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Lewis Hamilton’s shocking career choice: should he have retired after Abu Dhabi 2021?

Redação by Redação
January 10, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Lewis Hamilton’s shocking career choice: should he have retired after Abu Dhabi 2021?

Title: Should Lewis Hamilton Have Called It Quits After Heartbreaking Abu Dhabi 2021? Ex-McLaren Boss Weighs In!

In a shocking revelation, former McLaren communications chief Matt Bishop has ignited a firestorm of debate over whether Lewis Hamilton should have hung up his racing gloves after the devastating loss at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, faced one of the most controversial endings in Formula 1 history, losing the title on the very last lap to Max Verstappen, thanks to a late safety car that allowed his rival to snatch victory with fresh tires.

Reflecting on this pivotal moment in his illustrious career, Bishop, who was instrumental in Hamilton’s rise during his time at McLaren, expressed a poignant wish in a column for Motor Sport Magazine: that Hamilton had chosen to retire immediately after that fateful race. “Yet sometimes, because of what has happened since — because, in other words, he so rarely had a fully competitive car in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 — I find myself wishing that when he had emerged from that self-imposed purdah, which in my imagined version of events he should have done on January 7, 2022, his 37th birthday, he had chosen a different path,” Bishop lamented.

The former McLaren chief argues that Hamilton’s peak, not just in terms of titles, was reached in Abu Dhabi 2021. “For Lewis, the apex would have been Abu Dhabi 2021. Not because he won the F1 drivers’ world championship there — on the contrary, we all know that he was robbed of it there — but because he had earned it there, on track, on merit, in performance, and in spirit.” He draws a stark comparison to Nico Rosberg, Hamilton’s former teammate, who gracefully exited the sport after winning the championship in 2016, leaving on a high note.

Bishop’s analysis raises critical questions about the future of Hamilton’s legacy. He suggests that remaining in the sport may jeopardize the Brit’s hard-earned reputation. “Had he done that [retired], his F1 story would have been neat — devastatingly so. He would have left with his dignity intact, his legacy unassailable,” Bishop pointed out. “History — and, crucially, the F1 powers-that-be — would have been forced to reckon with the injustice rather than move on from it.”

As Hamilton prepares for the 2026 season, the shadow of doubt looms large. Will the legendary driver find himself struggling once again with a car that fails to meet his high standards? “I dearly hope that the 2026 Ferrari will be a car worthy of his talent, ambition, and legacy,” Bishop stated, expressing his desire to witness Hamilton reclaim his glory. “But hope, in F1, is a fragile currency, and realism demands that we acknowledge the doubts and worries about Hamilton that pervade the paddocks, the pitlanes, the press rooms, and the grandstands.”

With the world watching, Hamilton stands at a crucial crossroads. Will he rise to the occasion in a sport that often spares no mercy, or will he continue to grapple with the remnants of his past, potentially tarnishing the legacy he has fought so hard to build? As fans and critics alike hold their breath, the question remains: Should Lewis Hamilton have said farewell after Abu Dhabi 2021? The debate rages on, and the stakes have never been higher.

Tags: 1958-formula-1-seasonLewis Hamiltonmax-verstappen-en
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