Former Marussia F1 driver Alexander Rossi has jokingly labelled Lewis Hamilton an ‘eight-time champion’, making light of the controversial ending to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The final laps of the title decider in 2021 have been immortalised in F1 history. Fans of both drivers have argued to the bitter end on social media, with Hamilton’s fanbase believing that the Brit’s record-breaking eighth World Championship was unfairly taken away, while Max Verstappen fans insist that the Dutchman was the most deserving champion.
To this day, the controversial ending to the race causes uproar and intense debate among F1 fans, and the anguish in Hamilton’s camp has only been more extreme given his and Mercedes’ relative struggles in the ground-effect era.
The Silver Arrows star endured a 945-day win drought that only ended with his fairytale triumph at the 2024 British Grand Prix. He has since added a 105th career race win after inheriting the victory of the Belgian Grand Prix from team-mate George Russell.
Some maintain that Hamilton should be considered an eight-time champion. Rossi – who made five Grand Prix appearances for Marussia in 2015 before embarking on a successful IndyCar career – was briefly among them.
During an episode of the Off Track with Hinch and Rossi podcast, the 33-year-old was discussing the battle between the two Mercedes drivers in Las Vegas with co-host and fellow IndyCar alumni James Hinchcliffe.
As he was praising Hamilton’s ability to conserve his tyres while still extracting maximum pace from the W15, Hinchliffe chimed in, supporting his friends’ argument by reminding listeners that the Brit is a “seven-time champ”. Rossi, continuing his train of thought, jokingly corrected his co-host, stating: “eight-time champion”.
Hamilton will hope to secure his eighth world title in style when he swaps Mercedes for Ferrari over the winter. The Scuderia have a golden chance to carry over their momentum from a 2024 Constructors Championship fight into the 2025 season.
