ON THIS DAY: RACING RULES IN SPOTLIGHT AS HAMILTON TAKES BRAZIL WIN FROM VERSTAPPEN

Five years ago today, Lewis Hamilton salvaged his 2021 title fight with a Brazil GP win that turned on a non-call. Verstappen pitched it down the inside at Descida do Lago, forced Hamilton off track, and kept the lead — but the stewards waved it off without an investigation. Hamilton made the pass stick later in the race, but Mercedes' post-race request for a review was denied outright.

The incident foreshadowed the regulatory chaos that would define that title fight all the way to Abu Dhabi. Verstappen's robust defense — some called it over the limit — became a flashpoint for what racing room actually means under the current rulebook. The FIA never did review the Brazil dive-bomb, even as the championship went down to the final lap in circumstances just as contentious. For American fans drawn into F1 by that season's drama, Brazil was the canary in the coal mine.