Lewis Hamilton fans are continuing to hound the FIA over the ending of the 2021 Formula 1 season which saw Max Verstappen win his first world championship under controversial circumstances.
With himself and Lewis Hamilton heading into the final race of the season level on points, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix became a one-race shootout between the man chasing his first world title, and the man chasing a record-breaking eighth.
Hamilton led for the majority of the race until an incident towards the very end threatened to see the race end under a safety car.
Nicholas Latifi’s crash allowed Max Verstappen to pit for new tyres, but thinking the race would end without a green flag, Hamilton stayed out before race director Michael Masi controversially decided to allow Verstappen to pass the lapped cars in between the pair, and sanction a racing lap to finish the grand prix.
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On fresher tyres, Verstappen managed to get past Hamilton and win his first World Driver’s Championship as a result, although in the time since it has been accepted that the events were not handled properly on the day by Masi, who is no longer in his post.
But that hasn’t stopped fans of Hamilton from making their voices heard, with a petition to get the result of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix overturned continues to circulate.
Created last year by Patel Gordon-Bennett, the petition has recently surpassed 80,000 signatures, according to The Mirror, but there is very little chance of it resulting in any action being taken due to the matter being settled some time ago.
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Mercedes eventually dropped an appeal and felt they did not need to try and win the world title in court, while changes were made to the rules and regulations, Masi was removed from his post and Red Bull were fined and given a reduction in crucial wind tunnel time.
The Silver Arrows have struggled to pick up in the time since, with the following season ushering in a new set of regulations which they are yet to capitalise on.
Instead, it is Red Bull who have dominated the grid since, despite a challenge from Ferrari in 2022, with Verstappen winning his second world title last season and having already won two of the opening three races in the 2023 season.