Lewis Hamilton is given hope that Max Verstappen’s 2021 F1 championship may still be revoked.

In contentious circumstances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen defeated Lewis Hamilton to win the 2021 championship.

If Felipe Massa wins his legal battle, Mercedes team president Toto Wolff has suggested that the team may challenge Max Verstappen’s 2021 victory over Lewis Hamilton for the championship. The Red Bull driver controversially won his first Drivers’ World Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to a “human error” by FIA race director Michael Masi, but Wolff hinted they could fight to have the outcome overturned nearly two years later.

After Massa, a former Formula One driver, filed a lawsuit seeking to have the 2008 world championship results changed, Hamilton’s first title is currently in doubt. The former Ferrari racer was beaten by the British driver by one point, but he is now hoping to have his day in court after claims made by Bernie Ecclestone, a former F1 supremo, that senior officials were aware of Renault’s “Crashgate” scandal but did nothing about it for a year.

And Mercedes chief Wolff revealed that the team is eagerly awaiting news of Massa’s appeal in order to determine whether it would be worthwhile to pursue a similar request for Hamilton.

“Follow-up is interesting.
Nobody anticipated it because F1 rules are fairly transparent, according to Wolff in Singapore.
“But it will set a precedent — whatever it is — and we’re watching from the sidelines with curiosity.
“.

Because Nelson Piquet’s intentional collision brought out the safety car and made it possible for Fernando Alonso to win the Singapore Grand Prix that year, the outcome of the championship was affected by that race. Massa, on the other hand, finished in 13th place after a hurried pit stop caused errors from both the driver and Ferrari, including leaving the pits with the fuel hose still connected to his vehicle.

For an unsafe release, he was assessed a fine and dropped outside the point range. And now Massa, who is being represented by a London-based law firm, wants the race result to be removed from the championship because it appears to have been illegal.

In contrast, Masi’s interpretation of the regulations regarding the safety car on the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix allowed Verstappen to pass Hamilton on much fresher tyres when the race should have ended under the safety car.
This made Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, regret Masi’s interpretation of the regulations.

Mercedes initially threatened legal action by filing a lawsuit before deciding to back out after the FIA issued an apology.
It was too late to reverse the outcome, and Verstappen was able to celebrate his first victory.
They later acknowledged that Masi’s “human error” was to blame.
The Australian was fired from his position.

After the controversy in the Abu Dhabi desert, the 25-year-old driver has since completely dominated Formula One, winning 27 of the 36 races.
The streak without a victory for Hamilton has lasted 37 races and is by far the longest of his career.

There are some skepticisms about the possibility of the British legend winning an unheard-of eighth Drivers’ Championship title given Red Bull’s current lead over the rest of the field.
In the event that Massa’s case establishes a precedent, Wolff’s remarks have nevertheless exposed a potential legal problem.