Formula 1 reveal rule changes to avoid repeat of Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen controversy that saw 2021 title decided and race director Michael Masi removed

Formula 1’s sporting regulations have been updated in an attempt to rule out a repeat of the controversial 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

F1’s governing body, the FIA, have made a number of changes to the regulations after safety car use was thrown into the spotlight at Yas Marina in December.

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Lewis Hamilton was cruising towards his record-breaking eighth world title at the finale when a late Nicholas Latifi crash brought out a safety car, allowing championship rival Max Verstappen to take advantage and stop for fresh tyres.

Verstappen's stop gave Hamilton a buffer of five lapped cars between the contenders, with the race set to either end behind the safety car, or Verstappen given the near-impossible task of passing through traffic.

However, controversy soon reigned supreme when race director Michael Masi waived through only the five lapped cars between Verstappen and Hamilton to set up a final lap showdown.

Verstappen’s jaw-dropping final lap lunge on Hamilton won him his maiden world title, but the rule book was instantly opened by Mercedes, leading to multiple protests.

Article 55.13 of the FIA’s regulations read “…any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car,” with the word ‘any’ left open to interpretation by Masi.

Now though, , ‘any’ has been changed to ‘all’ meaning in a repeat of 2021’s finale, Verstappen would very likely run out of both time and space to pass his rival Hamilton.

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Masi has since been removed from his post as race director and replaced by Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas bringing in a wealth of experience from similar roles in other premier motorsport categories.

Not everyone was in agreement though, with Verstappen’s Red Bull boss Christian Horner telling talkSPORT the dismissal was ‘harsh’.

“It’s a difficult one. It’s the FIA’s business. I think it is harsh, I think he was in a very difficult position last year,” Horner said in February.

“We felt a lot of the decisions went against us last year. 

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“When you look at what he has at his disposal in terms of resource, compared to what the teams have, it’s such a massive difference.

“It’s good to hear they are bringing in things like the VAR equivalent and one of the most experienced guys in Herbie Blash [former F1 deputy race director].

“I just think there was so much pressure put on the removal of Michael and that’s not right. That’s my personal feeling.”

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Following Masi’s dismissal, rumours of an early retirement for 37-year-old Hamilton were put to bed.

However the Brit is still eagerly waiting for the results of the FIA’s internal investigation into the Abu Dhabi finale, with the full report set to be published on March 18, when Friday practice for the 2022 season curtain raiser in Bahrain begins.