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Susie Wolff, the spouse of Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff, has said Lewis Hamilton displayed “incredible integrity and dignity” while dealing with the title defeat after the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Susie, a former reserve driver for Williams F1 and the current team principal of the Venturi Formula E team, said:
“What happened is still hard to comprehend and leaves me with a sick feeling. Not the losing – and not Max or Red Bull – they are deserving winners and we always knew it was a strong possibility we may not win; but the way in which Lewis was robbed has left me in utter disbelief. Lewis Hamilton, you have shown incredible integrity and dignity in the face of injustice. You are the greatest there has ever been. The outcome of the last laps on Sunday? Those who know, they know, even those who can’t quite bring themselves to admit it.”
Susie's statement came prior to the official announcement by the Mercedes AMG F1 team of their decision not to challenge Max Verstappen’s F1 world title at the International Court of Appeals.
Meanwhile, both Mercedes F1 and Formula E teams have reportedly declined to participate in the FIA’s end-of-season champions photoshoot in protest of the Abu Dhabi debacle.
Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton will come back stronger in 2022
Max Verstappen has sympathized with Lewis Hamilton losing his bid for an eighth world title, and feels the Briton will re-group and come back stronger in 2022.
Speaking to the BBC after his title celebrations at Red Bull’s base in Milton Keynes, Verstappen said:
“It must have been incredibly tough on Lewis and the team, but on the other end, you know, he has won seven titles so maybe that comforts him in a way. He's been an amazing competitor. We all know how good he is, otherwise, you don't win that many titles. It has been a real pleasure fighting against him. I'm sure next year he will be there again, and he will be delivering to his very best, which is a very high level.”
Verstappen also said he hopes to have more opportunities to race against Hamilton on equal footing in the future, given that the arrival of the new technical regulations for 2022 could potentially spread the teams apart in terms of performance.
