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On the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen overtook title rival Lewis Hamilton to snatch the lead. As the young Dutchman neared turn 16 on the final lap of the race, the Red Bull garage erupted with joy.
Watch the reaction of the Red Bull garage here:
Heading into the final few corners on the penultimate lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was nearly side-by-side with title rival Lewis Hamilton.
The controversial safety car restart finally delivered the opportunity Verstappen was waiting for throughout the race. He briefly let off the throttle to allow Hamilton to pass him at the start of the final lap shootout.
Following Hamilton closely through the first sector, Verstappen lunged at the first opportunity and overtook Hamilton on the turn 5 hairpin. Through the next two straights, he kept Hamilton at bay, making use of electrical energy and his fresh soft tires.
Despite dominating the sport during the first half of the last decade, Red Bull had failed to mount a serious challenge to Mercedes’ dominance in the turbo-hybrid era.
In 2021 however, favorable technical regulations, combined with Honda acting as a solid engine partner, allowed them to mount a serious challenge to Mercedes with Max Verstappen at the helm from the get-go.
Max Verstappen pays tribute to teammate Sergio Perez
Newly crowned F1 world champion Max Verstappen has paid tribute to Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, calling him a “top guy”. In an interview with GrandPx.news, Verstappen said:
“I never thought he would be this awesome. Previously I only knew him as a driver, but now that I have spent a little more time with him, I have noticed that he is really a top guy.”
Sergio Perez played a crucial role in Verstappen’s title bid this season. In the final few races of the season, Perez often compromised his own races to give Verstappen an advantage over Lewis Hamilton.
His defensive moves against Lewis Hamilton in Turkey and Abu Dhabi were especially memorable, earning him praise from fans as well as Verstappen himself.
