As if the final race of the Formula One season couldn’t get any more dramatic, the duel between bitter rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton came down to a controversial final lap — with the Red Bull driver as the victor.
Both drivers entered the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tied at 369 points to set up an epic winner-take-all finale.
Hamilton took the lead out of the gates, and looked as though he’d cruise to a record-breaking eighth world championship with under 10 laps to go, before Canadian and Williams driver Nicolas Latifi altered history.
Latifi crashed, bringing out a safety car and giving Verstappen one last chance to beat Hamilton after race director Michael Masi ruled the drivers could overtake the safety car on the final lap to duke it out.
The result: Verstappen earns his first instead of Hamilton winning an eighth.
Here are some of the best reactions from across the sports world:
GOATSTAPPEN pic.twitter.com/9h7wytW1Hp
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) December 12, 2021
WHAT A BOSS! @Max33Verstappen
— Virgil van Dijk (@VirgilvDijk) December 12, 2021
I AM SO GLAD THAT NEW F1 FANS CAN APPRECIATE THE SPORT IN ALL ITS GLORY
— Ben Hunt (@benjhunt) December 12, 2021
What an ending to this epic season #F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/qVyizPlCWd
— Troll Sports (@TroIISports) December 12, 2021
WORLD CHAMPION!
And simply the greatest day so far in the racing life of @Max33Verstappen #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/o3SsSC5THG
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021
For many, the real hero was Latifi.
Latifi is all the thank #WTF1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/VIrcRfMqa4
— F1Feed (@F1Feed1) December 12, 2021
*Lewis Hamilton leading with 10 laps to go*
Professor: And this is where Latifi comes in pic.twitter.com/dopzOGH6Y0
— ‘ (@SherzCapone00) December 12, 2021
Latifi celebrating with Red Bull pic.twitter.com/BXiuEzoAnq
— Chiddy (@chiddyafc) December 12, 2021
Nobody:
Latifi:
pic.twitter.com/hApoxn3V98— Tom Worrall (@TomWorrall_) December 12, 2021
Corner taken quickly Latifi!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/E6bQX8g2VS
— Jack Christmas Carroll (@Carroll_NIR) December 12, 2021
Latifi, I hope you’re safe but you deserve a raise #formule1
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) December 12, 2021
Red Bull paying Latifi
— ً (@TheFergusonWay) December 12, 2021
Latifi, good job mate!
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) December 12, 2021
The finish truly had no shortage of controversy, with Mercedes conducting multiple protests.
Max is an absolutely fantastic driver who has had an incredible season and I have nothing but huge respect for him, but what just happened is absolutely unacceptable. I cannot believe what we’ve just seen.
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) December 12, 2021
When you watch such blatant corruption in your face and you can’t do anything just makes it worse. Awful advert for the sport by the FIA. Michael Masi is a disgrace to the organisation and motorsport. Not fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Charlie Whiting. #AbuDhabiGP
— Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor) December 12, 2021
Lewis was robbed.
FIA ‘we let them race the last lap’.
Well if Verstappen was quick enough, they would’ve raced the other 57 laps.
Unbelievable. #FormulaOne #AbuDhabiGP
— Christian Seeney (@CJSeeney) December 12, 2021
More reaction:
A touching moment as Max and Jos Verstappen are congratulated by Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/5n2uaLrfr2
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021
WHAT A FINISH IN ABU DHABI! @Max33Verstappen takes the #AbuDhabiGP and becomes the first Dutch driver to be crowned @F1 World Champion! @redbullracing | #F1 pic.twitter.com/mvPxkluUm3
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 12, 2021
1 ball 6 required and guess what, Max Verstappen hits it. Unbelievable win #AbuDhabiGP #F1TitleChampionship
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) December 12, 2021
That was insanity. #AbuDhabiGP
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 12, 2021
‘GOATSTAPPEN’: Sports world explodes as Verstappen snatches title from Hamilton
Source: Pinas Ko Mahal
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