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RED BULL team boss Christian Horner has accused Mercedes of “f***ing up” on the day Lewis Hamilton missed out on the 2021 World Championship in controversial manner.The infamous 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix saw the British star miss out the F1 world title to Max Verstappen.
Christian Horner accused Mercedes of ‘f***ing up’ with Lewis Hamilton at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Max Verstappen bagged the win at that year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Verstappen won the World Championship title that day
Hamilton was unable to secure a record-breaking eighth F1 title
December 12 marked the second anniversary of the 2021 season finale which saw Hamilton dethroned from his streak of F1 title wins.
He had won four years in a row before he gave up his crown to Dutch driver Verstappen following a controversial decision.
FIA race director Michael Masi did not enforce the Safety Car rules correctly which led to a one-lap shootout for the title.
Hamilton, who was leading the whole race, was set to secure his eighth world championship but was beaten to the title in the dying seconds with his rival on fresher tyres.
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Verstappen overtook the Brit at the Turn 5 hairpin to take the race victory along with the F1 title.
And it was found the Dutchman had pitted for a new set of soft tyres ahead of the restart while Hamilton was left exposed on worn hard tyres.
Horner accused Mercedes of making a strategic error with their driver.
He told Sky’s A League Of Their Own “I have absolutely no idea” why the race is so well-known.
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Horner continued: “Mercedes f***ed up. They left poor Lewis out there on tyres that had done pretty much most of the race and we’d pitted with Max, so he was on a fresh set of tyres.
“Max made the move.”
Horner revealed Verstappen never planned to complete the decisive pass at the hairpin but aimed to launch a move up the inside as he struggled with a cramp in his left leg.
He said: “The interesting thing is where Max passed him – it caught Lewis completely by surprise.
“After the race, Max told us he didn’t intend to overtake him there but he got cramp behind the Safety Car and he couldn’t feel his left foot properly, so he thought: ‘Oh, f*** it, I’m going for it anyway.
“And then, when they were going down the straight, he was trying to wake his left foot up to hit the brakes for the next chicane.” More

LEWIS HAMILTON has blasted the FIA’s handling of their bungled conflict-of-interest investigation into Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and his wife, Susie.On Thursday evening the FIA confirmed they were dropping the case after just TWO DAYS following an article citing that rival F1 teams were upset that the latter was working as managing director of F1 Academy.
Lewis Hamilton is in Baku for the FIA’s annual galaCredit: Alamy
Toto Wolff and Susie Wolff have both responded to bogus conflict-of-interest claimsCredit: EPA
It followed a display of unity from F1 teams, who released statements saying they had no issue with either’s positions.
Speaking at the FIA prize giving gala in Baku, Hamilton delivered a stinging attack on F1’s governing body, accusing them of “trying to pull us back” when they make progress.
He said: “It has been a challenging week – a disappointing week really.
“To see the governing body of our sport has seeked to question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we’ve ever had in our sport, with Susie Wolff, without questioning, without any evidence. Then just saying sorry at the end, that’s just unacceptable.
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“We’ve got a lot of great people in the sport that are doing amazing work, there is a constant fight to really improve diversity and inclusion within the industry.
“But it seems there are certain individuals within the leadership of the FIA that every time we make a step forward they’re trying to pull us back and that has to change.
“This is a global sport and we have such an incredible opportunity and a natural responsibility to be a leader of change, travelling to all countries around the world we have a responsibility to make sure we are pushing the right direction.
“I do want to acknowledge there are a lot of people doing great work but we need to make some changes to make sure we are pushing in the right direction.”
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It comes as Wolff, who is team principal, CEO and co-owner of the Mercedes F1 team said he was seeking a legal explanation from the FIA over the matter.
He issued a statement saying: “We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA. We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights.”
His statement came after his wife, a former racing driver and Formula E team boss herself, had posted on social media responding to the FIA’s short statement that they had ceased their investigation.
She wrote: “When I saw the statement issued by the FIA, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’.
“For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.
“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.
“I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media.
“What happened this week is simply not good enough. As a sport, we must demand, and we deserve, better.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton also took aim at the FIA for holding their annual event in Baku, Azerbaijan – a five and a half hour flight from London.
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He added: “Whilst I really like Baku, it’s really a beautiful place, questions in my mind of whether the FIA is really actually thinking about sustainability because so many people flew out here.
“The FIA is based in Paris and it just would have been easier to stay there.”
F1’s most high-profile figures including Christian Horner and Max Verstappen have travelled to BakuCredit: Alamy More

TOTO WOLFF has demanded an explanation from the FIA after launching a “legal exchange” with F1’s governing body following accusations of a conflict of interest.Mercedes boss Wolff and his wife Susie, had been subjected to unprecedented scrutiny following an article citing that rival F1 teams were upset that the latter was working as Managing Director of F1 Academy.
Toto Wolff has launched a ‘legal exchange’Credit: Alamy
The FIA responded by publicly announcing they were investigating the unsubstantiated claim.
However, it has since been quickly disproved following a display of unity from F1 teams, who released statements saying they had no issue with either’s positions.
While the FIA have now performed a U-turn on their decision and since closed the case, both Toto and Susie Wolff are angry their integrity has been called into question and want an explanation.
A statement from Wolff, who is team principal, CEO and co-owner of the Mercedes F1 team said: “We understand that there is significant media interest in the events of this week.
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“We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA. We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights.
“Therefore we ask for your understanding that we will not be commenting officially for now, but we will certainly address the matter in due course.”
His statement came after his wife, a former racing driver and Formula E team boss herself, had posted on social media responding to the FIA’s short statement that they had ceased their investigation.She wrote: “When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’.
“For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.
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“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.
“We have come a long way as a sport. I was extremely thankful for the unified support of the Formula One teams.
“I have worked with so many passionate women and men at F1 and the FIA, who have the very best interests of our sport at heart.
“However, this episode has so far taken place without transparency or accountability. I have received online abuse about my work and my family.
“I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media.
“What happened this week is simply not good enough. As a sport, we must demand, and we deserve, better.”
The bombshell dropped ahead of Friday night’s FIA lavish gala in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Merc’s Lewis Hamilton picked up his award for finishing third in the drivers’ championship.
He skipped the award ceremony in 2021 after losing the title to Max Verstappen, earning a fine from the FIA. More