Although Hamilton has received praise for graciously congratulating Verstappen at the end of the race, including from Verstappen, he then blotted his copybook by refusing to attend the obligatory post-race press conference, and a few days later the FIA Gala to collect the runner-up trophy.
He potentially faces a fine or some other sanction for breaching the FIA rules that require attendance at such events, but out-going FIA president Jean Todt has hinted he won't because he will be deemed to have suffered enough with his last lap lose.
Wolff 's behaviour was more questionable. He criticised Masi, as did his wife Susie, and refused to front up to the media until his press conference on the Thursday after the Abu Dhabi drama, to announce Mercedes would not appeal, while stating he still believed the team had been robbed. He also mischievously suggested he couldn't guarantee Hamilton would race next year, despite having a Mercedes contract until 2023, because he was, like himself, so disillusioned by the championship outcome.
Wolff announced Mercedes had decided not to proceed with the appeal that had undermined Verstappen's triumph.
"We've spent all the last few days being in dialogue with the FIA, with Lewis and Ola [Kallenius, Daimler chairman] and his colleagues to make the right decision," Wolff stated. "The final decision to withdraw the appeal was made on Wednesday evening."
Posts on social media had shown Wolff crowd surfing at an Abu Dhabi nightclub hours after the race to celebrate Mercedes securing a record-breaking eighth Constructors' title, something that was all but overlooked in the emotion of Hamilton losing the Drivers' title. Wolff's joy on that occasion seemed at odds with his snub a few days later of the FIA prize-giving ceremony.
He says the withdrawal of the appeal was not an admission of defeat, but rather accepting the reality that an appeal in the International Court of Appeal wouldn't succeed.
"The problem with the ICA is the way it is structured. The FIA can't really mark their own homework and there is a difference between being right and obtaining justice."
But he acknowledged that he and Lewis never wanted to win a championship in the courtroom even though they felt a court of law would have seen them successful.
He added he was "not interested in having a conversation with Masi. The decisions that have been taken in the last four minutes of this race have dropped Hamilton from a deserved world championship. His driving, particularly in the last four races was faultless. Robbing him in the last lap of the race is unacceptable".
He has since added "it is definitely on a par with the 'Hand of God' by Diego Maradona or the Wembley goal from 1966".
Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen, said: "It would have been much worse if this world championship had finished behind a safety-car. That really would have been such an anti–climax.
"The race director's decision, later supported by the four stewards, is based on his understanding of the rules, including his responsibility for deciding when the safety-car returns to the pits.
"Balancing decisions between ensuring safety and promoting racing is the toughest job facing the race director. Looking at the result, in terms of safety and promoting racing, Michael did his job."
Retired Mercedes world champion Nico Rosberg, who was part of the Sky sport commentary team in Abu Dhabi, understood the emotions that Hamilton had after losing, given he had led every lap except the last.
"It was heartbreaking for him absolutely, because up until four laps from the end he was almost certain to be world champion," Rosberg said.
"Then with this change of procedure or whatever you want to call it, suddenly he lost the world championship. So, it was touch, extremely tough. But of course, I do count on him being back on the grid next year and fighting to get back that world championship that kind of got away from him in a way. Of course, I'm not the guy to be saying that because I also disappeared into the distance after I won the title so it really wouldn't be fair to say that, but I do hope Lewis and Max will go at it again next year."
For Verstappen, he has dreamt of becoming world champion since starting karting at age four. Having won nine races and led the championship for most of the year, that dream almost became a nightmare, but he says he never gave up and his reward was the WC trophy presented to him in Paris.
"Its just insane, my goal when I was little was of course to become a Formula 1 driver and you hope for wins, you hope to be on the podium," Max said at the FIA Gala. "When they play the national anthem, you hope that one day they play yours and after you stand there and they tell you, you are the world champion, is something incredible."
He also shared his thoughts on Hamilton and Wolff not attending the prize-giving.
"Of course, I can understand that the first few days, after a race like that, you're not happy. You should also understand this is racing and these things can happen to you. He is still trying to challenge for that eighth title, and he can do that again next year, so I don't see any reason why to give up or stop now."
Does he have sympathy with what happened to Hamilton in those last few laps?
"No, I don't feel sorry, but I can understand it can be very painful. At the end of the day that's racing as well. You just have to keep fighting until the very end and you know that in racing anything can happen.
"He also won a championship like that. I think he can understand as well," he added, no doubt referring to Hamilton overtaking Timo Glock at the last corner in Brazil in 2008, to finish fifth and beat race winner Felipe Massa by just one point for the championship. Massa experienced that day the sort of despair felt by Hamilton this year, but the major difference is Massa never won a championship whereas Lewis has added six more since that first title in 2008.
Had Massa triumphed that day it would have been before his home crowd in Brazil. Verstappen won his home grand prix at Zandvoort this year and is grateful for the support he gets from his army of fans dressed in orange.
"Its incredible to see all this orange, but all over the world where they've supported me throughout my whole career, and especially of course in Formula 1," Max said.
"This support is just incredible, and I hope I can do this for a very long time with the support of my great fans."
The 2021 championship will go down as one of the closest and most controversial title races ever. As Fernando Alonso said:" More than any other year, if you can split the trophy in two, this was the year to do it because both of them were outstanding."
For 22 races at least, Verstappen was a worthy champion. The start of the 2022 season is only three months away and we can't wait to report on what could be a repeat of the most enthralling racing you could ever have hoped for. Fan favourite Kimi Raikkonen has retired from F1, but Hamilton is sure to be back, with a new teammate, George Russell, while Verstappen will race with number one on his car.
We wish our readers a Merry Christmas and a new year that will hopefully repeat the excitement and drama that the sport of F1 has entertained us with in 2021
