More than a week after what happened at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the controversy continues despite the fact that Mercedes has already withdrawn the appeal. And although he reappeared in public at Brackley in celebration of the team’s eighth successive title, Lewis Hamilton has not commented on what happened since leaving the Yas Marina circuit, and rumors of retirement are still in the air.
Nico Rosberg , who knows the Briton well, first as a friend and then as a teammate and rival, was asked by RacingNews365.com about Hamilton’s future: “I don’t know. I’m sure it’s very difficult for him to go through this. right now. He was world champion in his head, he was 99% sure, and then they take it away like that, so it’s hard. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but of course we all hope he’ll be here next year.” .
“It’s very hard, because they also overtook him,” he added about the circumstances at the end of the race. “Yeah, he had some shredded tires but he got passed on the last lap. It’s not like his car broke down or anything. To see the championship slip away like that…it’s horrible, horrible, horrible! It’s very painful. If you’re a leader like that, you’re stressed like crazy, and then the guy passes you, my God…”
Max Verstappen y Lewis Hamilton
As for the way Race Direction acted at the final restart in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg is clear that the rules were not followed properly, although he still recognizes Max Verstappen as champion.
“Both drivers would have deserved the championship. Of course it was heartbreaking for Lewis to lose it like that, with some kind of – at the time – procedural change that didn’t fit the rules. However, Max deserves to be champion. We’ve had a great season. unbelievable, let’s not forget. Now it’s a matter of getting over it and moving on, we can’t change anything.”
The FIA has announced an investigation and a commission to get to the bottom of this championship ending and try to draw lessons for the future. For the 2016 F1 world champion, it is clear that the nuts have to be tightened after the various controversies that have rocked the 2021 season.
“It is important that the championship learns from this, and from all the wheel-to-wheel fights. It is necessary to reinforce the framework so that decisions are quick and clear: ‘Yes, it is good’. ‘No, it is not good’, and then you keep going. That’s also possible, really reinforcing it.”
