© LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says he has “no idea” why the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains notorious among Formula 1 fans.
While appearing on Sky’s A League Of Their Own, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was asked why the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains notorious among Formula 1 fans.
As a quick reminder (as if anybody needs one), in that race, race director Michael Masi decided to change the rules which govern the use of the Safety Car, in exactly the only way which allows Max Verstappen to win the race and the world championship.
Many fans and observers believe to this day that this was a blatant ‘robbery’ of Lewis Hamilton’s deserved, and almost certain, eighth title win.
Horner, however, believes the race is not controversial at all.
“I have absolutely no idea,” Horner said when asked why the race remains notorious.
He then proceeded to say Lewis lost because of Mercedes’ decision not to pit him for fresh tyres under the safety car, while Verstappen switched to new Softs.
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“Mercedes f***ed up. They left poor Lewis out there on tyres that had done pretty much most of the race and we’d pitted with Max, so he was on a fresh set of tyres. Max made the move and…”
You can read our detailed analysis on why this argument is completely false, here. Horner then proceeded to normalize the whole thing by talking about Max’s overtaking manoeuvre.
“The interesting thing is where Max passed him – it caught Lewis completely by surprise.
“After the race, Max told us he didn’t intend to overtake him there but he got cramp behind the Safety Car and he couldn’t feel his left foot properly, so he thought: ‘Oh, f**k it, I’m going [for it] anyway.’
“And then, when they were going down the straight, he was trying to wake his left foot up to hit the brakes for the next chicane,” he concluded.
