Max Verstappen secured his maiden World Championship with victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton finishing second as the race ended in a nail-biting one-lap sprint after a late Safety Car. The result, which saw Valtteri Bottas finish sixth and Sergio Perez retire, means Mercedes have clinched a record eighth consecutive constructors’ championship.

Medium-tyred Hamilton jumped soft-shod Verstappen at the start, while the Dutchman came back in Turn 6, nudging him wide and over the run-off, but the Mercedes driver continued in the lead. Stewards decided not to investigate. The pit window opened when Verstappen came in on Lap 13, Hamilton a lap later, leaving Sergio Perez in the lead with the mission to hold off Hamilton.

Perez did exactly that, on Laps 20 to 21 – being dubbed a “legend” by his team mate as he let him past to continue the chase, before pitting on Lap 22. The podium looked certain until he retired on Lap 56 under a Safety Car, which was brought out for a Nicholas Latifi crash.

That Safety Car, during which Verstappen pitted for soft tyres, left the race with just one lap of green flag racing remaining, producing another memorable moment in this epic season. Verstappen did make the pass on Hamilton into Lap 5, the decisive move, and while Hamilton attempted to come back towards Turn 9, there was nothing doing. History was made, as it was always going to be, and the trophy went to the Dutchman for the first time.

That was a pretty exciting end to a crazy season that will likely lead to sporting regulation changes. In a way I think Lewis was cheated of the win but I also think back to Silverstone and how unbalanced that decision was and how it fueled the whole battle. I doubt the FIA wil reverse any decisions but I'm curious about the fallout.

reported
 

:spammm:

Max! Well done to him and Red Bull. Congrats to Merc for their title and to Ferrari for turning around their terrible season last year to be best of the rest.

Congrats to Hamilton too for an epic fight to the final lap. I want to make a villain out of him, but it's hard to do when he conducts himself with such class, grace and professionalism. He would have been a worthy champion this year.

Best F1 season I've ever witnessed and I've been doing this a long time. More of this please.

Formula 1 could have a new race director in 2022 following the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the FIA's head of single-seater says.

The sport's governing body is conducting a review into 2021's final race, when the safety car rules were not followed correctly by race director Michael Masi.

Peter Bayer, newly appointed as the FIA's head of F1, said: "Michael did a super job in many ways. We told him that.

"But also that there is a possibility there could be a new race director."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60170232

Fine with me. He's simply too meek for me. I want a director with more of a commanding presence. I also think that F1 should consider splitting duties, and having a safety director to lessen the demands on the race director.


Car reveals in two weeks. The season starts in March!

Lewis Hamilton has declared he is "back" in his first social media post since Formula 1's controversial Abu Dhabi GP title decider.

I would have been disappointed if he retired. It would have seemed like a childish tantrum even if justified and not in line with his current social status.

Agreed :yep:

I'm now awaiting the decision regarding Mr Masi. Hamilton may well have been given a clue as to what if anything is going to transpire from all of this.

Michael Masi set to lose FIA job as Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to get their wish granted.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/moto...out&li=AAnZ9Ug

Michael Masi has been removed as F1 race director as part of a restructure at governing body the FIA in the wake of last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem announced a series of changes as a result of the inquiry into the controversial end to last year's World Championship.

Masi failed to correctly apply the rules in a late safety car period and had a direct impact on the outcome of the title race.

Two men will now alternate in the role, while extra help will be provided to officials.

The new race directors will be Eduardo Freitas, who formerly performed the role in the World Endurance Championship, and Niels Wittich, who did so in the DTM German Touring Car Championship.

Masi will be "offered a new position within the FIA", Ben Sulayem said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60418716

"This year is our year!" the Ferrari fans exclaimed while crawling out of their hibernation where they have been on a steady drip of Copium.



Super happy for Max and what a season finale that was but I'm excited to see where this new car takes us in 2022! God willing I will be able to go attend the US Grand Prix again in Austin.

All the teams are in full optimism mode hoping the rules changes even the odds. It's fun to see the cars actually don't look all the same and I can't wait for testing this week to see what actually rolls down the track.

Formula 1 has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix.

The sport's commercial arm, which controls the calendar, has decided racing in the country is impossible following the invasion of Ukraine.

The race in Sochi scheduled for September this year has already been cancelled. There will now no longer be a race in St Petersburg, where it was due to move in 2023.