Champion emerges victorious from Saudi chaos to take title race to wire
So we head to the final race in Abu Dhabi at the weekend with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen level on points. The most thrilling championship in living memory to be decided by a straightforward shootout in the Emirati desert. First past the post.
It remains neck and neck following a stewards’ investigation last night into a collision between the two title contenders on lap 37 of one of the craziest, most confusing and most controversial races in Formula One history.
We knew this race in Saudi Arabia had the potential to be controversial from the moment it was announced, with plenty questioning whether F1 should be racing there given the kingdom’s human rights record.
As the grand prix approached, we knew there was the potential for drama. Two drivers and teams going all out to win on a new, self-proclaimed “fastest street circuit in the world” that gave no margin for error.
Ironically, it all began rather sedately. Despite the predictions of chaos, with Verstappen starting from third following his last-gasp crash in qualifying and looking to get past the two Mercedes cars ahead of him, everyone got off to a clean start. For 10 laps, it stayed that way, Hamilton managing the pace to his team-mate Valtteri Bottas behind him, and Verstappen never quite within striking range.
That all changed when a shunt led to Mick Schumacher slamming into the barrier on the outside of turn 22, bringing out the safety car. While some took the opportunity to pit for fresh tyres – Hamilton and Bottas included – others did not. Red Bull appeared to take a gamble by keeping Verstappen out there, meaning he inherited the lead from Hamilton but without having stopped yet.
That gamble paid off spectacularly, though, when the red flags
came out on lap 13, with the marshals deciding they needed more time to mend the damaged barriers. It effectively meant Verstappen had a free pit stop. Hamilton was clearly nonplussed: “Why is there a red flag? The tyre wall looks fine,” he demanded, before adding: “I know the reason for the red flag.”
The “second race start” was not as clean as the first. Hamilton squeezed past Verstappen, and held the racing line into turn two, but the Red Bull driver refused to yield, cutting the corner entirely when he ran out of road, meaning he not only took the lead illegally but also allowed the Alpine of Esteban Ocon to pass Hamilton. As the respective teams prepared to put their arguments to the stewards, behind them chaos reigned. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez hit a wall, George Russell (Williams), slowing to avoid a collision, was rear-ended by Nikita Mazepin (Haas). Out came the red flag again.
This time the break featured bizarre negotiating between race director Michael Masi and Mercedes and Red Bull, over whether Verstappen should have to give his place back, and whether that would drop him one or two places, what with Ocon now behind the Dutchman rather than Hamilton.
In the end, Red Bull “accepted” Masi’s offer for Verstappen to start behind Hamilton, as long as Ocon restarted from pole. Even stranger was to follow. On the third race start Verstappen got off to a flier with Hamilton setting off in hot pursuit, having also managed to pass Ocon. It soon became obvious that Hamilton had the greater speed and, on lap 37, he dived down the outside of Verstappen into the first corner.
Again Verstappen refused to cede the corner and both cars went off track, with Hamilton shouting over his radio: “This guy is f------ crazy.”
Unlike in Brazil last month, when a similar incident occurred, this time Verstappen was handed a fivesecond penalty and ordered to give the place back to Hamilton. But as he slowed later in the lap, on the racing line, Hamilton collided with the back of him, damaging his front wing. Confusion reigned. Verstappen was later handed a 10-second penalty by the stewards.
Hamilton eventually got his man on lap 43, before winning to draw level with his rival heading to Abu Dhabi. It was incredible drama but Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, perhaps summed it up best when he said: “That was spectacular but not a good race.”