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Max Verstappen has finally said what he feels about the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and all the events that transpired around it. The 24-year-old had all but lost the title to Lewis Hamilton with less than 10 laps to go at the Yas Marina Circuit before fortune swung hugely in his favor.
During an interview with Sky F1 at the Red Bull factory, Max Verstappen was asked if it would have been fairer to red flag the race and allow cars to come into the pits before restarting it. This is what the Red Bull driver had to say:
“Yeah. But that’s not how racing works. You have to make the right call at the right time and we went for it. We took the tires. You know, in hindsight, you could have said if they took the tires and I stayed out, then the scenario would be the other way around. Right?”
Hamilton had virtually led the race from start to finish and was on the cusp of eclipsing Michael Schumacher with an eighth world championship. A late crash by Nicholas Latifi on Lap 54, however, saw the Safety Car come out and allowed the Dutchman to pit for soft tires. Hamilton was advised to stay out and hold onto track position with older tires.
That move turned out to be vital when Michael Masi abruptly decided to let five cars between the Briton and the Dutchman to unlap on Lap 57. Masi's decision to abruptly call the Safety Car in to effectively set up a one-lap dash to the finish line played into Max Verstappen's hands at the expense of Lewis Hamilton.
A red flag would have allowed both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to be on fresh tires and a more equal footing for the restart of the final lap.
Red Bull's gamble paid off for Verstappen as he blazed past Hamilton on the final lap before becoming the first Dutch world champion in F1 history.
Max Verstappen 'not overwhelmed by individuals or reputations', claims Mark Webber
Former F1 driver Mark Webber has said that Max Verstappen does not get overwhelmed by individuals or their reputations while racing. The Australian believes this quality was crucial in the Dutchman's quest to beat Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 drivers' world championship battle.
Speaking in an interview with Channel 4, Webber had this to say about Red Bull's Max Verstappen and his attitude on the track:
“He’s not overwhelmed by individuals, he doesn’t play people on their reputations, he doesn’t drive on their reputations. He just sees it as, ‘This is my turf, I’m a racing driver and I’m going to make my presence felt,’ which he does extraordinarily well.”
Webber started his F1 career with Minardi in 2002 before featuring for Jaguar and Williams. He then joined Red Bull for seven seasons, winning four constructors' world championships between 2010 and 2014 in the process.
