The new champion and hero of the Netherlands Verstappen to the Mercedes protests: It sums up the whole season! – Športky.sk

ABU KILLS – Just as Abu Verstappen learned that a rival Mercedes had protested him in the end of the final Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, he was not surprised.

But a few hours after a dramatic win in the last round over Lewis Hamilton, he could celebrate for the second time. The commissioners rejected both complaints against the Verstappen ride and the race directorate’s verdict. The Dutch rider fulfilled his life dream with a triumph and wished that he would achieve other titles with the Red Bull team in the future.

Mercedes’ protests did not surprise him

“I don’t know what to say about these protests. To be honest, it kind of sums up the whole season,” cited the BBC’s Verstappen response. The 24-year-old Red Bull driver lost more than ten seconds to leader Hamilton five laps before the end, and team boss Christian Horner admitted that his stable needed a miracle. He came after the crash of Nicolas Latifi, when he was called to the safety car track and Red Bull used him to replace a fresh set of special tires. Verstappen then, thanks to the decision of the race directorate, ranked directly behind its rival and in the restarted last lap he defeated him thanks to his worse tires.

“The track was already clean at the time, so why should we go to the safety car? I think it was the right solution from the directorate. Of course I benefited from it, but even if I didn’t get anything from it, this is it. clearly,” said Verstappen.

After reaching the finish line, he celebrated the first title with tears in his eyes. “It’s unbelievable. Even when I was little, my goal was to become a world champion and win. When they played the anthem, I wanted it to sound for me. When I stand here and say about myself that I’m a world champion, it’s it’s something incredible and strange, “ said a native of Hasselt, Belgium, racing under the Dutch flag.

A historic day for Dutch sports

In addition to congratulations from motoring legends, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, also congratulated him. He called Verstappen’s victory a historic day for Dutch sport. For the Red Bull team, it was the first riding title since 2013 and the triumph of Sebastian Vettel. On the contrary, Mercedes has since ruled, in which Hamilton won six of his seven titles.

“Max always fights and never gives up. That’s his DNA. He told me he was completely out of his mind and went to the maximum. In the end he got one chance in one round and he took it for himself.” said the competitors’ father Jos Verstappen, a former teammate of Michael Schumacher and a participant in 107 F1 races.

Verstappen has won ten races this season and has been on the podium eighteen times. “I travel with my father everywhere and our goal was to win the championship once. A lot of memories come to my mind and now everything has been decided in the last round,” added Verstappen.

He also praised the Red Bull team and teammate Sergio Pérez, whom he likened to the legend for his help in the race. “Everyone on the team knows I love them and I hope to be together for another fifteen or fifteen years. I don’t want to nothing to change. If they want to, they want to be with them for the rest of their lives. ” added Verstappen.

• The author: © List
• Source: CTK