Christian Horner calls appeals against Michael Masi a "smokescreen" by Mercedes

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner believes the Mercedes appeal against Michael Masi's decision at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a smokescreen for their own strategic errors. The Milton Keynes team chief believes Lewis Hamilton lost the championship when his team hung him out to dry with a botched strategy.

Describing the events of the Abu Dhabi GP to Talk Sport, Horner said:

“It’s a bit of a smokescreen as when you look back at the race, Mercedes had two opportunities to pit. There was a virtual safety car and then there was a safety car. The driver was asking to pit on both occasions and they left him out. That’s what exposed him at the end of the race. Tactically, we got it right and it’s those small margins.”

The Red Bull chief believes Mercedes could have pitted the British champion when asked during the race on two occasions during the virtual safety car and safety car periods. Horner believes his squad's timely tire changes and Max Verstappen's execution of the strategy won them the championship.

Suggesting Mercedes were hiding behind the controversy, Horner said:

“There has been some hiding around the controversy. The bottom line was that tactically we got it right. Max delivered the move and became the world champion.”

Leaving Hamilton out on old tires until the penultimate lap left him vulnerable to Verstappen, according to Horner. The Red Bull Racing team principal suggested that their Brackley rivals were hiding their own strategic errors behind the controversy.

---

Christian Horner believes Mercedes were slow to react during safety car period in Abu Dhabi

Christian Horner feels his team’s instant reaction to the safety car after Nicholas Latifi's crash in the 2021 season finale won them the title. The Red Bull chief believes that their sharp tactical approach until the end of the race paid off, unlike Mercedes who were not quick enough to react.

Shedding light on the events after Nicholas Latifi’s crash, Horner said:

"We got a little bit lucky at the end and sometimes that happens in sport, it’s not over until the whistle goes or the flag falls. Tactically, we were sharp at the end. When the crash came five laps from the end we reacted immediately. We got Max in, pitted him for a new set of tires, Mercedes left Lewis out on what was 44-lap tires at the end of their life. Max had to make that pass on the last lap, which he did.”

Many would disagree with Horner, but the fact does remain that while Verstappen was pitted for fresher tires, the Silver Arrows squad had assumed the race would end under a safety car, leaving Hamilton out on worn rubber towards the end of the race.