Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s race for the Formula 1 world championship came down to the very last lap of the season and not without controversy.

It has been a season of contentious decisions and it can be seen as a fitting way for the 2021 title to have been decided.

The race looked like it was over until lap 53 where Verstappen was given half a chance by an outside party.

Nicholas Latifi went wide after turn 15 and crashed into the wall. A safety car was deployed, and Verstappen was allowed to close the gap on Hamilton.

The Red Bull driver used the opportunity to change his tyres, giving the Dutchman the advantage over the Mercedes man if it became a straight race for the title.

Which, as we now know, it did.

The controversy continued and thanks to the appeals of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, the five cars which separated first placed Hamilton and Verstappen were asked to overtake the safety car.

It had now become a one-lap race between the men joint at the top of leaderboard.

Footage onboard with the drivers shows how each team reacted and it became obvious over who was the happier of the two organisations.

“This is it. This is it,” can be heard coming from Verstappen’s radio. His Red Bull team were clearly sensing the opportunity to overtake and knew this was the moment they had waited all season for.

Hamilton was given more cautious advice to simply prepare his tyres, it seemed Mercedes acknowledged they were now on the back foot.

p1fmpq90b5gudmgp11p2ajhetcj.jpg

ENTER GIVEAWAY

Verstappen made the move on the British driver on turn 5 and took the lead with a routine overtake.

The Dutchman now had the race in his hands and Hamilton summarised how many were feeling, claiming “this race has been manipulated,” down the radio.

Verstappen crossed the line and became a first time F1 world champion, the driver and his team screaming down the radio in celebration.

Hamilton will now have to wait for another opportunity to become the most successful driver ever.