F1 News: Lewis Hamilton On 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - "Was I Robbed? Obviously"

Lewis Hamilton opens up on the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton waves to the fans after after a second place podium / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton reflects on the contentious 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, stating that he was "obviously robbed". Amidst the controversy, he found solace in the support from his father, Anthony.

Key Takeaways:

• Lewis Hamilton candidly addresses his feelings of being wronged at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
• He appreciates the presence and guidance of his father during the challenging time and opens up on how he overcame the immediate moments after the end of the race.

Lewis Hamilton recently opened up about the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a race that ended in controversy and left the motorsport world divided. During an interview with GQ, the British driver didn't shy away from expressing his sense of betrayal over the race's outcome.

"Was I robbed? Obviously," he stated.

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton holds the second place trophy after a podium finish in / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

The race itself was set to be a dramatic end to the season with Hamilton and Max Verstappen both vying for the championship title. The controversy surrounds the decision from then-race director Michael Masi towards the end of the race. A safety car was deployed after Nicholas Latifi crashed and in order for racing to resume before the end of the race, Masi instructed only the lapped cars in between Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves rather than all of the lapped cars to do so. This meant that Verstappen, who was on new tyres, was able to overtake Hamilton to claim the championship title.

Critics claim that if there was not enough time for all of the lapped cars to un-lap themselves before the end of the race, then it should have ended under safety car conditions leaving Hamilton as the champion.

Hamilton went on to highlight a silver lining—the presence of his father. He continued:

"But I think what was really beautiful in that moment, which I take away from it, was my dad was with me. 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 visualised 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.”