Yahoo Autos Formula 1 Is Selling a 'No, Michael, No' Mug and Some Fans Are Outraged
The moment everything changed.
Ask any Formula 1 fan what the most contentious moment in the sport’s recent history is and they’ll probably all give you the same answer: Abu Dhabi 2021. It was the final race of the 2021 season and saw Red Bull driver Max Verstappen clinch his first Formula 1 world title after race director Michael Masi took the sport’s rules into his own hands.
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But if you thought everyone had moved on from the events of that fateful day, you’d be wrong. That’s because a new F1 exhibition is dragging them to the fore once again with a souvenir in its gift shop.
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For anyone that doesn’t quite remember what happened in Abu Dhabi two years ago, here’s a quick explainer.
After a late safety car in the race, Masi chose to let just a handful of cars un-lap themselves in the closing stages of the race. This was a rogue move and left Mercedes racer Lewis Hamilton facing off against championship rival Verstappen in a one-lap shootout. Hamilton, who’s team had never seen this decision coming, was left leading the race on old tires, while Verstappen had stopped for new rubber, as he was running in second and had nothing to lose.
Championship rivals.
So, with a clear shot at his rival, Verstappen soon stormed past Hamilton and took the lead of the race, which secured his first F1 title.
The events of December 12, 2021, reverberated through F1 fandom, with people picking a side and defending it with all their might. Some thought Hamilton was robbed of his eighth world title, while others believed it was just a stewarding decision that happened to help Verstappen win his first.
