What happened with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in 2021?
On Sunday 12th December 2021, at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen narrowly beat Lewis Hamilton to victory, claiming his maiden title and becoming the first Dutch World Champion. If you hadn’t seen the race, you may be wondering: what was so controversial about his win? Max Verstappen (pictured in 2017) won his first World Championship (and the first for a Dutch driver), driving for Red Bull Racing-Honda. Lewis Hamilton (pictured in 2017), the defending champion, finished runner-up by 8 points driving for Mercedes.On the first lap of the race, Verstappen and Hamilton collided going into Copse corner, which took Verstappen out of race and earned Hamilton a ten-second time penalty for causing a collision.BUDAPEST, Hungary — Max Verstappen confirmed he raced with blurred vision in some races after his infamous crash at the 2021 British Grand Prix. Verstappen hit the wall at 180mph after colliding with title rival Lewis Hamilton, a major flashpoint in their legendary championship battle that year.Sebastian Vettel is the youngest winner of the World Drivers’ Championship; he was 23 years and 134 days old when he won the 2010 championship. Juan Manuel Fangio is the oldest winner of the World Drivers’ Championship; he was 46 years and 41 days old when he won the 1957 title.
Why did Hamilton switch to Ferrari?
Hamilton signed with Ferrari in January 2024, just over six months after sealing a new contract with Mercedes. It was the talks over that new Mercedes deal that led to the Ferrari move. Mercedes wanted to offer Hamilton only a one-year contract – team boss Toto Wolff was planning for the future. From the moment he joined, it was clear Ferrari saw Charles Leclerc as their “project boy. Sainz, though talented and humble, was often forced to step aside — literally. He couldn’t pressurize his team like how Max Verstappen or Oscar Piastri or many others would do.Carlos Sainz to replace Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari? Sainz was forced to make way for Hamilton at the end of last year after the seven-time World Champion made the blockbuster move from Mercedes to Ferrari.
Why do people say Hamilton was robbed in 2021?
Lewis Hamilton has said he is at peace with the controversial outcome of his 2021 championship fight with Max Verstappen even though he felt robbed of a record eighth F1 title. At that year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, FIA race director Michael Masi incorrectly applied F1’s rulebook to force a restart on the final lap. The FIA has published its inquiry into the controversial finale to the 2021 Formula One season in Abu Dhabi, concluding that the decisions made as race director by Michael Masi which denied Lewis Hamilton the championship were made in “good faith” but that “human error” played a part.Lewis Hamilton was left lamenting what might have been as he qualified a disappointing 18th for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after hitting a bollard in what is his final race weekend competing with Mercedes, with team boss Toto Wolff apologising for an inexcusable and idiotic mistake.In the following season-ending and title-deciding round in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton was leading and on course to claim a record eighth world crown before Verstappen overtook him on the final lap after an incorrect handling of the Safety Car restart procedure by then-race director Michael Masi, in a highly-controversial .
Did Hamilton want to leave Mercedes?
Hamilton had always had it in his mind that he too would join Ferrari. But, as he continued to win at Mercedes, such a move was never on the cards. Things are different now and it’s not a given that Mercedes will climb back to the forefront of the sport. After Sainz lost his 2025 Ferrari drive to Lewis Hamilton, it gradually became clear that neither Red Bull nor Mercedes seriously considered him as a fix for their driver puzzles, even if he was by far the most qualified candidate. That left him to weigh up which rebuild project he wanted to join upon leaving Ferrari.
Who did Leclerc replace in Ferrari?
Leclerc signed for Ferrari in 2019, swapping seats with Kimi Räikkönen to partner four-time World Drivers’ Champion Sebastian Vettel. We’ve seen some massive moves in the driver market already this year, but this one might just top the lot. Ferrari confirmed today what has long been rumoured: Charles Leclerc will partner Sebastian Vettel next year, replacing the Sauber-bound Kimi Raikkonen.Driver changes Daniel Ricciardo moved from Renault to McLaren, where he replaced Sainz. Ricciardo was replaced by double World Champion Fernando Alonso, who drove in Alpine’s first season, having last raced in 2018 for McLaren. Vettel moved to Aston Martin, where he replaced Sergio Pérez.
Who replaced Vettel at Ferrari?
Two days after it was announced Sebastian Vettel would be leaving Ferrari at the end of 2020, the Italian team have confirmed Carlos Sainz as Charles Leclerc’s new team mate from 2021 onwards. The 24-year-old Arthur Leclerc, who previously drove in Formula 2, was borrowing Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari because of a rule that teams must give younger and less experienced drivers practice time at least twice per season. Charles Leclerc said his family was flying in to Abu Dhabi to watch the brothers.Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc continue to be the best of friends even after Sainz’s move to Williams. It was a mixed weekend for the two F1 drivers at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – with Leclerc missing out on the podium while Sainz secured his maiden podium of the season.Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr. But they’re able to travel in style thanks to a longstanding relationship between Ferrari and private jet charter company Vistajet International.Donaldson had also praised Saint-Mleux’s glamorous photos taken at the Palace of Versailles. Williams driver Carlos Sainz and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc may be rivals on track, but they continue to remain close friends off it.