Red Bull boss Christian Horner was incredibly disappointed with the poor performance of Mercedes after Max Verstappen’s championship title in Abu Dhabi
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Mercedes boss hopes that the “robbed” Lewis Hamilton will continue to drive
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner criticized the reaction of Mercedes to the controversial world championship victory of Max Verstappen at the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi last weekend.
Red Bull star Verstappen secured his first world title on Sunday under dramatic and controversial circumstances after he and title rival Hamilton had tied in the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The Dutchman overtook the seven-time world champion, who had dominated most of the race, on the final lap when a late safety car and tire change swayed in his favor.
The 24-year-old approached the British early on in the round and secured the first championship title of his career.
Christian Horner was disappointed about the lack of presence of Mercedes at the podium celebrations after the F1 final in Abu Dhabi
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Mercedes’ anger was mainly directed at FIA Race Director Michael Masi after he decided not to let cars drive out on their own as usual only to change his mind to host the final lap showdown between Hamilton and Verstappen on Sunday .
The controversial ending resulted in Mercedes filing two protests, which were quickly dismissed by the FIA, while the Silver Arrows on Thursday announced they would withdraw their appeal.
For Horner, he was disappointed that no Mercedes team member was on the podium after the race – and reiterated his conviction that the Silver Arrows made a mistake when they did not opt for the pits.
“I found it disappointing that not a single member of the Mercedes team was below the podium,” Horner told The Telegraph. “And it’s a shame they took it the way they did. The emotions run high.
“You have been a winning machine for eight years, and it has to come to an end at some point.
Christian Horner and Max Verstappen have been working together since 2016, when the Dutchman came to Red Bull when he was just 18 years old
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“So many decisions went against us. At the start of the race in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton received no penalty for cutting off the chicane.
“Many people have said that Lewis is a sitting duck in Abu Dhabi. But tactically, Mercedes made a mistake. They had the choice to box, they decided against it and they left him in that situation. “
Mercedes appealed the controversial decision, but withdrew their protest.
The news of her retirement confirmed Verstappen as world champion of 2021, as Hamilton, who with seven world championships with Michael Schumacher brings together the most titles in F1 history, allegedly did not want to win the record title in court.
Horner, who praised Verstappen’s demeanor and aggressive commitment to the win, thought the level of abuse against Masi and Williams driver Nicholas Latifi was unfair.
Do you think Mercedes’s reaction is justified? Let us know in the comment section.
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“I’m sure Latifi wasn’t about to crash. It was just an accident, ”added Horner. “The marshals recovered the car in good time and Michael decided to get the race going again.
“It’s unfair, the abuse he’s experienced. One side will always be unhappy. “
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and star driver Hamilton – who was knighted by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle on Wednesday – attended the FIA awards ceremony on Thursday evening.
F1 sporting regulations stipulate that drivers who finish in the top three of the championship must attend the award ceremony, but while Hamilton was there his fans certainly made sure their presence was felt.
A delivery van was parked in front of the gala building with an interactive message that read: “WeStandWithLewis”.
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