Max Verstappen’s 2021 F1 title under fire: Danny Sullivan slams Michael Masi’s decision. Verstappen’s first world title under scrutiny: ex-FIA official weighs in.

2021 haunts Verstappen, former FIA steward: “Masi handed him the title”

At Abu Dhabi 2025, reigning world champion Max Verstappen narrowly missed what could have been one of the most remarkable titles of his career. Completing a comeback after being more than 100 points behind the leader would have been an extraordinary achievement. It already is extraordinary, but adding a fifth championship—especially against a McLaren that had been dominant in the constructors’ battle—would have cemented his status among the greatest drivers of all time.

Looking at the Dutch driver’s career, however, one blemish remains visible to fans. While nobody doubts his talent, the manner in which he won his first world championship against Lewis Hamilton in 2021 (then at Mercedes) continues to spark heated discussions.

Sullivan criticizes Masi’s Abu Dhabi decision: “It couldn’t have ended any other way”

Speaking to ‘Epartrade,’ one of the most recent comments on the matter came from former steward Danny Sullivan, who in 2021 officiated twice at Formula 1 events. Sullivan did not mince words. According to the former F1 driver, that year the championship was decided less by Verstappen’s performance and more by the decision made by Michael Masi, the race director at Abu Dhabi: “Allowing only those five cars to un-lap themselves essentially gave Max his chance,” he stated, immediately going to the heart of the matter.

Under the regulations, once the procedure allowing lapped cars to move back to the end of the pack is started, all the relevant cars are supposed to complete it. On that occasion, there wasn’t enough time to do so. Sullivan recalls: “People didn’t want the race to finish under the yellow flag. So Masi decided to let only those five cars pass, allowing Verstappen to line up directly behind Hamilton. Max had just fitted qualifying tires, while Lewis was on a harder compound with 44 laps on them. There wasn’t much Lewis could do. That decision practically handed him the world championship,” Sullivan asserts firmly.

Aware of potential misinterpretation, the former FIA steward emphasizes that he is merely stating an observation and has nothing against the Dutchman, who he also supports as a fan: “I don’t want to create misunderstandings. I’m also a Verstappen supporter, but in my opinion, it wasn’t a good decision. That’s my view,” he concludes.

As Max Verstappen prepares for the 2026 Formula 1 season, these echoes of the past continue to follow him, serving as a reminder that even the most dominant champions cannot escape the shadow of one of the most controversial finishes in the history of the sport.