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Adrian Newey Opens Up on Abu Dhabi 2021 Fallout: Mercedes’ Unending Struggle with Acceptance
Adrian Newey looks back at the Abu Dhabi 2021 incident, noting Mercedes' inability to "let it go."
Adrian Newey is of the opinion that the incidents during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had a mental impact on Mercedes, leaving them struggling to come to terms with the outcomes.
Max Verstappen secured the 2021 drivers' championship under contentious circumstances, at the detriment of Lewis Hamilton, following a contentious call by race director Michael Masi.
Masi failed to properly enforce the FIA's competition guidelines concerning procedures during the Safety Car period, permitting several lapped cars to regain their lap, thereby providing Verstappen (equipped with new tyres) an unobstructed opportunity to challenge Hamilton.
The conclusion of the competition sparked significant debate, as numerous people felt that Hamilton was unjustly denied a historic eighth championship win.
Despite not being directly involved in Masi's decision, Red Bull faced criticism for their part in urging him to resume the race under the Safety Car conditions.
On the High Performance podcast, Newey shared his thoughts about Abu Dhabi 2021, implying that Mercedes' response to the event could have been better.
"No, it didn't impact me in that way," he clarified. "I believe it really got to Mercedes. Rather than adopting an attitude of acceptance and moving forward, it began to influence their mental state, which is quite fascinating."
"From an outsider's perspective, I might be off the mark. They just couldn't shake it off mentally. If there's a terrible race, maybe one you were supposed to win but then something fails right on the final lap or something like that. I've always struggled with this personally. I'd be unbearable to be near at any airport on that Sunday night, but by Monday morning, I have to be ready to tackle it again."
"I can't enter the manufacturing site feeling gloomy and disheartened. I guess it's part of my role to support and ideally inspire everyone instead of complaining that 'it's so unjust, we were cheated'. That's not constructive, is it?"
Newey brushed aside claims that discussions surrounding the 2021 Abu Dhabi race affected Verstappen.
He further stated, "Max exudes confidence. It's important to note that it's a constructive form of confidence, not detrimental. There's a distinction between being arrogant and being confident. Max isn't arrogant; he's confident and self-assured."
"He's contemplative, yet such matters don't seem to deeply affect him. He can disconnect from those thoughts and proceed with his passion, which is racing cars."
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