Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Max Verstappen claimed his maiden World Championship in the most controversial, disputed, and scandal-plagued circumstances in Formula 1's 71-year history, overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale after Race Director Michael Masi made unprecedented and irregular decisions during a late Safety Car period that defied the sport's own regulations. The dramatic finale at Yas Marina - which saw Hamilton robbed of a record-breaking eighth world title after dominating the race for 57 of 58 laps - sparked immediate Mercedes protests, international sporting controversy, an FIA investigation that admitted 'human error,' and the removal of Masi from his position, forever tainting what should have been Verstappen's greatest triumph and leaving a permanent scar on Formula 1's credibility. The race provided a fitting conclusion to the greatest season-long championship battle in modern F1 history, yet the manner of its resolution prioritized entertainment spectacle over sporting integrity in a way that fundamentally damaged the sport's reputation.

Hamilton had appeared destined for his record eighth world championship after a commanding performance from second on the grid (Verstappen took pole with a lap of 1:22.109). The British champion seized the lead at the start with superior traction, immediately pulling away from Verstappen's Red Bull. For 51 laps, Hamilton controlled proceedings with clinical precision, managing his tires and extending his lead to over 12 seconds. Verstappen, struggling on degrading tires, had no answer to the Mercedes' race pace. Then came lap 53 of 58 - Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams at Turn 14, bringing out the Safety Car with the championship seemingly decided in Hamilton's favor. The crucial strategic divergence followed immediately: Red Bull, with nothing to lose, pitted Verstappen for fresh soft compound tires. Mercedes, correctly prioritizing track position under normal Safety Car regulations, kept Hamilton out on his worn hard tires. Initially, Race Director Masi announced "lapped cars will not be allowed to overtake" - the standard procedure that would have left five backmarkers between Hamilton and Verstappen, making an attack on the final lap impossible and securing Hamilton's eighth title. But then, in a sequence of radio communications that would become infamous, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner complained directly to Masi, stating "We only need one racing lap." Moments later, in a decision without precedent in Formula 1 history, Masi reversed his ruling and ordered only the five lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves - but crucially, not the lapped cars behind Verstappen as regulations explicitly required.

This irregular, selective application of the rules - later described by the FIA's own investigation as "human error" - manufactured a one-lap sprint race between Hamilton on 40-lap-old hard tires and Verstappen on fresh, soft tires that were seconds per lap faster. The Safety Car pulled in at the end of lap 57, setting up a winner-takes-all final lap shootout that should never have occurred under a proper application of F1's sporting regulations. Verstappen, with the overwhelming tire advantage, executed a clinical overtake into Turn 5, sweeping past the defenseless Hamilton who could do nothing to resist on his worn rubber. As the Dutch driver crossed the line to claim the championship, Mercedes' radio filled with stunned disbelief - team principal Toto Wolff's anguished "No, Michael, no, no! That was so not right!" captured the sentiment. Hamilton, displaying grace under the cruelest circumstances, congratulated Verstappen before Mercedes lodged two formal protests citing Article 48.12 (improper Safety Car procedure) and Article 48.8 (race should have finished under Safety Car). The stewards dismissed both protests within hours, but the controversy was only beginning. Mercedes announced an intention to appeal to the FIA International Court of Appeal, but ultimately withdrew after intense behind-the-scenes pressure and negotiations. The FIA later conducted an investigation that admitted Masi had erred, removed him from his Race Director position before the 2022 season, implemented a rotating Race Director system, and changed protocols to prevent similar situations - tacit admissions that the 2021 championship had been decided by administrative failure rather than on-track performance.

The aftermath reverberated for years. Hamilton, devastated and disillusioned, went radio silent after the race, skipped the FIA Prize Giving Gala (an unprecedented snub), and seriously considered retirement before eventually returning for 2022. Verstappen's maiden championship, which he thoroughly deserved based on his brilliant season-long performances including nine victories and consistent excellence, was permanently tarnished by the manner of its conclusion - through no fault of his own, the 24-year-old Dutchman's greatest achievement would forever carry an asterisk in many observers' minds. Carlos Sainz finished third for Ferrari, largely forgotten amid the chaos, while the race statistics show Verstappen claiming fastest lap though the championship drama overshadowed everything. The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix became the most controversial race in F1 history, surpassing even 1989 Suzuka and 1994 Adelaide - a race where administrative decisions prioritizing the television spectacle of a "one-lap shootout" fundamentally compromised the sport's integrity. The phrase "It's called motor racing" - Masi's defensive response to Wolff's protests - became a bitter meme representing F1's willingness to manufacture drama at the expense of sporting fairness. The scars from Abu Dhabi 2021 fundamentally changed Formula 1, leading to sweeping governance changes, renewed questions about the FIA's competence, and a title battle conclusion that will be debated and disputed for generations.