© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
In an interview with GQ Magazine, Lewis Hamilton was asked if he was robbed in the controversial final moments of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
At the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, F1 race director (at the time) Michael Masi chose not to follow the rules which govern the use of the Safety Car in the final laps of the race, and this allowed Max Verstappen to easily overtake Lewis Hamilton, who was on much older tyres, and claim victory and the 2021 championship.
In the aftermath of that race, the FIA removed Masi from his role and, after conducting an internal investigation, the governing organization determined that he had made a “human error”.
However, many believe the decisions made that day were not a result of an error, but a concerted effort to make sure Lewis does not win the championship.
In an interview with GQ Magazine, Lewis was asked point blank if he was “robbed” in that race.
“Was I robbed? Obviously,” the Briton said.
“I mean, you know the story. But I think what was really beautiful in that moment, which I take away from it, was my dad was with me.
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“And we’d gone through this huge roller coaster of life together, ups and downs. And the day that it hurt the most, he was there, and the way he raised me was to always stand up, keep your head high.
“And I obviously went to congratulate Max, and not realizing the impact that that would have, but also I was really conscious of, like, there’s a mini-me watching.
“This is the defining moment of my life. And I think it really was. I felt it. I didn’t know how it was going to be perceived. I hadn’t, like, visualized it.
“But I was definitely conscious of: These next 50 meters that I walk is where I fall to the ground and die—or I rise up.”
Asked if he still fixates on that race, Lewis said:
“If I see a clip of it, I still feel it. But I’m at peace with it.”
