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Abu Dhabi GP: Verstappen wins 2021 championship in close finish

Victory decided in controversial final lap after safety cars come onto track
Abu Dhabi GP: Verstappen wins 2021 championship in close finish
Abu Dhabi GP: Verstappen wins 2021 championship in close finish

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R Max Verstappen of Red Bull has won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Formula One World Championship after a dramatic battle with Mercedes Benz’s Lewis Hamilton, taking the lead in the final lap of the last race of the season at the Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

Lewis Hamilton, who won championships in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, was counting on this race to surpass Michael Schumacher’s record of the most world titles.

The victory came amid controversy, as a couple of crashes led to safety cars coming onto the track, meaning all drivers had to restrict their speed and avoid overtaking.

Both Hamilton and Verstappen began the race with 369.5 points. For much of the race, Hamilton was in the lead position. However, a crash led to a safety car being called onto the tracks, giving Vertappen a chance to get fresh tyres while Hamilton stayed on track to maintain his lead.

But with five laps remaining, Nicholas Latifi crashed resulting in another safety car being sent for a cleanup. Just before the final lap, some lapped cars were allowed to overtake and the safety cars were taken out, allowing Verstappen to pull up right next to Hamilton and have a no-holds-barred race with the 36 year-old. With Hamilton on tyres that had yet to heat up properly due to the speed restrictions on driving behind the safety car, Verstappen was able to pull ahead and steal the title.

This is Verstappen’s maiden F1 world title. “It’s unbelievable,” Verstappen said after the race. “I tried fighting all race, and then that opportunity in the last lap... It’s insane. I don’t know what to say. My team, they deserve it, I love them so much. This year has been incredible.”

Mercedes lodges protest against result

Sky Sports commentator David Croft says he has been told that Mercedes have two lodged two official complaints against the result with the FIA.

They believe that the result is invalid because only some of the lapped cars were allowed to pass the safety car, bumping Max Verstappen up to right behind Lewis Hamilton, rather than all of them.

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