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In 2022, Max Verstappen won his second Formula 1 title with four races to go until the end of the season in Japan. With a clear lead over his first rival, Charles Leclerc, the title race was also less intense than the year before, when Verstappen and Hamilton were separated by just eight points. At the most recent grand prix a year later, Verstappen admitted to the last-lap controversy that he had feelings for Hamilton last year.
The decision wasn’t made until the season finale in Abu Dhabi, and the final laps are still controversial today and a year later. Talk about stolen titles and manipulation over and over again.
Hamilton himself repeated his criticism at this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and spoke of a rigged title, which Red Bull naturally countered “So I don’t understand at all,” Helmut Marko told Sky.
“It’s been decided, and so has the race director. It just won’t make any difference that the two cars haven’t been brought back to the front. After all, they (Mercedes) could have changed the tyres. But we’re looking ahead. The championship is decided. . And for us, we can’t bring that up again.”
However, it cannot be completely ignored – especially in the venue. On the sidelines of the weekend in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen admitted: “Coming back here also brings back a lot of memories. It was stressful. Compared to this year, of course, it’s very different.”
Asked whether he had rewatched the infamous match several times since then, the double world champion revealed, “I watched it when I got home, but not for long. I definitely got goosebumps the first few times.”
Verstappen still remembers the last lap. “Nerves were going crazy. It was the most important lap of my life – would it be a championship? The worst part was I had a calf cramp in the middle of the straight. So of course the throttle control was a bit… difficult.”
He finally attacked Hamilton in round 5. “I said to myself, ‘You’ve got to try’. I don’t think anyone, not my dad, nor Christian (Horner, the team owner) expected me to do that there. There are two long straight roads,” He reviewed the last few meters.
“The biggest emotional outburst of my life”
“With my feet, it’s horrible. You play for the World Cup and then something like that happens. It’s really painful.” Still, it was enough for the title and the victory cheer afterwards:
“It was the biggest emotional outburst of my life.”
“I think you could hear it on the radio. Everyone was crying. That was the biggest moment of my career at the time,” Verstappen looked back. But he knows that one man’s happiness is another man’s sorrow. That’s why he understands Hamilton’s frustration.
“Everything looked great for him and then something like this happened. It was tough. The only thing I said to myself at the time was, ‘That’s seven titles and one won,’ when When he looked like he was going to lose, then turned it around on the last lap. So I hope he understands.”
“But yes, I sympathize with him,” Verstappen stressed keeping the 2021 title fight mostly in positive memory: “Of course, there were times when we clashed. But I always respected him and I thought we had a good duel.”
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