More than four years after F1’s controversial 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, the debate over whether Lewis Hamilton should have won his record eighth world championship continues. The subject resurfaced after McLaren CEO Zak Brown was asked directly during a fan Q&A on the Heart podcast with Amanda Holden whether Hamilton had been “cheated” out of the title.
The 2021 championship between Hamilton and Max Verstappen went down to the final race of the season with both drivers level on points. Hamilton controlled most of the Abu Dhabi GP and appeared on course to secure an unprecedented eighth drivers’ title before a late Safety Car was triggered by Nicholas Latifi’s crash.
Race director Michael Masi initially instructed that lapped cars would not overtake the Safety Car before later allowing only the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves. The Safety Car then came in immediately, leaving one racing lap for the title fight. Verstappen, on fresh soft tires after pitting under the yellow flag, overtook Hamilton and claimed both the race victory and his maiden title.
During the podcast, Holden asked:
“Was Lewis cheated in 2021?”
Brown replied:
“Lewis should have been world champion in 2021.”
The controversy had continued long after the chequered flag in 2021. Following an investigation, the FIA acknowledged that “human error” played a role in how the Safety Car procedure was handled. The governing body concluded that Masi had acted “in good faith” under significant pressure, while also confirming that the results of both the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the 2021 World Championship would remain valid and final.
The FIA later introduced several changes, including revised Safety Car procedures and a new race control structure, aimed at preventing a repeat of the situation.
When Lando Norris said Lewis Hamilton ‘should have been’ an eight-time champion
Zak Brown is not the only current McLaren figure to revisit the 2021 finale. Earlier this year, Lando Norris made a similar remark during a promotional event when he was asked whether Lewis Hamilton could return to championship-winning form with Ferrari.
As Norris discussed Hamilton’s seven championships, fans in the crowd interrupted him by shouting “eight” instead of seven, referring to the disputed 2021 title fight. Norris smiled before adding:
“Should have been eight.”
Norris continued his praise of the seven-time champion, adding that Lewis Hamilton still has what it takes to compete at the front.
“He’s not done it in the way he has at all by only just being good enough then, he’s easily got what it takes. It’ll be cool… Lewis back at the top and fighting, which I’m sure you will be seeing more of this year.”
The FIA officially closed the chapter on Abu Dhabi in 2021. However, these comments show that the debate surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s missed eighth title continues to resonate across the F1 paddock years after one of the sport’s most controversial championship finishes.
Edited by Anurup Chakraborty