Christian Horner pressured Michael Masi during 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Christian Horner admits in his memoir Drive that he pressured race control to allow lapped cars to unlap themselves during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This intervention helped facilitate the final lap battle that allowed Max Verstappen to overtake Lewis Hamilton for the title.
Pressure in the pit lane
Christian Horner reveals in his memoir ‘Drive’ that he pressured Michael Masi to change the initial plan during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After Nicholas Latifi slammed into the wall, the safety car appeared and race control initially stated that no cars would be allowed to unlap themselves. I find it blunt that Horner admits his "heart sank" because five backmarkers separated Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. He said that Max would have to pass all five backmarker cars before getting to Lewis, which made a win impossible in one racing lap. This meant the entire season was concluding in a way he found incredibly unsatisfying. He decided to apply more pressure on race control by telling Masi, "Come on, Michael, we need to get this race going; why aren’t we getting these lapped cars out the way?" I see his desire to avoid an "underwhelming finish" where the watching world would not see a title decider between the two drivers. He told race control, "The lapped cars should unlap. Let’s race."
The one-lap sprint
Allowing those five lapped cars to unlap themselves created the one-lap sprint that decided the championship. After pitting behind the safety car for fresher tyres, Verstappen passed Hamilton to secure his first championship. I consider the decision to ignore the initial instruction about lapped cars as the primary reason the entire Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race ended in such an unexpected manner. Hamilton was cruising towards his eighth drivers’ championship before the accident involving Latifi changed everything. Horner told the memoir that he felt anything other than a head-to-head battle between the two leaders was a disappointment, especially since Max would have to pass all five cars before getting to Lewis. He pressured Masi because he wanted a title decider, not an underwhelming finish. I think the way Masi allowed those five lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves remains the most controversial moment of that entire 2021 season. Verstappen had pitted for fresher tyres, which allowed him to pass Hamilton on the final lap to win his first championship title in such a manner.
