This is classic Garry Kasparov Syndrome - when you're leading the sport but have absolute zero grace in losing.
Ok, so I don't know much about the rules on motor racing, but shouldn't that corner skip by Hamilton incur some time penalty? So, if they let all the lapped cars through, and the field bunches again, wouldn't Max be right behind and then the time penalty still gives the him the title?
If you take a shortcut or leave the track to make a corner and gain a lasting advantage, you need to give that advantage back, but FIA is very transparent about going soft on incidents in the first lap, cause in most situations its better to go soft on people not making a corner instead of forcing them to attempt to make the corner and end up crashing into someone.
That being said, in the last race, Max went into the corner on a very aggressive line, he braked late and just barely made it, but had Hamilton attempted to stay on track and alongside Verstappen, they would have crashed. As long as Hamilton attempted to stay alongside without crashing, he had to go wide.
The stewards reasoned that Max pushed Hamilton off the track and when Hamilton slowed down a little to give back the advantage (of being ahead a few seconds) it was deemed sufficient by FIA. IE: Hamilton's advantage was not winning back his position but rather just a miniscule amount of time in the lead according to FIA.
I think this was a compromise between Max and Lewis, since Max went into the corner very aggressively and Lewis took advantage of the shortcut and it wasn't a stellar moment for either driver.
Ultimately for the race, it didn't mean that much, since Hamilton was a lot quicker than Verstappen throughout the race anyway. Though Hamilton would have had to get past Verstappen again and that could have gone badly. If Verstappen crashes out Hamilton, that could have ended up in a '97 style full season disqualification and that would have been terrible.
So even though I disagree with the stewards and think Hamilton should have given the place back, I think it was better this way than to swap places again and end up with a crash between the two title contenders the next lap.
It will be the turd on top of his career. Acting like a dick throughout all of it then storming out when not just handed the championship with the best car and compliant team mate.
It's like a kid holding their breath until you give them what they want. In his massive arrogance Hamilton thinks he's bigger than the sport and threatening to leave will change something. The inability of mercedes and Hamilton to cope with their fall from grace is just great to watch.
Not attending the gala is such poor sportsmanship. They won the WCC but the team principal is refusing to collect it which is an insult to all the engineers that made that amazing car and to Bottas who will probably be attending as the 3rd place driver.
It's just pure melodrama bullshit. The guy will be back next season, it's just a bit of song and dance to play the disillusioned victim card. I genuinely hope someone interviews him and Lewis goes off the rails accusing FIA/Masi of racism or saying something so hostile and dumb that FIA revokes his super-license for damaging the brand.
His fans moan about how much of a sportsman he is, but I don't see it and this is just icing on the cake. It's the most petty, most childish behaviour anyone can put on display. A true sportsman would shake hands with Verstappen on his title and move on to next year, Hamilton really can't deal with this. I wonder how much of a pain he was to his team when Rosberg won the title.
If Hamilton left in a tardrage, Russel's reaction would be something like this, I presume:
"Oh no, this is so terrible!" he says, walking out the room and going full shit eating grin cause he's backed by the best team and their new star driver instead of a waterboy to BLOOwis...
Edit: JFC. I read the huff piece about Wolff saying it's uncertain that Lewlew will come back to the sport. Fuck off mate. They make it sound like they got raped by Masi in front of a howling crowd of Verstappen fanboys chanting SUPER SUPER MAX MAX MAX as it happened.
I already said that Mercedes look like sore loser clowns, but this "he might not come back next season" bullshit is so much worse. I no longer have any respect for these assholes at all. It's even worse when you consider that this is just a publicity stunt.