Former Red Bull Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner has opened up once again about the highly controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale at the Yas Marina Circuit. That historic evening remains etched in motorsport history as the ultimate watershed moment that shattered Mercedes' turbo-hybrid dominance and paved the way for Max Verstappen to claim the first of his consecutive world championship crowns.
Speaking candidly on the Up To Speed podcast, Horner revisited the immense tension inside the Red Bull pit wall during the closing laps of the race. He admitted that the team genuinely believed their championship hopes had evaporated due to the supreme pace shown by Lewis Hamilton throughout the afternoon. However, astute tactical defensive driving by Sergio Perez combined with a late-race safety car triggered by Nicholas Latifi completely flipped the script in the dying moments.
"Thank God for the incident involving Nicholas Latifi," Horner recalled during the interview. He further explained, "I honestly thought we were going to lose both titles unless some F1 gods intervened. Nicholas' crash didn't look too serious initially, and it felt like they would clear it up quite quickly. Anyway, we pitted Max for a fresh set of soft tires because we had nothing to lose, while Mercedes staying out would have lost track position if the race didn't restart."
Addressing the massive fallout regarding former race director Michael Masi's decision to only clear cars directly between the title contenders, Horner maintained that while pressure was undeniably mounting from all sides of the paddock, the ultimate execution of the rules was entirely Masi's call and not orchestrated by Red Bull.
"Initially, Masi said the cars were not allowed to unlap themselves. Then, under pressure, he agreed to let the cars between Lewis and Max through. It was the right thing to do to let them race, but he only unlapped the cars between those two. That was the only controversial part, and it certainly wasn't our fault," Horner concluded regarding the unforgettable title showdown.
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