Adrian Newey believes the occasions of Abu Dhabi 2021 had a psychological impact on Mercedes, as they couldn’t settle for what had occurred.
Max Verstappen controversially gained the 2021 drivers’ championship at Lewis Hamilton’s expense, benefitting from a poor resolution by race director Michael Masi.
Masi didn’t apply the FIA’s sporting rules concerning the foundations beneath the Security Automotive appropriately, permitting quite a lot of backmarkers to unlap themselves, giving Verstappen (who was on recent tyres) a free run at Hamilton.
The top of the race led to widespread controversy, with many believing Hamilton was “robbed” of a record-breaking eighth title.
Pink Bull additionally obtained some criticism regardless of taking part in no position in Masi’s resolution, apart from pressuring him to get the race again underway beneath the Security Automotive.
Talking on the Excessive Efficiency podcast, Newey mirrored on Abu Dhabi 2021 and recommended Mercedes’ angle afterwards wasn’t the fitting one.
“No. No it didn’t [affect me]. I believe it received to Mercedes,” he defined. “As a substitute of claiming ‘OK, we are going to settle for it and transfer on’ it began to have an effect on their psyche which is an fascinating one.
“That’s from the surface. I might be fully improper. They couldn’t let it go psychologically. When you have a foul race, maybe you must have gained and the bloody factor broke down on the final lap or no matter. I at all times had a private subject. I will probably be horrible to be round any airport on that Sunday night however come Monday morning I have to get up and be again on it.
“I can’t go into the manufacturing facility all depressing and downbeat. A part of my place I suppose is to assist and hopefully encourage all people not saying it’s ‘so unfair, we had been robbed’. It doesn’t assist, does it?”
Newey dismissed ideas the discuss round Abu Dhabi 2021 impacted Verstappen.
He added: “Max is so confident. That is in a constructive manner, not a destructive manner. There’s conceitedness and there’s confident. He’s not smug however he’s self assured, self assured.
“He’s a deep-thinker however he doesn’t let issues like that… I don’t suppose they actually get to him. He’s capable of shut that off and get on with that job, doing what he loves doing which is driving racing automobiles.”
