Lewis Hamilton labelled the 2014 rule change (Image: Getty)
hasn’t shied away from doubling down on his honest feelings about a controversial rule change that impacted the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ten years ago, the star won his second F1 world title and his first as a Silver Arrows driver but his efforts could’ve easily gone unrewarded.
That was because of the introduction of a ‘double points’ rule for one race only – the Abu Dhabi GP – which spiced up his rivalry with teammate Nico Rosberg.
F1 looked to add excitement and jeopardy to the entertaining title battle as Hamilton led Rosberg by just 17 points entering the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The widely disputed rule switch meant the race winner earned 50 points rather than 25, meaning the German would have snatched the Drivers’ Championship if he crossed the line first and Hamilton finished lower than P2.
Rosberg sat on pole position, adding to the concerns that the 2014 campaign would finish on a sour note in terms of sporting integrity.
But Hamilton’s abundance of quality shone through to clinch his 11th race win of the year and a second world title as Rosberg suffered a nightmare, finishing in P12.
Despite the Brit’s triumph, the rule caused outrage, and most drivers and team bosses joined forces to call for its permanent removal from future seasons.
“Firstly, the rule change (double points in AD14) was stupid.””Just left a bad taste in my mouth because I’m going into the weekend. I’ve done a great job during the year, there have been some challenges, but this weekend, just one race, can flip the whole championship.”‼️
— sim (@sim3744)
Lewis Hamilton won the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP. (Image: Getty)
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It was later decided that such measures to manufacture a title fight would be scrapped, and it hasn’t re-emerged since.
The contentious incident recently resurfaced as Hamilton looked back at his career in a video, branding the double points as “stupid.”
The now-seven-time world champion added: “It really just left a bad taste in my mouth.
“Because going into the weekend, I’m like, ‘I’ve done a great job during the year, there have been some challenges, but this weekend, just one race can flip the whole championship.'”
Hamilton went on to add F1 crowns in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 in an era of utter dominance by ‘s .
The 39-year-old is still a force to be reckoned with and was named Driver of the Day after battling from P10 to P2 in Sunday’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
He will continue his career at next year, taking ‘s seat and teaming up with Charles Leclerc.
Only the Qatar Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remain before he makes the box-office switch to the Scuderia.