Four years after the scandal in Abu Dhabi, Toto Wolff speaks again about the 2021 World Championship final—and harshly criticizes race director Michael Masi.
Around four years after the highly controversial 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has revisited the topic, finding unusually strong words for the then race director Michael Masi.
During a book presentation by his wife Susie Wolff (“Driven”), the Austrian recalled the dramatic title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. “I haven’t experienced losing control of a situation like that since I was a child,” says Wolff. “There was a lunatic who could have basically destroyed the record of the greatest champion of all time.”
At this point, Wolff does not use the English word “crazy,” as one might think, but the much stronger “lunatic,” which can also be translated as “mentally disturbed” in German.
Susie Wolff also appeared to still be moved by the events at the time: “It was simply unbelievable. The fact that one person’s decision to interpret the rules in a way that had never been done before could cause such an outcome – that bothered me for a long time.”
The finale of the 2021 Formula 1 season is still considered one of the most controversial moments in Grand Prix history. The words “fraud” and “scandal” are often used in connection with this race. Hamilton described the finale as manipulated while still in the cockpit.
Hamilton was leading the race, with Verstappen right behind him, but after a pit stop for fresh tires, there were several lapped cars between him and the Brit. To enable a finish under green, Masi decided to only lap the lapped cars between the two title contenders—a move that was not in line with standard procedure.
Verstappen, on fresh tires, seized the opportunity and overtook Hamilton on the final lap. The Dutchman secured his first world championship title, while Hamilton and Mercedes reacted with shock. The FIA later spoke of “human error,” but made it clear that Masi had acted “in good faith.” The results of the race and the world championship remained unchanged.
“The process of determining which cars had been lapped was manual at that point,” said a report by the world governing body. “Human error meant that not all cars were allowed to overtake. The race director acted in good faith and under considerable time pressure.”
Masi was relieved of his position the following year. For Wolff, however, the chapter is not yet closed: the Austrian speaks openly about how the events in Abu Dhabi in 2021 still affect him emotionally today.