For Max Verstappen, this first world champion title is a “miracle”

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“It may have been F1’s best season ever. This sentence was not balanced by an anonymous tweeters after the disheveled GP of Abu Dhabi and the title of Max Verstappen, this Sunday, but by
Alain Prost on Canal +. The “Professor” still touches his ball from the top of his four world coronations. And he was like almost everyone blown away by this 2021 championship and its epilogue, that even the writers of the Casa de Papel, yet not afraid of much, would not have dared to imagine.

“Sometimes miracles happen” said Verstappen on the evening of his first and certainly not the last title. The 24-year-old Dutchman, raised to win rather than laughing at the crowd, cracked the armor under the wet eyes of his father and mentor Jos, usually not the most sensitive guy in the paddock.

For the Red Bull driver, the “miracle” came at the twilight of a Grand Prix that Lewis Hamilton, with whom he was level on points at the start, had until then crushed with his talent and his mastery. After overtaking the poleman Verstappen from the start, then emerging as the winner of a contentious first phase of the race, the Briton from Mercedes displayed the profile of an eight-time world champion for 99% of the race. However, the soon-to-be 37-year-old veteran will still have to cohabit at least one more season with Michael Schumacher (seven titles each) at the top of Olympus.

Hamilton congratulations, Mercedes complaints

“Congratulations to Max and his team,” he said immediately after the finish. He has done a fantastic job this year. The Englishman also, of course, greeted his team, which had at least as much difficulty as its star to digest the epilogue of the day and the season. Mercedes made two claims – ultimately rejected – to challenge the stewards’ decision after the turn of the season, which will also allow Nicholas Latifi to have his name in the motorsport history books.

After the accident of the Canadian pilot of Williams, the “safety car” entered the scene. At first, race director Michael Masi did not allow late drivers (including Verstappen who had changed tires) to return to their original positions. The Red Bull driver then found himself with five cars between him and leader Hamilton. And then, “miracle” … Masi changed his mind, the Dutchman was able to slip behind the Briton and his used tires, before overtaking him on the line.

“It took a bit of luck, we had some with the safety car, recognized Christian Horner, boss of Red Bull. Max deserves this championship. He never gave up. “Of course I was nervous,” Verstappen admitted. You had to keep believing it even if it didn’t look right. Lewis is an incredible opponent, he made our life difficult. I am sure that next year we will do it again. Thank you for thinking of our little hearts, anyway.


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