Hamilton’s controversial defeat adds to allure of F1 racing

There are two ways of looking at Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win by Max Verstappen – and his snatching of the world championship title at the last second from seven-time race king Lewis Hamilton.

The scribes and fans (on both sides) are hailing both the race and the championship tussle in 2021 as a battle
of gladiatorial proportions – men of iron battling in the arena of fame.

On the other hand, the cynics are looking at Formula One motor racing these days as the technologically advanced equivalent of World Wrestling Entertainment, where the spectacle is more theatre than sport.

For most of Hamilton’s years at the top, F1 races were often a parade of Mercedes (Hamilton’s team) and everyone else.

This year’s championship has been a timely reminder that there can still be competition and excitement.

Sunday’s race, though, left a sour taste in the mouths of Hamilton supporters, who believed he was robbed by a capricious stewards’ decision.

ALSO READ: Hamilton to be knighted just days after controversial defeat

The reality is, however, that the British driver, equally, has had of a number of decisions fortuitously go his way.

Although no sporting endeavour should ever by settled by the clauses in a rule book, perhaps this drama has added even more spice to the F1 offering.

The fact that there is now another driver who is equally as aggressive as Hamilton and also prepared to push the ethical and legal boundaries means, too, that the sport may get back to the time when the men were more than the machines.

Had Hamilton not been driving the best car in the field for the past seven years, would he have been so successful?

Next year’s races will, no doubt, draw a huge audience and especially from America, where most people don’t know you can have a car race with corners.

Gentlemen, start your engines…