Gary Lineker has gone viral after comparing the latest Formula 1 controversy surrounding Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen to a hypothetical matchup between Liverpool and Manchester City. 

The Tottenham legend, 61, made the football analogy on Twitter after Hamilton lost to Verstappen in heart-breaking fashion in Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marinas Circuit. 

Hamilton had been leading for most of the race before Nicholas Latifi's crash handed the advantage over to Verstappen, who made the most of his fresher tyres to sail off into the sunset.

Like many of us, Lineker could scarcely believe what he had just witnessed before taking a moment to share his thoughts on social media. 

He tweeted: "Imagine Man City and Liverpool going toe to toe for the title.

"On the last day of the season they meet & City are 3 up with just minutes to go.

"The referee decides it would be more exciting to have a penalty shootout.

"What’s more the City players have to be barefooted. That’s @F1."

His tweet has since gone viral, amassing more than 68,000 likes and thousands of comments with plenty of F1 fans also seemingly left perplexed by the decision.

Not everybody was in agreement however as 'Drive to Survive' star Will Buxton suggested it is 'very difficult to compare sports'. 

He wrote in reply: "Very difficult to compare sports Gary, especially as F1 has such a complex rule book.

"Safety cars nullifying the field isn’t new. The circumstances were strange.

"But I’d say it’s more like Smith Rowe’s goal when De Gea was down recently, deciding the FA Cup in the 94th minute."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner also insisted he didn't see anything wrong with the decision as he felt the officials had 'absolutely made the right call'. 

The 48-year-old told Sky Sports: "We were screaming at the end to let them race. A great strategy call to make that pit stop and take softs and then it was down to Max to make it happen.

"It is unheard of to leave the cars unlapped. They wanted to get the race going again. They absolutely made the right call.

"I am so proud of Max and of the team for what we have been through this year.

"You just knew Max was not going to give it up. He had come so far this year and then to see him close it out, become world champion - an amazing feeling.

"The last ten laps I was thinking what will I say to Max and the guys to pick them up and then a stroke of luck with the safety car."

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton was consoled by Sebastian Vettel & Mick Schumacher in touching moment