The F1 world drivers’ championship being decided in the final race is a dream at the start of every season.
A proper winner-takes-all showdown is good for the fans, good for F1 and good for the drivers involved as it ensures they’re on their A-game.
But what happens when things go ever-so-slightly awry?
We’ve gathered some of the most controversial endings, including one which is rather forgotten in the 21st century.
Let us know what you think by voting in the poll below and in the comments!
1964 – John Surtees vs Graham Hill vs Jim Clark
It is rare to have a three-way title shootout, but in 1964, the British trio all headed to Mexico City for the finale, with Graham Hill on 39 points, John Surtees on 34 and Jim Clark on 30, in the days of nine points for a win.
Hill looked set to deliver the crown for BRM, his second after 1962, but on lap 31 of 65, was punted out of a title-winning third place by Lorenzo Bandini.
This gave the title to leader Clark, who would win on countback if the Lotus held together.
It did hold together, until two laps from the title when an oil line broke, dropping Clark to fifth. This handed the title back to Hill, but with their abacuses at the ready, Ferrari realised that if third-place Surtees was waved through into second, he would win the title.
On the last lap, this happened as the driver of the other Ferrari ceded to his team leader. That driver’s name? Lorenzo Bandini.
1989 – Alain Prost vs Ayrton Senna
At Suzuka, the equation was clear. If Ayrton Senna failed to finish, Alain Prost would be world champion.
So, Prost made sure Senna failed to finish.
The McLaren team-mates, used in the lightest possible sense after the civil war erupted, engaged in a thrilling chase at Honda’s home track, with Prost’s car set-up for straight-line speed.
Eventually, on lap 47 of 53, Senna made his move up the inside of the final chicane. Prost turned in rather early, so much so he might have been turning into Turn 1.
The two collided and came to a halt, with Prost promptly throwing off the belts, jumping out and considering the race over. Senna got going again, pitted for a new nose and won on the road, but was quickly booted out by the FIA for obtaining a push from the marshals and cutting the chicane when he re-joined.
Ron Dennis appealed, but the result stood with Prost being declared world champion for a third time, and promptly took his #1 stick to Ferrari for 1990.
1990 – the rematch
At Suzuka, the equation was clear. If Alain Prost failed to finish, Ayrton Senna would be world champion.
So, Senna made sure Prost failed to finish.
Senna was already incensed that pole position, at the behest of FIA president Jean-Marie Balestre was moved to the ‘dirty’ side of the grid and away from the racing line, thus allowing P2 man Prost the clean, grippier side for launch.
Senna sprinted away, but Prost took the lead and the advantage, but Senna tried to go through on the inside and, bonus points if you found the easter egg hidden here, it happened immediately.
Perhaps it was Murray Walker’s slight hesitation when he then delivered the line: ‘that is amazing, but I fear absolutely predictable.”
Senna was world champion, but F1 was the loser.
1994, 1997 – Schumacher’s collisions
After the loss of Senna in 1994, Schumacher emerged as ‘the man to beat’, challenging Damon Hill for the crown in a controversial season blighted by disqualifications, bans and allegations of cheating.
Nevertheless in Australia, Schumacher was leading in the finale when he went off, and realising his car was terminally damaged, turned into Hill taking both out. It was the third time in six seasons a collision had decided the world championship.
Come 1997, Schumacher was now at Ferrari and once again ran into a Williams in the title-decider, this time Jacques Villeneuve at Jerez.
However, as Martin Brundle would observe: “You hit the wrong part of him, my friend” as he turned into to try and eliminate Villeneuve who had gone for a do or die move just after the pit-stops.
For this, Schumacher became the first, and to date, only driver, to be disqualified from the world championship as Villeneuve claimed the crown.
2021 – safety car chaos
Probably the most watched F1 race of all-time and quite possibly the most controversial ending to a grand prix ever.
Lewis Hamilton was all set to win his record-breaking eighth world title until Nicholas Latifi crashed with five laps to go.
Normal procedure would have had the race finish under the safety car, but race director Michael Masi misapplied the restart rules, allowing Verstappen on fresh soft tyres one chance to pass worn hard-shod Hamilton on the final lap.
He took it, and the after-effects are still lingering.
