"It will never be forgotten" - Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton injustice in Abu Dhabi

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff claims that while Max Verstappen is a deserving champion, the injustice Lewis Hamilton faced will never be forgotten. The Austrian feels it will be difficult for the team to overcome the incident despite having won the constructors' trophy.

The epic 2021 battle came to a dramatic close at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December when Verstappen clinched the title on the final lap after a controversial safety car. Since then, the seven-time world champion has been silent and is yet to make a public statement about the event, sparking rumors of his retirement from the sport. Wolff spoke to Kronen Zeitung about the disappointment the team and Hamilton are likely facing. He said:

“It will never be forgotten. Because what happened to Lewis Hamilton was simply wrong. On that day he was unbeatable. Until the stewards blew a fuse and decided on three infringements of the rules. It's hard to understand.”

The Austrian concluded that while Max Verstappen is undoubtedly a deserving champion, he was off the pace when compared to the Briton, who led the race from turn 1. He said:

“It will always stick with us, even though Max Verstappen is a worthy World Champion over the course of the season. But on that day, one was better than the other - and he didn't win.”

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Toto Wolff will meet with Lewis Hamilton in February

In another interview with Kronen Zeitung, Wolff declared that he is set to meet Hamilton in February. The Austrian maintains that the Briton will take his own time to deal with the controversial loss. Wolff is confident in the seven-time world champion's ability to overcome adversity, saying:

“No matter what obstacle has been put in Lewis Hamilton’s way, he’s known all his life that he has to speak up on the track. Mind you, it’s incredibly difficult for him until he finds a path between reason and error. He just it takes time. At the latest, we will meet again in February, and of course, it will not be to drink tequila. I had enough of that in Abu Dhabi!”

Hamilton's return is reportedly contingent on the results of the ongoing FIA inquiry. The governing body will come out with a final verdict by the 18th of March, ahead of the first race of the 2022 season — the Bahrain Grand Prix. Fans were quick to point out that the date of the verdict stops the Briton from deciding his future based on its results.

Only time will tell whether Toto Wolff will be able to convince Lewis Hamilton to return to the sport and continue fighting for a record-breaking eighth title win.