Max Verstappen wins F1 world championship amid high drama at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton could do nothing about the late move from his rival and, just like when he himself won his maiden world title on the very last lap of the very last race, so too did Verstappen.

The result was not confirmed without a fight as Mercedes appealed against the way the final stages of the race were conducted, and it was more than four hours after Verstappen crossed the finish line first in Abu Dhabi that the Dutchman’s maiden world title was finally confirmed. The pair began the day tied on points and the drama came to a peak with only a few laps to go when the safety car, brought out to allow the marshals to clear the stricken Williams of Nicholas Latifi, allowed Verstappen to wipe out Hamilton’s lead and switch to quicker, fresher tyres.

With only two laps remaining the FIA race director, Michael Masi, decided that lapped cars would not clear the way, meaning that Verstappen would have to pass four backmarkers before he could get at Hamilton, hurting his chances of overtaking the defending world champion in a one-lap race.

But after protests from Red Bull to Masi, the cars between the championship rivals were told to move out of the way, giving Verstappen a clear run with faster tyres at Hamilton, whom he duly passed to win the race, and his first world title. Mercedes were furious at the inconsistency and complained after the race, but ultimately their appeal was thrown out.

“It’s unbelievable. Throughout the whole race I kept fighting and to have an opportunity on the last lap, it’s incredible. I’m having cramp. It’s insane,” Verstappen said.

“I don’t know what to say. My team and Honda, they deserve it. I love them so much and I really really enjoy working with them. This year has been incredible. Finally a bit of luck for me.”

He added: “My team know I love them and I hope we can do this for 10-15 years together. There’s no reason to change ever, I want to stay with them for the rest of my life. I hope they let me.

“Christian [Horner, Red Bull’s team principal] and Helmut [Marko, Red Bull’s head of driver development] trusted me to be in the team in 2016, our goal was to be world champion, and now we’ve done that.”

Hamilton went to Verstappen as they emerged from their cars to congratulate his rival, while their fathers also embraced.

Hamilton, understandably, was distraught. “Firstly, congratulations to Max and to his team,” he said. “I think we did an amazing job this year. My team, everyone back at the factory, have worked so hard this whole year, it’s been the most difficult of seasons. I’m so proud of them and I’m so grateful to be a part of the journey with them,” he said.

“This last part of the season we gave it absolutely everything and never gave up.”

Verstappen’s maiden Formula One world title concludes one of the most thrilling seasons ever. He could barely contain his emotions after taking the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi after his long and gruelling battle with Hamilton and now joins only 33 other men who can call themselves an F1 world champion.

The Orange Army, who have loyally followed their man when travel rules allowed, arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit in their thousands to support the most famous sports star in the Netherlands and basked in his glory as the fireworks exploded over the harbour.

One of those 33 men is Hamilton, who had been hunting a record eighth title, never before achieved in F1 and a feat that will have to wait until next year, if he can find a way past this most excellent 24-year-old Dutchman.

The battle between these two has been one for the ages. Scintillating, thrilling, controversial and explosive as they went wheel to wheel over the course of 22 races in 19 countries across the globe, but with nothing to separate them as the final lights went out.

It has not only been confined to the track, with angry words directed at each other after each of their crashes this season. After Silverstone, Verstappen accused Hamilton of “unsportsmanlike behaviour”; after Monza, Mercedes accused Red Bull of a “tactical foul” when Verstappen crashed into Hamilton and landed on his car. Then, after Saudi last weekend, Hamilton called his rival “f--king crazy” after their latest incident.

So it was that they arrived at the finale level on 369.5 points in a winner-takes-all “Decider in the Desert” — the first time the two title protagonists had arrived at the final race on equal points in nearly half a century. Hamilton had won the previous three races before arriving here and appeared to have all the momentum as he wiped out his rival’s title lead.

There was much talk in the run-up to this week as to how this championship would be won. Verstappen knew that if neither man finished, then he would be champion by virtue of countback, with nine wins to Hamilton’s eight, and questions were asked as to whether Verstappen would re-enact the controversy caused by Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, who both deliberately crashed at the final race to make themselves world champion.

