F1 News: Austrian GP Penalty Madness Unearths Abu Dhabi '21 Question

After the Austrian Grand Prix came to a close yesterday, Aston Martin lodged a complaint with the stewards which was followed by a huge review of 1,200 potential track limit infringements.

As a result, eight drivers were eventually handed further penalties which changed the final line-up of the race. The FIA received a huge amount of backlash for the move and caused many to bring up a huge question surrounding the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The much-discussed '21 Abu Dhabi GP will always be regarded as one of the most controversial moments in the sport. As a quick reminder, it was the final round of the season and also the race which would decide the drivers' championship winner between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

With just a few laps to go, a safety car was put on the session, usually all lapped cars would un-lap themselves before the racing resumed, however, if this was to happen there would not have been enough laps left so the safety car would have run until the end. So, then-race director Michael Masi instructed for only the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves so that fans could see it end with a race.

Verstappen, on newer tyres, swiftly overtook Hamilton to take his first championship win. To say there was an uproar from some fans is an understatement, with many calling for a review and the results of the race to be changed. However, although Masi stepped down as race director as a result, it was confirmed that the results of a race could not be changed afterwards.

Now, with the results of the Austrian Grand Prix changing hours after it had happened, many are now questioning this in relation to the '21 Abu Dhabi GP.

One fan posted to Twitter:

"So I guess results can be changed after the race has ended @fia? Cool. Now do Abu Dhabi 2021"

So I guess results can be changed after the race has ended @fia?

Cool. Now do Abu Dhabi 2021.👍 https://t.co/K9pEjVYgIb
— The Engineer (@Engineer_LXIX) July 2, 2023

Another disgruntled fan posted:

"The FIA were perfectly happy to change the result of the race after the chequered flag today but couldn’t change the result of Abu Dhabi 2021 when the rules were *clearly* broken. Why do I bother investing time into this “sport” ?"

The FIA were perfectly happy to change the result of the race after the chequered flag today but couldn’t change the result of Abu Dhabi 2021 when the rules were *clearly* broken. Why do I bother investing time into this “sport” ?
— Joseph (@LH44Joseph) July 2, 2023

Someone else complained taking on the same logic. They wrote:

"So they can change race results but not Abu Dhabi GP 2021 result and robber of Lewis’s 8th WDC title."

So they can change race results but not Abu Dhabi GP 2021 result and robber of Lewis’s 8th WDC title. #FIA 🤡 #F1 #AustrianGP https://t.co/bTpWKsmpL7
— 𝐑𝐀𝐘 💜 (@RayyLH44) July 2, 2023