'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Max Verstappen was full of praise for his Red Bull team and engine partner Honda after winning a dramatic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With this win, he became the F1 drivers' world champion for 2021.
Speaking immediately after the race, Max Verstappen wasted no time thanking his entire team, from Christian Horner to Dr. Helmut Marko. From his fellow driver Sergio Perez to the rest of the team members, Max Verstappen mentioned them all. He thanked them for all the love and support he got from them.
Max Verstappen even went on to say that he would like to be Red Bull for the rest of his life. He said:
"It's insane. I don't know what to say. I'm so pleased for the team and for all these guys. I love working with them so much. Finally today I had a bit of luck. My team knows I love them and I want to do this with them for the next 10 or 15 years!"
The sentiment stemmed from the fact that Red Bull gave Max Verstappen his start in Formula 1 in 2016. Max Verstappen became the youngest race winner in F1 with Red Bull.
He is currently Red Bull's first drivers' world champion since the mercurial German, Sebastian Vettel.
The title seemed to be slipping through Max Verstappen's fingers for the majority of the race. But the Dutchman got a ton of help from Sergio Perez, who held Lewis Hamilton up crucially.
With Christian Horner claiming Red Bull and Max Verstappen needing a miracle, drama unfolded in the final stages of the race. This was when a crash by Nicholas Latifi brought the Safety Car out.
Max Verstappen's decision to pit for quicker soft tires, coupled with the FIA's decision to allow one racing lap at the end of the race, paid off. The Dutchman proved to be too rapid against the Briton's older hard tires.
Max Verstappen shakes off nerves to beat Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen admitted to being nervous going into and during the race. But the Dutchman showed enough mental resolve to be able to snatch the title away from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the race.
After the race, he did tell Jenson Button that he was nervous but didn't allow it to get in the way of winning his first-ever world championship.
Max Verstappen had the most wins, most podiums and the most laps led in the race. Hence, it should come as no surprise that he didn't buckle under the pressure but instead rose to the occasion.
