From the F1 Academy, a Swedish star has come out with a daring but recognizable sentiment. A feeling that many Formula One fans have, bemoaning the absence of fierce races at the front of the grid and particularly missing the legendary races between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. A name that is gradually becoming more and more well-known in the Formula One community, Chloe Grant recently discussed the Dutchman’s dominance in 2023 on The Fast and The Curious podcast. She also claimed that during the contentious 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, the FIA “robbed” Lewis Hamilton of his eighth world championship.
Max Verstappen secured his 19th victory of the year at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, capping off the 2023 Formula 1 season. With over 1,000 racing laps led and an astounding 575 points, he demonstrated unmatched dominance throughout the season, building a comfortable 290-point lead over Sergio Perez, who finished in second place.
Lewis Hamilton should have had that 8th Driver’s Championship
Although there is no denying Red Bull and the Dutchman’s success, many people yearn for the intense rivalry that defined the Hamilton-Verstappen races because there isn’t a true threat at the front of the grid. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix of 2021, where Max won his first driver’s title, is still looming large over the Formula One world.
A new voice in the community, Chloe Grant, expressed her opinions about the 2023 season and her admiration for Max Verstappen’s amazing driving abilities.“Max won all the time. Everybody can agree, Max has done an incredible job and he’s an incredible driver and yeah, he’s done… I just can’t believe he’s that quick, to be honest with you. Obviously, the car is perfect as well.”
She did, however, openly acknowledge that she would prefer greater diversity at the podium. “Every F1 fan wanted a bit more, different people on the podium, different people winning, making it more exciting. Kind of back, you know, when it was Lewis versus Max more. And because that last race in Abu Dhabi was unbelievable, and I think my opinion on that is that it was robbed, you know. I think both of them are incredible drivers, but I do think that Lewis should definitely have that 8th world championship.”
This sentiment is not unique to the fans. In the 2021 season finale, Michael Masi, the race director at the time, was found to have violated the rules, according to a report released by the FIA itself.
FIA admits that Hamilton lost his championship due to “human error.”
Following the contentious finale to the 2021 Formula One season, a thorough FIA report verified what many fans had long suspected. It is true that the Mercedes driver lost out on winning his eighth world title. The inquiry into Max Verstappen’s championship victory showed that race director Michael Masi made a mistake on the last lap.
Although Masi’s actions were acknowledged to have been in “good faith,” the report brought to light a crucial inaccuracy in the implementation of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations.
In particular, Masi called the Safety Car back into the pits without doing the mandatory extra lap. The FIA called the improper application of regulations “human error.” The report highlighted a desire for races to end under green flag conditions and uncertainty over Safety Car regulations as major contributing factors to the perceived injustice. It was released more than three months after the dramatic end to the 2021 season.
