Mercedes supremo Toto Wolff has alluded towards Lewis Hamilton eyeing retirement from F1 after the debacle of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021
Looking headed towards his record eighth F1 drivers’ championship title, Lewis Hamilton saw his dreams vanish up in thin smoke as Nicholas Latifi crashed into the barriers in lap 53 of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021. With the safety car deployed with just five laps to go, the FIA race director Michael Masi decided it was time for him to intervene and decide how things would continue once the race resumed.
While he had first gone onto refuse any overtaking once the race resumed, Masi changed his decision within a measly four minutes. The Australian allowed five lapped cars to overtake, a move which allowed Verstappen on fresh tyres to ease past Hamilton and with it take home the coveted title.
Toto Wolff Unsure If Lewis Hamilton Will Return To F1 In 2022 Amidst Retirement Rumours
While Mercedes had sine gone onto file an intention to appeal after having a double protest rejected by the FIA stewards, the team has now decided to not go ahead with the decision. Toto Wolff has now opened up on the entire set of events which unraveled at the weekend with him speaking about how he was unsure if Lewis Hamilton would return to F1 come 2022.
The Briton who had only signed a lucrative two year deal with Mercedes earlier in 2021 has been rumoured to retire in the wake of the debacle at the Abu Dhabi GP. Its something Wolff alluded towards as well while he remained hopeful that Hamilton would be back.
“I would very much hope the two of us and the rest of the team we can work through the events. But he will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on Sunday.
“I would very much hope Lewis continues racing because he is the greatest driver of all time.
“As a racer his heart will say I need to continue because he’s at the peak of his game.
“But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday. He is a man with clear values,” Wolff said.
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