P1racenews AI automatic summary:
An F1 champion made a bold claim about Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi title loss in 2021, arguing he was lucky not to get a penalty.
In 2021, an F1 champion stated that Lewis Hamilton was fortunate to escape a penalty following his title loss in Abu Dhabi, a race marred by controversy. The decision by race director Michael Masi regarding lapped cars during a late safety car period favored Max Verstappen. This allowed Verstappen to overtake Hamilton in the final moments and claim his first F1 championship. Masi’s handling of the race led to criticism, with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff going as far as calling him a lunatic. Retired F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve felt that Hamilton should have secured the title earlier in the season, highlighting incidents like Hamilton’s chicane cut in the final race. Villeneuve argued that the issue began with that unsanctioned move, which ultimately affected the championship outcome.
