Petition to Strip Max Verstappen 2021 F1 Title and Award Lewis Hamilton Gathers Pace

• The debate over the legitimacy of the 2021 Formula 1 title is still raging on
• Max Verstappen benefitted from a contentious decision to win the title in Abu Dhabi
• There has always been disquiet that Lewis Hamilton was robbed of the title unfairly

As far as contentious decisions in sports go, never before has there been one as the 2021 Formula 1 title. So disputed was that race that almost two years on, there is still a popular petition for the result to be changed.

Record champion Lewis Hamilton and fledgling talent(at that time) Max Verstappen served neutrals with the most intriguing championship race in recent times.

Both drivers were on level points, leaving the last Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi as the title decider. Winner takes it all. After leading for most of the race, Hamilton was poised to win an eighth championship, only for a Nicolas Latifi crash to enforce the use of a safety car with less than 6 laps remaining.

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Verstappen passed the distraught Mercedes driver in the final lap to win his first title at 23 years. He has since added another one, which was less contested as he led a dominant season in 2022.

Mercedes' Team Principal, Toto Wolff, led the onslaught against the governing body, FIA, blasting the decision to allow lapped cars to overtake. It was the decision that allowed Verstappen, who was on fresh tyres, to win the championship.

The petition

As Sport Bible reports, a Formula 1 fan named Patel Gordon-Bennett set up a petition with Change.Org, which read in part:

"With less than 1 lap remaining, some lapped cars were allowed to pass the safety car, which does not comply with the rules of the F1 sport. This gave rival opponent Max Verstappen the opportunity to overtake Lewis Hamilton and win the Grand Prix.

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If you are an advocate of justice, honesty and fairness, please sign this petition. Leaving this decision as it stands will send a very wrong message to youngsters and future racers."

At the time of writing, the petition had gathered over 95,000 signatures. Michael Masi, who was the Formula 1 director that season, left his position after his controversial decision.

Former driver Tiff Needell has called the petition pointless.

Lewis Hamilton's rumoured girlfriend

Sports Brief had earlier reported that Lewis Hamilton has always played his private relationships close to his chest.

The record Formula 1 champion has always been about flying from one Grand Prix to another, chilling with his dog Roscoe and enjoying a little bit of downtime during the off-season.

Talking of downtime, the Mercedes driver is currently in Antarctica for his holidays, as he cools off from arguably his worst-ever season since he started racing.