Crash by Canadian driver results in one of the most controversial Formula 1 championships ever

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Formula One’s World Championship race had a drama-fuelled end to a drama-filled season on the weekend, and a Canadian driver was at the centre of it all.

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Lewis Hamilton was the favourite heading into the season-ending race on Sunday, held in Abu Dhabi. On the line for Lewis was an unprecedented eighth championship win, which would vault him past Michael Schumacher as the greatest racer ever, and the most successful Formula One driver of all time in terms of championships won.

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Schumacher, who won seven championship titles, suffered a serious brain injury in a skiing accident in 2013. His son, Mick, is also a Formula One racer and played a role, alongside Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi, in one of the most controversial championship finishes ever in Formula One history.

Hamilton was dominating the race from the beginning, but on Lap 52 of the 58-lap race — just six laps from the end — Canadian Latifi crashed into the barriers on a turn in his battle with Schumacher.

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The 26-year-old Canadian driver, the son of Iranian-Canadian entrepreneur Michael Latifi, chairman and CEO of Sofina Foods Inc., made his Formula One debut in 2020.

At the point of the crash, Hamilton was leading the second-place driver, Max Verstappen, by 11 seconds and was well on his way to Formula One history.

Latifi was OK, but because of debris on the track, a safety car was brought out and the cars slowed to the safety car’s pace as the debris was removed. Verstappen took the opportunity for a pitstop and fresh tires.

The safety car finished its run with one lap left to go in the race. The race director allowed the cars to unlap the safety car, which effectively erased Hamilton’s lead. It meant the end of the race — one final lap —  came down to a thrilling duel between the two leading racers, Hamilton and Verstappen.

On fresh tires, Verstappen was out in front. Hamilton caught up to him at one point, with the cars  racing side-by-side just inches apart.  Verstappen ultimately  pulled out ahead , taking the title and the win.

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Less than a minute after the finish, Lewis’ Mercedes team filed a protest to the race director’s decision with the safety car. The protest was dismissed.

Latifi, the Canadian driver, has apologized, saying he had no intention of playing such a major role in the outcome of the championship race.

“It was never my intention and I can only apologize for influencing and creating an opportunity,”  Latifi told ESPN . “I made a mistake.”

Verstappen’s Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joked to Sky Sports after the race he would make sure the Canadian driver got a lifetime supply of Red Bull.

The drama and excitement of Formula One racing has hooked a new audience of fans, especially during pandemic lockdowns as other sports were interrupted. Races and events are widely viewed on a variety of platforms, including social media, and have attracted a younger generation to the sport. Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, that follows the lives and races of the drivers, has also helped engage a new audience of F1 fans.