The build-up to the 2025 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has taken a dramatic turn, even before cars line up for qualifying, after the FIA confirmed its stewarding lineup for the title-deciding weekend.
What should have been a routine announcement immediately triggered intense backlash online once fans noticed that the panel includes multiple officials who presided over the infamous 2021 Abu Dhabi finale, where Lewis Hamilton lost the title to Max Verstappen.
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Making matters even more contentious, the list also features Derek Warwick, who was suspended during the 2025 Canadian GP weekend after reportedly making inappropriate comments about the drivers. His return for the season’s biggest race has only amplified the outcry.
The announcement instantly exploded across social media, with thousands of fans expressing uneasiness about the FIA’s decision and how it might affect the championship fight.
Fans React: 2021 Déjà vu
Reactions ranged from shock to frustration to outright satire. Some fans admitted the news gave them “distasteful aftertaste memories of 2021”.
DOC 7 – Entry List #AbuDhabiGP #F1 #FIA pic.twitter.com/igkI7NSnIG
— FIA (@fia) December 5, 2025
Others sarcastically suggested they were “surprised the FIA didn’t bring Michael Masi back too,” referencing the former race director responsible for the AD21 safety-car call.
A wave of comments predicted “a controversial 10-second penalty incoming for one of the title contenders,” while others tried to calm the debate, arguing that “the 2021 disaster was down to race direction, not the stewards, they didn’t make the wrong calls.”
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Some treated the situation humorously, joking that the impeding incident between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris during FP2 was “a glimpse of what’s coming this Sunday.”
While the tone varied, one theme was consistent: fans are bracing for controversy before the race has even begun.
Why the Timing Makes It Worse
The AD21 is still regarded as one of the most controversial race endings in Formula 1. The stewarding and race-management calls from that evening continue to divide fans today, and the event stands as a cultural flashpoint whenever officiating is discussed in Formula 1.
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The tension around the steward lineup is amplified by the stakes of the 2025 season:
- Three drivers: Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri, remain in contention for the World Championship.
- Recent practice sessions have already delivered flashpoints, including Norris and Verstappen’s near-collision in FP2 that drew a stewards’ note for impeding.
- The shadow of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where a highly disputed race-management call decided the championship outcome, still looms large over Formula 1, and this similarity in officiating personnel has deepened fan anxiety.
Given this backdrop, many fans fear that even the appearance of bias could trigger chaos if the title is decided through penalties, safety-car rulings, or post-race investigations.
Whether this becomes nothing more than pre-race noise or the start of a saga depends entirely on how cleanly Sunday plays out.