Toto Wolff has spoken candidly about the controversial finale to the 2021 Formula 1 championship, which saw Max Verstappen steal the title from Lewis Hamilton.
A late Safety Car caused by Nicolas Latifi’s crashed Williams saw Race Director Michael Masi allow lapped cars to overtake, leaving Verstappen – on fresher tyres – able to launch an unobstructed challenge on Hamilton in the lead.
With one lap’s racing left to determine the outcome, Verstappen dove down the inside of Hamilton to take the lead, which he held onto at the chequered flag, becoming race-winner and World Champion.
The incident somewhat overshadowed what had been a monumental and enthralling championship, as well as the Dutchman’s achievement of dethroning the then-dominant Mercedes man.
Speaking on the SAP podcast, the topic of the 2021 season was broached, and was asked about what moment particularly sticks in his mind.
“Abu Dhabi,” the Austrian replied. “The eight constructor championships is nice, and it’s something that hasn’t been done before in any other sport, so that was a good moment.
“But then how that race panned out? That’s still something which is going to stick forever. Now I’ve made my peace and so did Lewis.”
Wolff went on to admit that Verstappen deserved the title that year, who merely benefitted from the bizarre decision made by Masi.
“Max is a deserving World Champion, definitely, and the season isn’t defined by one single afternoon or evening,” he said.
“But that still is what sticks to 2021 with me. It looks like a lot of success [in 2021], but it actually wasn’t, because pretty much at the beginning of the season, we struggled until I believe it was June, Silverstone, and then we got a second spring, and from then on it was pretty good.
“We were on a roll, then Lewis got disqualified in Brazil – unfairly. He was put to the back of the grid in the Sprint Race, recovered greatly and from then on he was unleashed – the best Lewis that I’ve seen in those years.
“But at the end, it didn’t happen.”
Mercedes has failed to win neither a Drivers’ nor a Constructors’ Championship since, as it struggled to cope with the dominance of Red Bull – led by Verstappen – during the subsequent ground-effect era.
The German marque is now, however, back in the asendancy, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli now leading the Drivers’ Championship by 59 points from Hamilton and teammate George Russell.
READ MORE – Lewis Hamilton details life-changing moment he secured F1 future
Discussion about this post