The brand new Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has had a few rough days. After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix it was a party, but the media obligations and test days continued immediately. At the end of the season, the FIA gala, the Dutchman is presented with the World Cup. He also looks in front of the microphone of, among others RacingNews365 back to the week after the season finale.
Asked how it feels to hear that he is Formula 1 world champion, a smile appears on Verstappen’s face. “Of course it feels very good, but it’s more the whole journey here, to the championship. And then when you achieve the goal, you think of all the hours and years that have worked towards this. That was more emotional than ‘world champion’ But of course it was great.”
After the last race of the season, it was obviously a big party at Red Bull. “I woke up somewhere around one or two in the afternoon on Monday,” Verstappen continues. “Then I thought for a moment that I had a day off, but I wasn’t.” Asked about what the Limburger felt when he woke up on Monday, a broad grin appears on his face again. “Little headache.”
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No distraction from Mercedes and Hamilton
Verstappen clearly did not have much time to recover, because a visit to the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes was also planned. “It was really nice to see all those happy faces in the factory,” said the reigning world champion. “After that the speech, it was all great. I tried to enjoy the moment a lot, because how many times can you have this? I don’t know, but I hope very often!”
Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton would also be present at the FIA gala, but after dissatisfaction with the outcome of the Abu Dhabi GP, both Mercedes men did not show up. Wolff even said that Hamilton’s future in Formula 1 has become more uncertain. Verstappen was asked about the reaction to a possible retirement from Hamilton.
“I can understand that you are not happy after such a race for the first few days. But you also have to understand that this is racing. Eventually things like this happen,” says the Dutchman, referring to the safety car incident that caused him to cancel. championship against Hamilton. “I think he should look back at what he has already achieved.”
“That should make him much more comfortable and give him the drive to continue because he was a serious contender for the title in the end. He can do that again next year, so I see no reason why he should stop now.”
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