"I think he's got inner peace" - David Coulthard suggests F1 title loss to Max Verstappen will "not dilute" Lewis Hamilton's achievements

David Coulthard feels as if Lewis Hamilton will not be negatively affected by Max Verstappen's epic title win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. The former F1 driver commented on the dramatic finish to the 2021 F1, giving his thoughts on Hamilton's champion mindset.

Max Verstappen narrowly clinched his first world title after a late safety car saw him directly behind Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen overtook the Briton with less than ten turns to go as he was on a fresher set of softer compound tires compared to Hamilton. In doing so, the young driver successfully denied the seven-time world champion a record-breaking eighth win.

David Coulthard spoke to BBC Radio 5 live, sharing his thoughts on Hamilton's mindset and character instead of the disappointing finish. He said:

"I think he's got inner peace. He'll clearly be disappointed, to say the least, but you've got to try and imagine putting yourself in his shoes; he is a great racing driver, he's won multiple championships and he's overcome adversity in his racing career."

Coulthard praised Hamilton's champion spirit, certain that the Briton would return next year and try to do it all over again. He said:

"Hamilton's commitment is unquestionable. He showed why he was a seven-time world champion. He's a phenomenon and he's an incredible sportsperson. He's already committed to another two years. He's a team person, he's committed to that team and he'll be there next year trying to win his eighth world title."

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Lewis Hamilton still equals Michael Schumacher's record

Despite leading the final race in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton was overtaken by Max Verstappen on the final lap of the race due to a late safety car, and missed out on breaking the legendary Michael Schumacher's record. The two drivers are still tied on equal championship wins with seven titles to their names.

On the flip side of the story, Max Verstappen is the first Dutch driver to win an F1 world champion, also making him the most successful Dutch driver in the history of the sport.

Mercedes, however, felt as if the circumstances under which Verstappen won the race were unfair. They launched two protests at the end of the race, both of which got rejected by F1 officials, confirming Verstappen's status as the 2021 F1 world champion. The team is set to appeal against one of the decisions made by race officials.