Lewis Hamilton has reignited the controversy surrounding his 2021 Formula One title defeat, expressing fresh frustration after Red Bull were found to have breached the sport's cost cap regulations. The Mercedes driver lost the championship to Max Verstappen on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a contentious safety car restart, a decision that Hamilton described as 'manipulated' at the time.
Speaking to Vanity Fair earlier this year, Hamilton admitted he felt 'cheated' by the race director's error, which the FIA later attributed to 'human error'. The seven-time champion recalled sitting in disbelief after the race, struggling to find the strength to unbuckle his seatbelt. Despite his public congratulations to Verstappen and Red Bull immediately after the race, Hamilton has now suggested that the team's overspend on upgrades may have also cost him the title.
Red Bull have been found guilty of a 'minor breach' of the 2021 budget cap, reportedly overspending by around £2 million. Hamilton noted that while Mercedes brought only one major upgrade after the British Grand Prix, Red Bull introduced at least four new parts during the same period. 'If we had spent £300,000 on a new floor or an adapted wing, it would have changed the outcome of the championship,' he told Sky Sports.
Mercedes had previously threatened legal action over the Abu Dhabi decision but settled for an FIA admission of error and the removal of race director Michael Masi. Now, with the cost cap breach adding a fresh dimension to the controversy, Hamilton and his team are pushing for the maximum penalties against Red Bull, which could include a points deduction or even disqualification from the 2021 season.
