Villeneuve's Contrarian Take on 2021 Abu Dhabi: Hamilton's Title Loss Was a Season-Long Issue

Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has reignited debate over the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale, arguing that Lewis Hamilton's championship loss to Max Verstappen was not solely decided by the controversial final lap but by missed opportunities throughout the season and race. He contends Hamilton should have secured the title earlier and that a first-lap incident set the stage for the dramatic conclusion.

Why it matters:

The 2021 finale remains one of the most contentious moments in F1 history, with many viewing the race director's decisions as handing Verstappen the title. Villeneuve's perspective shifts the focus from a single chaotic moment to broader strategic and on-track decisions, suggesting the outcome was influenced by a series of events, including a potential unpenalized first-lap infringement by Hamilton and Mercedes' choice not to pit under the Safety Car.

The details:

Villeneuve's analysis centers on two key points that he believes are often overlooked in the debate.

• The First Lap Incident: Villeneuve highlights that on the opening lap, Hamilton cut a chicane, maintained his speed, and took the race lead without receiving a penalty. He argues that without this, Hamilton would not have been in the lead, and with a penalty, he would have been far behind Verstappen, potentially negating the late-race drama entirely.
• The Strategic Choice: The Canadian champion emphasizes that Mercedes had a clear opportunity to pit Hamilton for fresh tires when the Safety Car was deployed but chose not to, prioritizing track position. This decision left Hamilton on old, hard tires versus Verstappen's fresh softs for the final lap restart.
• Villeneuve also observed that during the decisive restart, Hamilton "wasn't even fighting — it’s as if he had decided he was done," suggesting a mental defeat compounded the tactical disadvantage.

Between the lines:

Villeneuve's comments underscore a fundamental racing philosophy: championships are won and lost over a full season, not in one corner. His view challenges the narrative that the title was "stolen" in Abu Dhabi, proposing instead that Hamilton and Mercedes had multiple chances to clinch it earlier and made critical errors in the finale itself. This aligns with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff's recent admission that neither he nor Hamilton have "got over" the defeat, confirming its lasting psychological impact on the team.

What's next:

While the official result is sealed in history, the debate over 2021 Abu Dhabi is unlikely to fade. It serves as a perennial case study in high-pressure decision-making, race direction, and how championship narratives are framed. For Hamilton, the pursuit of a record-breaking eighth title continues, with the memory of 2021 adding a layer of motivation and unresolved history to his career.