Red Bull team adviser Helmut Marko accused Lewis Hamilton of living in the past after the topic of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was brought up this week.
It was inevitable that it would be discussed, considering Formula 1 this weekend returns to the scene of that controversial season finale. Max Verstappen pipped Hamilton to the title on the final lap, after Michael Masi's botched handling of the safety car procedure.
The Mercedes driver has said on more than one occasion since that he feels the outcome of that race was "manipulated". And he repeated that claim again last weekend, as he sat down with former racer Timo Glock for a Sky Sports video.
The pair were looking back on the conclusion of the Brazilian Grand Prix, which dramatically saw Hamilton take his first world title in the dying moments from Felipe Massa. Asked if he felt there was a similarity to the Abu Dhabi race in 2021, the Brit felt the two outcomes were not the same.
"No, it was different, it was different because this one [Brazil 2008] wasn't manipulated by anybody," he told Glock. "Someone made a decision for that result [in Abu Dhabi] to be the way it was, basically.
"There are similarities in kind of the pain of losing in 2007. For the last 17 seconds losing that championship or the last three laps, I'd lost it basically. And then coming across the line for another 17 seconds or whatever it was beyond, still having lost the championship.
"Similar kind of horrible feeling in your heart and in your spirit. I'm so so grateful for it because it was a real proof that for anybody out there when you are facing adversity, just to never give up, keep pushing, keep chasing, keep going. Miracles do happen. And that was really a miracle moment for me."
Marko was speaking to Sky Sports Germany when he was asked for a response to Hamilton repeating that claim. He told the broadcaster: "Well, I don't understand that at all. The race director decided. The fact that two cars were not unlapped would not have made any difference.
He went on to express his disapproval that the Brit continues to refer back to last year's race and talk about how it played out. Marko added: "We are looking forward. The championship has been decided. We cannot keep bringing up this subject."
