The controversial end to the 2021 Formula 1 season at Abu Dhabi left many unsure of whether or not Lewis Hamilton will return to the sport.
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There has been lots of talk about whether or not Lewis Hamilton will be back in Formula 1 in 2022. And all of it centres around the ending to the 2021 F1 title-decider at Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton was on course for a record-breaking eighth title having led most of the race. However, a late Safety Car period cut his lead down.
Then, F1 race director Michael Masi took the controversial call to only allow the cars between Hamilton and title rival Max Verstappen to unlap themselves. The regulations state all cars must do so before the Safety Car is called in.
However, due to the race having very less laps remaining, Masi took the call. And it is one that is being hotly debated even now.
What’s more, the controversial end to the 2021 season at Abu Dhabi left many unsure of whether Hamilton will return to the sport.
And this suspicion was seemingly confirmed on Sky Sports News. “Whether or not he will be on the grid for the first race of the season is still unclear at this point,” reporter Craig Slater said on Sky Sports News.
“What I can report today is that in terms of Lewis Hamilton coming back to Formula 1 and having the appetite to do so and getting over the disillusion, which his team boss Toto Wolff stated he had with the sport after the events of December, they believe the onus is on the FIA to deliver on the pledge they made before Christmas to investigate the happenings on that final lap.
“They want to see something tangible from that investigation and they want to see it sooner rather than later.”
Furthermore, he stated that Hamilton might even take a sabbatical rather than retire. At this point, it seems all options are open for the seven-time world champion.
“It’s been put to me like this: ‘The longer this drags on, the longer we don’t get a result to that investigation and some findings from the FIA that the worse the Lewis Hamilton situation is’.
“That’s from a senior source close to that situation, which I think is significant.”
“So while you would expect Lewis to be back, trying to win that eighth world title; as things stand, it is unclear within the team that is what he will be doing.
“All the options might be on the table; even a sabbatical year for Lewis if he doesn’t feel ready to come back in 2022.
“As far as the team is concerned, the onus is on the FIA to make good on their pledge to investigate that final lap in Abu Dhabi and to come up with some findings.”
