The New Zealand All Blacks have faced this countless times. Minutes to go in a deciding rugby game only to lose because of a ref’s call! More often than not it can be the result of the official making the wrong call or missing a forward pass or illegal tackle. There is no come back.
There was always going to be the chance that the 2021 Formula One World Championship title would be decided by the rub of the green, the role of the dice or just plain luck. Lewis Hamilton didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, he probably would do the same again.
A great start, leading all the way and seemingly controlling the race except for an over enthusiastic Nicholas Latifi who hit the wall in the dying stages of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The ensuring safety-car period, Michael Masi’s call to allow lapped cars through bringing Verstappen, now on fresh soft tyres, right up to Hamilton for a one-lap dash to the chequered flag. There is probably nothing there that Hamilton could have changed.
That is the point when the whole season literally went out the door and the luck-of-the-draw decided the fate of those at play.
Having blotched the start of the race from pole position and on the more favourable soft-tyres, all that Max Verstappen had to do was to be there or there-about at the end should something like Latifi’s crash take place. He, and the team, always took advantage of the opportunities that took place during the 58-lap race, crossing the finish line first and winning the 2021 title.
If Mercedes had made a mistake, and this could be applied to the numerous All Black games that have finished in a similar fashion, they should never have got themselves into a position where there was a good chance for the outcome of the race could be decided by variables outside of their control.
The All Blacks have learnt this the hard way and good coaches continue to ram this home to their teams. Don’t allow the opposition even a sniff of a chance that they could win. Do so at your own peril.
But then Lewis has been playing catch up for some time this season. Verstappen and his Red Bull Team arguably took too many risks that allowed Hamilton back into the game.
In the end, maybe it wasn’t the consequence of the ‘ref’s’ decision. Maybe Verstappen wanted this title more than Hamilton and that, in itself, can be enough for luck to tap you on the shoulder.
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