Haas F1 Chief on 2021 Abu Dhabi GP: "What The Hell Is Happening Here"

Haas F1 chief, the Netflix-famous Guenther Steiner, has revealed his thoughts on the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi finale, admitting that he didn't know what was happening at the time in his new book, 'Surviving to Drive'. The Italian principal admits to asking himself, "what the hell is happening here?" as the safety car controversy unravelled in front of him.

Abu Dhabi Finale Drama

In a dramatic turn of events at the ultimate race of the 2021 season, Mick Schumacher and Nicholas Latifi engaged in a fierce battle, resulting in a crash that brought out the late Safety Car.

Max Verstappen, at the time sat in second place behind Lewis Hamilton, made the crucial decision to pit for fresh tyres while Mercedes decided not to do so, fearing that Hamilton would lose his lead.

However, the race took an unexpected turn when the race director, Michael Masi, set up a final lap battle between the two drivers in a controversial setting. With Hamilton's old tyres unable to match Verstappen's fresh rubber, the Dutchman passed him at Turn 4, claiming victory in the race and the coveted World title.

“If I had a dollar from every person who has asked for my opinion on what happened between Lewis and Max in Abu Dhabi over the past six days, I’d be able to poach Adrian Newey,” Steiner penned in his book ‘Surviving to Drive’.

“Not that I would,” he continued. “He’s far too exciting for me.

“After the race I had a few days visiting my mother and every person I saw in the town wanted to know what I thought.

“‘Why are you asking me?’ I said, ‘I was too busy concentrating on a Russian who didn’t finish the race and a German who was in fourteenth position’.

The popular team chief continued to explain his thoughts on the matter, admitting that it was "very confusing", while adding that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff looked like he was having a "foking heart attack".

“What do I think, then? Well, it was certainly very confusing. I remember sitting on the pit wall listening to the orders from the race director and thinking, ‘What the hell is happening here?’

“At the time it didn’t stack up to me, but at the same time I didn’t know all the facts. It was very entertaining, though. Poor Toto almost had a foking heart attack!

“Look, at the end of the day, both teams have won a World Championship and good for them. Red Bull won the Drivers’ and Mercedes the Constructors’. I’d take either of those.

“Mercedes didn’t protest, so off we go. We move on.”