Max Verstappen snatched the lead from title rival Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win the race and the Drivers' Championship.
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Max Verstappen is unconcerned about what the FIA’s report into the events of last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix might reveal. Verstappen snatched the lead from title rival Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win the race and the Drivers’ Championship. This came after Race Director Michael Masi’s contentious decision to remove the Safety Car with one lap remaining.
The manner in which the race was conducted sparked widespread outrage, prompting the FIA to promise a comprehensive review of its own governance as well as a report on the decisions made during the Grand Prix, the results of which will be made public on March 18. The new World Champion, on the other hand, is unconcerned about the report because the championship result cannot be changed.
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“Yeah, but they can’t do anything,” Verstappen said according to The Guardian. Regardless of what the report reveals, the Dutch driver stated that he believes his championship win was fully deserved and is not overshadowed by the controversy.
“Not at all,” he commented. “I had a very good season and I think I really deserved it. I have been really unlucky as well. People always remember the last race but, if you look at the whole season, the championship should have been decided way earlier.”
Hamilton went into winter hibernation as a result of the Abu Dhabi events, as the seven-time champion vanished from public view. With the exception of a brief pre-podium word for the TV cameras, Hamilton did not give any interviews following his title loss, and he did not post to his social media accounts for nearly two months.
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Hamilton made his comeback earlier this week, appearing fit and ready to compete in the 2022 championship. When asked how he would have felt if the roles had been reversed in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen didn’t seem to have much sympathy for his 2021 title rival.
“For me, it’s difficult to picture myself in that situation, because I’m not a seven-time World Champion,” he said. “If I was already a seven-time World Champion, it hurts a bit less than when I am fighting for my first, leading all the way, controlling it all the way, and then losing it on the last lap – that would be way more painful than already having seven in the bag. Just look back on the seven you have. I don’t think it’s so bad, is it?”
