Toto Wolff admits he is still hurt over the ‘dishonest and corrupted’ 2021 Abu Dhabi GP

Toto Wolff has once again made his frustration known with the handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Toto Wolff admits he is still hurt over the ‘dishonest and corrupted’ 2021 Abu Dhabi GP

Toto Wolff (Credits: Autosport), Max Verstappen (Credits: F1), and, Lewis Hamilton (Credits: InsideSport)

The world of F1 has been through some surreal moments in recent years, but none tops the shenanigans that took place during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. A lot was said about it back then, and Toto Wolff, the Mercedes Team Principal, has once again come forward and shared his opinion on how Lewis Hamilton lost out on his record-breaking eighth F1 World Championship.

During the final race of the 2021 F1 season, Lewis Hamilton was looking to clinch the World Championship. Still, then Williams driver Nicholas Latifi crashed into the barriers and brought out the safety car. While everything was still going as per the standard procedure, the then Race Director, Michael Masi, made some strange decisions that ultimately led to the crowning of Max Verstappen as the World Champion.

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Toto Wolff has recently reminisced about what happened during that accursed night, and he told BBC Radio “Both drivers start with equal points into this race, best man in the best machinery wins, and the best man that day didn’t win. It’s still something that stings. It was stolen, and that made it difficult.“

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“The FIA was able to admit a mistake was made – it was human error, that’s how they called it. But obviously that was not bringing us the trophy back, and was not making Lewis the only eight time World Champion. In a day and age where so many terrible things are happening because of a lack of integrity or honesty, or just lack of humility – I think this goes totally against our values in the team, and that’s why I’d rather lose a championship than cheat,” he added.

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Toto Wolff and Co. have fallen backward since the end of the 2021 F1 season

Mercedes (Credits: Planet F1)
Mercedes (Credits: Planet F1)

While Toto Wolff has absolutely bashed the FIA for how the closing stages of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix were handled, since that season, the Mercedes F1 team has kept on falling backward on the grid. 2022 saw the dawn of new regulations in the sport, and since then, it has been a struggle for Toto Wolff and Co. at the pinnacle of motor racing.

The Brackley-based team has been unable to provide Lewis Hamilton and George Russell with a Championship-worthy car, and the duo has struggled immensely to cope with the express train of the Red Bull F1 team. The 2021 season has proved to be Mercedes’s best shot at winning the Drivers Championship.

Regarding the ongoing campaign, Mercedes is still not at the level of the Christian Horner-led team and has found it extremely difficult to become a nuisance for them. The new regulations haven’t been kind to the German team, but it is a common belief that Mercedes will come back roaring during the 2024 season of the sport.

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