The coronation of Max Verstappen as F1 world champion at the end of the suspense, after a crazy end of the race Sunday in Abu Dhabi, delighted many fans around the world, despite the controversy surrounding the circumstances of his victory.
It is a coronation in his image: with a panache bordering on unconsciousness and a hint of controversy, Max Verstappen won by overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap, whose Mercedes team is increasing the recourse against this incredible outcome.
Does this controversy spoil the party for the Dutchman? ” Not at all. I am of course very happy to have won, ”he said during a press point on Monday afternoon. “It was a crazy season overall, and no one could have written about it, even this crazier final race. That sums up the entire season well. “
Not surprisingly, the reactions and comments were most enthusiastic in the Netherlands: “Super Max”, for the popular Dutch daily Telegraaf, “The best in the world”, for NRC, “Short but huge victory” for the benchmark daily By Volkskrant. The coronation of Verstappen, who won his tenth victory of the season in Abu Dhabi, becoming world champion at just 24, made headlines on Monday.
But on the other side of the Channel, this crazy end of the championship left a bitter taste: “Flight at 200 km / h”, launches the tabloid Daily Mail ; “Flight on the last lap”, adds the Sun, when Metro denounces a “masquerade”.
All the more so since, according to a radio message picked up in Hamilton’s car and broadcast by F1TV, four turns from the end of the race, the Briton let go: “this is all handled, man”.
Before this last round of the season, the equation was relatively simple: tied on points, which had only happened once in F1 history, in 1974, whoever from Verstappen or Hamilton finished the racing ahead of each other would be champion.
If many observers had feared a clash between the two contenders for the XXL ego who do not appreciate each other, no one had been able to construct the improbable scenario of the last laps of the 22e round of the season.
In less than ten minutes, the history of F1 was rewritten: Hamilton saw his dream of winning an eighth world title soar, which would have made him the most successful driver in history ahead of legend Michael Schumacher .
“Help from the gods”
“I said we were going to need a helping hand from the racing gods in the last ten laps, and thank God there was the safety car”, summed up the boss of the Red Bull team, Christian Horner.
Until this famous ” safety car “, The world crown seemed promised to Lewis Hamilton, in the lead from the first lap and far ahead of Verstappen, who started in pole position at this point in the race. But a departure from the track by the Canadian Nicholas Latifi (Williams) changed the situation with six laps to go.
By the time his car was cleared, the GP was neutralized. Verstappen stopped to change tires, not Hamilton, several cars were inserted between them.
Two outcomes became possible: if the race resumed, the Dutchman would have the advantage on restart; if it ended behind the safety car, without the possibility of overtaking, it was good for the Englishman.
And finally, the race resumed, for just one lap – and with Verstappen just behind Hamilton, after the clerk of the course allowed the late drivers to return to their original positions.
And the fiery “Mad Max” did not miss his chance to be crowned: to the cheers of the public, he benefited from the aspiration and took the best of Hamilton.
96 hours to appeal
“I couldn’t have imagined a crazier last race, it was like being on a roller coaster, for a while I had no hope of winning and I won on the last lap,” said Verstappen, son of a former F1 driver and a mother who made a name for herself in karting.
Stunned, but a good player, Hamilton congratulated him: “Max has done a fantastic job this year”, let go of the Mercedes driver, before quickly disappearing into the paddock.
His team immediately lodged two complaints, rejected by the race marshals, but Mercedes immediately announced, as permitted by the regulations, its intention to appeal.
The German-British team which, poor consolation, won the constructors’ title for the eighth time in a row, have 96 hours to formalize their appeal or to give up.