F1 Insider Notes "Absolute Proof" That Lewis Hamilton Should Be 8-Time World Champion

In a whirlwind reminiscent of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the recent Australian GP has once again ignited the debate surrounding how the season finale should have unfolded. Seasoned racing veteran and former Ferrari and Williams team manager, Peter Windsor, passionately argues that the conclusion of the Australian GP serves as "absolute proof" that the 2021 season should have come to a close behind the Safety Car, as dictated by the rulebook.

Echoes of Abu Dhabi in Albert Park

The Australian GP's final lap saw the remaining 12 drivers navigate the Albert Park Circuit behind the Safety Car after a number of incidents, including both Alpine drivers crashing into each other and the barrier. A sight familiar to many, as fans rose to their feet saw Windsor highlight the striking similarity between this scenario and the controversial 2021 season finale.

The Rulebook Speaks, But Did Masi Listen?

If the rulebook had been followed to the letter, Lewis Hamilton would have cruised to victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing an unparalleled eighth World Championship title in a scenario identical to the end of the Australian Grand Prix. Unfortunately for Hamilton and his Mercedes team, that's not how things played out.

Former race director Michael Masi's rule-breaking decision led to a green flag finish, allowing Max Verstappen to snatch the win and the title from Hamilton in a jaw-dropping final lap at Yas Marina Circuit.

Australian GP Fans Embrace the Safety Car Finish

Windsor points out that the fans at the Australian GP didn't seem to mind the race concluding behind the Safety Car. In fact, they appeared to revel in the excitement, cheering and applauding the drivers as they completed their final lap. This reaction, he believes, is a testament to how the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix should have ended in 2021, allowing Hamilton to secure his record-breaking championship.

“They finished the race [in Melbourne] behind the Safety Car. Ring any bells?” Windsor said told his followers.

“That’s the finish we should have got in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

“I didn’t see any Australian fans – and they’re pretty vociferous at the best of times – complaining or booing saying, ‘no, we want this race to finish as a proper one-lap race, this is terrible.’

“They were all cheering and clapping – exactly as I said they would have in Abu Dhabi ’21 if they’d finished it behind the Safety Car, as they should have done, and Lewis had been cruising round to win his eighth World title.

“That, to me, was absolute proof – again – of what went wrong in Abu Dhabi and I still feel very hot under the collar about that as well.

“I still think it’s rotten that they completely blew that and Lewis Hamilton was robbed of that eighth title in that one incident.

“Of course, you don’t win or lose a Championship in one race. What I’m talking about is the decision that was taken.

“And nobody cared at all [in Melbourne]. The Australians just loved that Safety Car, they were all cheering.

“I thought actually a couple of the drivers might wave to the crowd, because it wasn’t as if you could overtake, but they didn’t.

“But nonetheless, it was nice.

“They came round slowly and everybody stood and cheered and clapped and it was a great moment – just as it would have been in Abu Dhabi in ’21.”

Despite the passage of time, the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix's controversial conclusion continues to leave a sour taste in the mouths of many fans of Hamilton. Windsor, himself, admits to feeling "hot under the collar" about the situation. He fervently believes that the Australian GP serves as a reminder that Hamilton was unjustly robbed of his eighth title.