© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo on how he felt watching Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s last lap Abu Dhabi battle, and he explains his post-race radio message.
On the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Daniel Ricciardo was right behind Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, as he was one of the lapped cars which were not allowed to unlap themselves by race director Michael Masi.
From that position he had the best view of Verstappen’s overtaking move on Hamilton, which ultimately won him the 2021 championship. Ricciardo explains how he felt while watching the action.
“Yeah, it was a privilege,” Ricciardo said at McLaren’s 2022 car launch.
“It was. It’s funny. There was not only one lap to go, my race was… I wasn’t in the race. It wasn’t a great Sunday for me. I was really a spectator on that last lap.
“Even going through Turn 2 and 3 I could see Max was kinda close, I’m like ‘Is Lewis gonna defend, what’s going on?’
“I’m pretty sure I saw his light flash like he was clipping, I was like ‘why is he clipping on the last lap?’, I thought he’d have all the battery to use.
“That’s when Max went to pass, I was like, how is this happening!? I was watching as a fan in 2008, the last-lap drama with Massa and Hamilton. It was a lot to process.”
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The fact that Ricciardo and other lapped cars behind Verstappen and Hamilton were not allowed to unlap themselves, while those ahead were, is now one of the points of contention and a subject of the FIA’s investigation into Michael Masi’s controversial decisions.
Immediately after the race even Ricciardo seemed to be puzzled by what had happened.
“I’ve got no idea what they did with letting cars through,” the Australian said on the radio at the time.
“Obviously, I wasn’t really in that anyway, but it seems strange. I’m glad I’m not a part of that — whatever just happened. It seemed pretty f***** up.”
Two months later Ricciardo was asked what he meant by those comments.
“I was like, man, how would you feel if you’re Hamilton right now? You’re leading, then Safety Car, and then this… woah, it’s a lot to take in.
“After the race my radio was broadcast and I said I’m glad I wasn’t a part of that’. It was too much to handle!
“So for that reason I was probably glad I wasn’t part of what was going on in Hamilton’s head at that moment,” Ricciardo concluded.
