the Mexican fought back and even took the lead again after the Brit gone past in a brilliant passed of driving.
When finally Perez had no more to give, he yielded for Verstappen who said over team radio: “Checo is a legend”.
It kept it closed but Hamilton still had the advantage and built the lead.
That was until Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi retired, causing a virtual safety car and allowed Verstappen to get a pit stop and fresh hard tyres, while Hamilton did whatever Verstappen didn’t.
It mean he had old tyres and Verstappen was able to close the gap and stop Hamilton for coming in for new wheels.
It was important at the end of the race and Hamilton was worried about it after staying out.
“Bit of a risk leaving me out, no?” Hamilton said
It turns out it was after Latifi’s crash, which meant Hamilton and Verstappen started the final lap neck and neck.
A clearly devastated Hamilton, who’s shot at moving past Michael Schumacher in a record eighth world title disappeared on the final lap.
However, he was humble in defeat and paid tribute to Verstappen.
“Firstly congratulations to Max and to his team,” he said. “I think we did an amazing job this year. My team, everyone back at the factory, have worked so hard this whole year, it’s been the most difficult of seasons. I’m so proud of them and I’m so grateful to be a part of the journey with them.
“This last part of the season we gave it absolutely everything and never gave up.”
Late crash flips championship on its head
Williams’ Nicholas Latifi has crashed five laps from the end of the race and changed the whole championship finish.
Verstappen pitted and put on fresh soft tyres, while Hamilton is on old hard tyres.
If there is a restart, he will be right behind Hamilton.
The championship is a final lap sprint.
The stewards made it a crazy controversy as they changed their minds and allowed the lapped cars in front of them to skip ahead and only have one racing lap.
“This is not right,” Toto Wolff said.
But Verstappen claimed the win in an insane finish and will be crowned the world champion for the first time.
Mercedes were furious at the call and will no doubt appeal.
‘BS’ call exposes Mercedes in pit blunder
Max Verstappen has pitted under a virtual safety car while Lewis Hamilton has stayed out.
It comes after Antonio Giovinazzi lost shifting in his final race in F1 and had to retire.
The safety car meant that the gap was 17 seconds to Hamilton and Verstappen.
It means that Hamilton is inside the pit window and that the race will go down to the wire.
Verstappen needs to make up 0.8 of a second per lap but Hamilton’s tyres are already 23 laps.
“Bit of a risk leaving me out, no?” Hamilton said.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff also called race director Michael Masi and begged for no actual safety car as Verstappen re-entered the track.
“Michael, please no safety car interference in the race, please no,” he said.
But Martin Brundle didn’t like the look of it: “I don’t think that’s right trying to influence. Michael Masi is in charge of safety around here.
Fans hit out at the radio message.
This championship decider is insane.
But with 10 laps remaining, there’s a long way for Verstappen to go to pull off an unlikely win.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner said Verstappen would “need a miracle”.
Opening lap controversy is pure insanity
Lewis Hamilton wins the start, leading Max Verstappen and taking the first shot in the title battle.
But it took just a matter of corners before the first controversy of the race exploded.
Verstappen lunged own the inside of Hamilton with the Mercedes driver leaving the track and rejoining further up the lap.
Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle said that he believed that Hamilton left the door open and Verstappen went through the door.
In the Saudia Arabian Grand Prix last week, Verstappen had to give the place back in a very similar situation that was the other way around.
But the stewards quickly reviewed it and said “no investigation necessary”.
Quickly on the radio, Red Bull fought the decision and race director Michael Masi explained “He’s forced him out there, that’s why we told him to give back all the advantage. All the advantage was given back prior to the first lap ending”.
When told, Verstappen said: “That is incredible. What are they doing here?”
Sky’s Martin Brundle said: “I call these things as I see them but I don’t see the gap is the same. They were side-by-side when the incident happened, even into the braking zone, I don’t think the gap was ever given back.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was blown away by the decision.
“We are a little bit shocked at that because apparently Lewis gave his advantage back, which we have failed to see yet,” he said. “It’s a total lack of consistency.
“We are focused on the race and still a long way to go.”
Social media erupted over the decision.
Hamilton fans were quick to react and defend the decision, saying that Hamilton could do no more.
F1 finale rocked by pre-race chaos
Still hours away from the start of the race, the drama has already begun as Haas driver Nikita Mazepin will not race in Abu Dhabi after a positive Covid-19 test.
It means Haas will only have Mick Schumacher representing the team in the season finale as drivers have to take part in one practice session in order to race in a Grand Prix.
Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi is in Abu Dhabi but has not participated in a car this weekend.
Mazepin was meant to start in 20th, while Schumacher will start in 19th.
A joint statement from the FIA, F1 and Haas said it “can today confirm that during onsite PCR testing for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Nikita Mazepin has tested positive for COVID-19. In accordance with COVID-19 protocols he will take no further part in this Event. All contacts have been declared.
“There will be no replacement driver in accordance with article 31.1 of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, which prohibits any driver from starting the race who has not taken part in at least one practice session.
“The procedures set out by the FIA and Formula 1 will ensure no wider impact on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”
Haas also released a solo statement.
“Nikita is physically well, having been asymptomatic, but he will now self-isolate and adhere to the guidelines of the relevant public health authorities, with safety the ultimate priority for all parties concerned.
“Uralkali Haas F1 Team wish Nikita well and we look forward to his return to the racetrack in early 2022 for pre-season testing.”