The 2021 F1 season has arguably been one of the most impressive campaigns in the sport’s history. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen took each other to the limit that season, producing an enthralling finale at the Abu Dhabi GP. The Dutchman eventually won the season finale and the championship amid much controversy. However, according to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, another external factor other than the controversy played a role in determining which way the title went that season.
The Austrian has surprisingly credited Verstappen and Red Bull for the way they have been dominating this season. The 51-year-old has always been of the opinion that since F1 is a meritocracy, it is the job of the rivals to catch up to a team that has been dominating.
This is also why Wolff believes that the same was not the case in the 2021 season. In a recent interview, he explained how a last-minute regulations change resulted in Red Bull inching much closer to Mercedes than anticipated that year.
Toto Wolff explains how a regulation change cost Lewis Hamilton
While speaking in a recent interview (as quoted by formulapassion.it), Toto Wolff explained how Lewis Hamilton lost the 2021 title to Max Verstappen due to various reasons. The Austrian noted that while the season finale in Abu Dhabi played the most important role, there were also some other reasons that resulted in the Briton losing the title.
“One was the final race. But we also lost it because the regulations were adapted to reduce the advantage we had. 2020 had been a super dominant year for us. I think it was the best car we ever had. And then, towards the end of the season, they changed the regulation by decreasing the length of the undercarriage. These regulations had the clear intention of overturning the balance of power on the track,” explained Wolff.
Even though the Mercedes team principal believes that a regulation change cost Hamilton the championship in 2021, he does not want a similar scenario to play out with Red Bull. Wolff’s remarks come after Hamilton has been complaining about how the FIA should introduce a regulation change to prevent one team from dominating for several years.
Wolff explains why Red Bull deserve to dominate currently
During the same interview, Toto Wolff once again made it clear that F1 is a meritocracy. He believes that Red Bull currently deserves to dominate because they have done a better job as compared to their rivals.
The Austrian then explained how F1 cannot follow the path of WWE. Wolff believes that WWE provides scripted content, something that a sport like F1 cannot provide.
“It’s up to us to catch up. Entertainment follows the sport, not the other way around. We can’t be WWE and offer drama content instead,” he explained.
Wolff’s remarks come at a time when Red Bull has established unprecedented dominance. The team has won a record-breaking 15 races in a row (one last season), with Max Verstappen winning the last 10 consecutive Grand Prix.
