The most spectacular season in history has delivered its verdict. After an incident in the sixth corner and an overtaking on the last lap, Max Verstappen won his first Formula 1 world championship on Sunday 12 December at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Dutchman, chasing the Briton throughout the race, took advantage of Nicholas Latifi’s accident and the intervention of the safety car to catch up with the Briton, whose tires were worn.
Tears of joy were in the euphoric Red Bull camp and the cold shower in the Mercedes booth. Even the craziest screenwriters could not have imagined such an end to the Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. After losing his first place from the start and having raced in second position, far behind Lewis Hamilton, 24-year-old Max Verstappen became the first Dutch Formula 1 world champion, under the eyes of his father Jos Verstappen , former pilot.
MAX VERSTAPPEN. WORLD CHAMPION !!!
A stunning season by an extraordinary talent#HistoryMade # F1 @ Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/FxT9W69xJe
– Formula 1 (@ F1) December 12, 2021
With the Red Bull driver more than ten seconds behind Lewis Hamilton with five laps to go, Nicholas Latifi’s accident at the back of the race prompted the safety car to intervene. The Dutchman was able to return to the pits to put on new tires while the Briton could not afford it in order not to lose his position. When the race started again, with one last lap to cover, Max Verstappen took advantage of his new tires to come back and overtake Hamilton, whose tires were worn, and cross the finish line in the lead. Mercedes decided to file a protest at the end of the race, because of the confusion caused by the safety car.
This victory is synonymous with deliverance for the Red Bull driver, who has long felt aggrieved by the race management. On the first lap, at turn 6, Verstappen tried to regain his first position on the inside, but forcing Lewis Hamilton off the track. To avoid contact, the Briton cut the turn and regained his advantage, even gaining a few seconds. However, the race management did not flinch or open an investigation, believing that Lewis Hamilton had been forced to leave the track and that he had returned the space gained before the end of the first lap. Something to offend the Red Bull team and its driver: “It’s amazing, but what are they doing?”exclaimed Max Verstappen on the radio.
Resilient, but determined not to let his chance pass under the eyes of thousands of Oranj supporters, the Dutchman took advantage of the good inspirations of his strategists and the help of his teammate Sergio Perez to stay in the race in contact with Lewis Hamilton, and seize the opportunity to overtake him.
“My goal as a kid was to become a Formula 1 driver, to win titles, and the world championship. It all comes back to me and all my team and my family have supported me, it is unbelievable. Lewis is an excellent driver, he made it very difficult for us. “, said the Dutchman after celebrating his victory and making an appointment, already, for a new battle next season. A small consolation prize for Mercedes, the German team won the constructors’ world championship for the eighth consecutive time.