With 10 laps to go at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports that Max Verstapen needed a motorsport miracle to beat Lewis Hamilton to the Formula One world championship.
That miracle duly occurred, when Williams’ Nicholas Latifi crashed with six laps to go, producing the now-infamous safety car call from race director Michael Masi.
During the safety-car period, it became evident to Hamilton, at least, that the world was conspiring against the seven-time champion, who saw five lapped cars pass him, leaving a one-lap shootout for the title.
Verstappen slipped by the Brit midway through the lap and held on for a remarkable first championship victory.
The FIA threw out two post-race protests from Mercedes, who are now likely to take the case to the governing body’s appeals court in a desperate attempt to strip the Dutchman of the title, although many within the F1 community have called for the German outfit to let the matter rest.
Newly released audio reveals Hamilton, 36, sitting in his cockpit in disbelief as the ‘miracle’ played out in front of him, telling his race engineer that something was afoot.
“This has been manipulated, man,” Hamilton said in anguish.