Lewis Hamilton Feels Fresh Pain Over Max Verstappen Heartbreak As Toto Wolff Makes New Comment On The Title Defeat

TOTO WOLFF has made an admission over one month on from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
As pre-season grows ever-closer, the 2021 Formula One season will soon be a distant memory as the teams return to the track. However, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has admitted Lewis Hamilton is still reeling over last month’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix result.

Hamilton arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit level on points with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship. Mercedes had all but secured the constructors’ title, but the two drivers’ battle was perfectly poised on the final weekend.

Hamilton had dominated the majority of the race and was on course for a record-breaking eighth world title. But controversial decision-making under a late safety car by F1 Race Director Michael Masi allowed Verstappen to move up the field on fresh tyres and eventually overtake Hamilton on the final lap. And Wolff has doubted Hamilton and Mercedes will ever be able to accept the outcome of the 2021 season as he gave a fresh comment on the defeat. He told Auto Motor und Sport: “It’s very deep. Lewis, I and the whole team are disillusioned. We love this sport because it’s honest. The stopwatch never lies.

“But if we break the fundamental principle of fairness and the stopwatch is no longer relevant, then you doubt this sport. That all your work, blood, sweat and tears can be taken away from you.

“It’s going to take a long time to digest. I don’t think we’ll ever get over that, especially Lewis as a driver. At least we can try together with the FIA ​​to do better in the future.”

Hamilton’s future in the sport remains uncertain due to the controversial decision made by Michael Masi in the final race of the season. And Wolff has demanded ‘action’ and clarity over F1’s regulations ahead of the 2022 campaign to ensure such controversy doesn’t unfold again ‘for the sake of the show’.

“I expect actions and not just words. In a sport that’s supposed to be a sport, we can’t freestyle like that with the set of rules,” Wolff added.

“Before the start of the new season, there must be clarity about the rules so that every driver, team and fan knows what is allowed and what is not.

“In the end, we provide entertainment, but no decision should break the rules for the sake of the show.”

Despite late heartbreak for Hamilton, it was another successful season for Wolff and Mercedes as they claimed their eighth successive constructors’ title. The Silver Arrows will be vying to make it nine this year in an unpredictable campaign, given the implementation of new regulations. Whilst there’s more money in the team standings, there will undoubtedly be an added impetus to secure Hamilton the world title that will surpass Michael Schumacher’s record.

Hamilton, however, could still retire after a one-hour meeting with the FIA earlier this week failed to deliver a resolution on whether Masi would be sacked from his position.