Toto Wolff admitted that he has finally made peace with the controversial ending of the 2021 Formula 1 season. The Mercedes boss also acknowledged that Max Verstappen was a deserving champion, despite everything that happened in that decision in Abu Dhabi.
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In an interview with the SAP podcast, Wolff was asked about the moment that remains most in his memory among the events of that season. The answer was direct: “Abu Dhabi.” For the Austrian, the episode remains inseparably linked to the memory of that championship.
The decision was marked by Nicolas Latifi’s accident, which caused the Safety Car to come out in the final laps. Michael Masi, then FIA race director, allowed some lapped cars to overtake, leaving Verstappen, with fresher tires, in a position to fight for victory with Hamilton on the last lap. Due to the wrong decision, which changed that year’s title, which until that moment belonged to Hamilton, Masi was removed from race direction and shortly after, dismissed from the FIA.
The Red Bull Racing driver took the opportunity, overtook Hamilton, and crossed the finish line as race winner and world champion. Wolff acknowledged that the result of that day still bothers him, but stated that both he and Hamilton managed to overcome the episode: “But how did that race happen? That is something that will stay forever. Now I have made peace with it, and Lewis has too,” he said.
Despite the frustration, Wolff made a point of separating the episode from Verstappen’s performance throughout 2021: “Max is definitely a deserving champion, and the season is not defined by a single afternoon or night,” he added.
The executive also recalled that Mercedes faced difficulties during much of the start of that year, before reacting from June onwards. According to Wolff, Hamilton had a great phase in the final stretch of the season, especially after being disqualified in Brazil, but the title slipped away in the last race of that year.
Since then, Mercedes has not won the drivers’ or constructors’ championships again. However, the team is once again in a prominent position in the current scene, with Kimi Antonelli leading the drivers’ championship by 59 points over Hamilton and George Russell.
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