Friday 17th December 2021
“Understand that it hurts a lot”
Verstappen has no pity on Hamilton
The world champion receives his trophy: Max Verstappen can be celebrated as a Formula 1 winner at the FIA gala as planned after Mercedes renounces the protest. He does not feel sorry for his inferior rival Lewis Hamilton because of this. But understanding.
The new world champion Max Verstappen can relate to the pain of the defeated Lewis Hamilton after the controversial season finale of Formula 1 – at least a little. “I’m not sorry for him, but I understand that it hurts a lot,” said Verstappen at the closing gala in Paris.
“That’s just racing, anything can happen right up to the last lap,” added the Red Bull driver: “Lewis has also won titles in this way, so he can certainly understand me.”
Hamilton had confidently led the last race of the season last Sunday in Abu Dhabi and would have become world champion with one win. It was only a late safety car phase that brought Verstappen back, during which the rules were laid out by race director Michael Masi in an unusual way that enabled Verstappen to win.
Mercedes initially failed with a protest against these events, on Thursday the team finally announced that it would no longer appeal for the benefit of the sport. He was “pleased” about this news, said Verstappen, “but I also expected it.”
“There is no reason to give up”
His Red Bull team boss Christian Horner showed no understanding for the excitement at Mercedes at the gala of the World Motorsport Federation FIA. “Safety cars are normal in Formula 1, and the point is always to get them off the track as quickly as possible. That is expressly the responsibility of the race management,” said Horner. The sudden end of the safety car phase before the last lap had been one of the points of contention.
Hamilton and also Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff waived the actually mandatory participation in the FIA gala in Paris. Hamilton has not commented on the matter so far, and his social media activities have also been suspended since the race weekend. He also did not illustrate the fact that he was knighted by Prince Charles in the meantime.
Verstappen does not believe that Hamilton could even think about an early career end. “He should just look at what he has already achieved,” said the Dutchman: “He can still win the eighth world title next year. There is no reason to give up.”