Albon believes Abu Dhabi was compensation for Verstappen's terrible luck earlier, taking the season into consideration.
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While Alex Albon understands Lewis Hamilton’s anguish, he believes Max Verstappen’s victory in 2021 was karma. In an intense season-long struggle for the 2021 Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen and Hamilton went head-to-head, and in keeping with a year of twists and turns, the most dramatic was saved for the last race in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton seized the lead from Verstappen at the start, and after an unsuccessful Verstappen challenge to reclaim P1, Hamilton went on to dominate the race for the rest of the way.
Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull had tried everything he could to pull his team-mate back into contention, costing Hamilton a lot of time as he hunted for a way past the Mexican racer on fresher tyres. Hamilton eventually made the move, and from there, he appeared to be on his way to victory and his ninth championship.
But then Williams’ Nicholas Latifi crashed out, bringing out the Safety Car and giving Verstappen the opportunity to change his tyres. The race resumed on the penultimate lap, with Verstappen putting the fresh rubber to good use, passing Hamilton and continuing to the checkered flag to claim his first World Championship.
Following an earlier rule that lapped cars would not overtake, only the lapped drivers between Verstappen and Hamilton on the road were cleared before the race resumed, leaving Mercedes and Hamilton demoralised. The FIA is currently looking into race director Michael Masi’s application of the sporting regulations in Abu Dhabi, which specify that all lapped cars must overtake the Safety Car before a restart.
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Albon, on the other hand, believes Abu Dhabi was compensation for Verstappen’s terrible luck earlier in the season, taking the entire season into consideration.
He started with Silverstone, where Verstappen and Hamilton clashed on the first lap at Copse, sending Verstappen into the barriers. Then there was the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Valtteri Bottas caused a multi-vehicle crash at Turn 1 that left Verstappen’s car badly damaged.
Albon also referenced Verstappen’s squabbles with the stewards in Jeddah, where he was given a five-second penalty and was repeatedly told to hand up the lead to Hamilton. The stewards did not intervene on the opening lap in Abu Dhabi, despite Hamilton veering off track and retaining his lead as Verstappen attacked.
“I understand both sides of the story, but I have to say I’m a bit of a believer. I feel many decisions or moments this year have gone against Max,” former Red Bull driver Albon told Motorsport.com.
“Just look at Silverstone, Hungary, Jeddah and even the first lap in Abu Dhabi. So yes, we were incredibly lucky at the last minute, but at the same time I think we earned that luck. Nothing against Lewis and Mercedes, but in a way we got the karma we deserved as a team that Sunday. That’s how most things balance out over a season.”
