Autosport 16/12/21

The Formula 1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the season in a microcosm. We had wheel-to-wheel battling, track-limits drama, the pendulum between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton swinging back and forth – and some baffling decisions from those running the race. Verstappen’s lunge on the first lap was borderline. Too much? Let’s call it marginal. Did Hamilton give back enough of the advantage he’d gained by avoiding a crash and going across the runoff? Let’s call that marginal, too. So, though initially surprising, the call to leave them as they were was probably the correct one. The race turned on the final safety car period. Or rather, how it ended. The apparent indecision, followed by the race swiftly going green after only the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen had been waved…

FORMULA 1 Mercedes was still evaluating an appeal against the result of last Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Autosport closed for press, after stewards dismissed its protests against the controversial restart of the Formula 1 title decider. Lewis Hamilton lost the world championship after being passed by Max Verstappen on the final lap. The move was set up by race director Michael Masi opting to restart the race for a single lap following a safety car period, during which Verstappen had pitted his Red Bull for a new set of soft tyres, while Hamilton’s Mercedes was on an ageing set of hard Pirellis. Masi had originally said that lapped cars could not unlap themselves, but then gave the call for the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen on track to do so…

FORMULA 1 Formula 1 managing director of motorsports Ross Brawn is set to step down at the end of next year, with chief technical officer Pat Symonds also planning to leave his role in the summer. The news was contained in a document issued by F1 as an update on future developments within the organisation. It indicated that Brawn, who turned 67 last month, was “expected” to leave his role, and it is understood that the exact timing of his departure has not yet been finalised. Following his departure from Mercedes at the end of 2013, Brawn enjoyed a period of relaxation away from the sport before taking his current job in January 2017, shortly after F1’s takeover by Liberty Media. His task was essentially to oversee changes to the technical and sporting…

FORMULA 1 This week’s Abu Dhabi Formula 1 test has allowed drivers to take to the track with their new teams in preparation for the 2022 season. While Valtteri Bottas will not formally leave Mercedes until the end of the year, he was given permission to test for Alfa Romeo ahead of his switch and took to the Yas Marina track on Tuesday (above), the first day of the two-day test, clad in a plain white racesuit and Christmasthemed helmet. Nine teams were due to complete two days of running with modified mule cars and the new-for-2022 18-inch Pirelli tyres. Teams could also complete one day of young-driver testing with a 2021 car and the outgoing 13-inch rubber. New F2 champion Oscar Piastri got his first taste of Alpine’s 2021 car in the test,…

WRC/WTCR Hyundai’s World Rally Championship drivers have paid tribute to boss Andrea Adamo following his shock departure as team principal. The marque last week announced that the popular Italian has stepped down from his role after six years at the helm, citing personal reasons for his departure. Adamo enjoyed a successful tenure at Hyundai, leading it to back-to-back WRC manufacturers’ titles in 2019 and 2020 on top of successes in the World Touring Car Cup with Gabriele Tarquini in 2018 and Norbert Michelisz in 2019. Hyundai president Scott Noh has been installed as team principal on an interim basis while the Germanbased operation searches for a successor to Adamo. Hyundai star Thierry Neuville was particular saddened by Adamo’s exit. “He was an important figure in the team,” the Belgian told Autosport. “He was a…

GT WORLD CHALLENGE EUROPE MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi could be heading towards a drive in the GT World Challenge Europe next season. The Italian tested for the WRT Audi team last week and is in negotiation to join its line-up in 2022. The test followed the seven-time MotoGP champion’s announcement that he intends to race full-time in cars now that he has brought the curtain down on his two-wheel career. Rossi completed a day in a WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo GT3 at Valencia last week and immediately received the plaudits of team boss Vincent Vosse. “Valentino is a legendary rider, but he is also impressive as a driver,” said Vosse. “His approach and his feedback mean I am sure he would be competitive. I don’t see him being anything other than competitive.” That’s…