Eight-time world rally champion Sebastien Ogier revealed he was furious with F1 over the 2021 season finale, saying Lewis Hamilton was absolutely robbed by the sport.
Those who bet on Hamilton to win the race at Yas Marina were left shocked at what had transpired there. Having led the entire race until the final lap, some late shenanigans saw him robbed of a surefire win under controversial circumstances.
Race Director Michael Masi and the FIA played fast and loose with the Safety Car rules. Instead of adhering to the rule of letting all the lapped cars by, they only let the ones between Hamilton and Max Verstappen by.
With the latter on new tyres, the Red Bull driver overtook his title rival on the last lap and won the race and the championship.
As a result, Ogier revealed he was furious with F1 over the 2021 season finale, saying Hamilton was mugged off by the sport and those in power.
“I think he will come back,” the reigning world rally champion told RMC, as quoted by grandpx.news.
“He is in an ultra-competitive environment with the best team of the moment. It must have been a very difficult situation for him.”
Completely unacceptable
“He really felt like he was robbed. And he was robbed – let’s not be afraid to say that,” the Frenchman continued.
“Although I have a lot of respect for Max and he had a great season, on that last weekend Lewis dominated the race and was in front all the way until the very end.
“Unfortunately for him, there was the famous safety car only a few laps from the finish. So whether it was one or the other, they are both great champions, but looking just at that weekend, it was theft.
“And that’s very hard to swallow for Hamilton,” he concluded.
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