We came close to a crash, but it was not to be after a superb start by Hamilton, who jumped Verstappen in pole off the line to be leading into turn one.

It’s a shame that this Abu Dhabi track, which lacks soul and racing, hosts the season finale, but it has been the case this season that Hamilton and Verstappen can make any track interesting.

To cap off this most wondrous of years, there was controversy on the first lap.

Verstappen on pole with the faster tyre had been expected to drive off into the distance, with Mercedes needing strategy to get their man in front, as this track is almost impossible to pass on, but Hamilton was not leaving his fate in the hands of anyone other than himself.

A few years ago the 36-year-old had problems with his starts but he has practised and practised and we have seen the outcome of that with his quick reactions this year, and again this evening.

As the lights went out for the final time this year, Hamilton dropped the clutch a fraction quicker than his rival and it was enough to be leading into turn one. Verstappen was not done and was fighting back when he saw his opportunity on the inside. Hamilton had left the door slightly open and Verstappen stuck his nose in, but it left the Mercedes with nowhere to go and Hamilton went wide off track and rejoined still in the lead.

The stewards immediately noted it but shortly after decided no investigation was necessary. Red Bull were straight on to the FIA race director, Masi, to express their displeasure, which was politely rebuffed. A few laps later they were back on again, and again the Australian referee told them the decision was made.

With Verstappen on the faster but less durable tyre, Red Bull blinked first and brought their driver in for fresh boots. Mercedes responded a lap later with Hamilton in the box.

The other Red Bull, of Sergio Pérez, was now leading and yet to stop, and the instruction to the Mexican was clear: he was to hold Hamilton up. As the Mercedes filled his wing mirrors, Pérez fought him off. They went wheel to wheel, exchanging places at the front for more than a lap in heart-stopping moments.

Hamilton eventually got past but it had cost him five seconds, and, moments after he had passed Pérez, the Mexican let his teammate through, with Verstappen now within two seconds of his championship rival.

Hamilton extended his lead but a late virtual safety led Red Bull to roll the dice and pit. They knew Mercedes could not pit Hamilton and risk track position, and so Verstappen on fresher tyres had 20 laps to close the 17-second gap.

Hamilton became increasingly worried on the radio, questioning if it was right to stay out and concerned he could not keep up his pace on older tyres.

Verstappen hunted him down, though with ten laps to go his task looked almost impossible. He would need a slice of luck, and he got it with the introduction of the safety car.

Red Bull brought their driver in for fresh tyres, anticipating one last chance to race, and the gamble paid off: with a lap to go, the safety car departed, leaving Hamilton and Verstappen in a straight shootout for the title.

This season has been defined by the young pretender taking the fight to the elder statesman. Mercedes had dominated this sport for seven years, winning both the drivers’ and constructors’ title, but that has now ended.

What we have witnessed this season is a changing of the guard. Hamilton is still brilliant and defeat will not tarnish his legacy. The 36-year-old remains the most successful Formula One driver in history and his skills and talent remain as abundant as when he made his debut at 22. Only a fool would write him off next season, but for now he must watch as Verstappen takes his crown.

The youngest driver in F1 history, making his debut at 17 and becoming the youngest grand prix winner at 18, was always destined for this glory.

Since the moment he stepped into the paddock, it was clear he was a champion-in-waiting. F1 runs in the blood, with his father, Jos, enjoying a career in the sport for eight years but with far less success than his son, with only two podiums to his name and perhaps his most famous moment being when he escaped a burning Benetton in 1994.

The 49-year-old turned his sights on his son and trod the line between love and pushy parent very thinly. He put Verstappen in karts from the age of four and would deliberately set it up so the kart had an issue and his son would have to battle through.

The most famous story is the time Verstappen crashed a kart during a race and was made to clear up all the pieces himself. On the silent journey home, Jos finally decided how to punish his son and dropped him off at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere. The story told now is that Jos knew Verstappen’s mother was driving a few kilometres behind, though whether she knew her son was there is another matter. Eventually Jos turned back to collect his son, they drove 1,000km in silence, and they did not speak for a week after.

Jos was tough on his son and much of the aggressive driving style we see of Verstappen is influenced by his father, but there is no doubt that Verstappen has raw talent and speed, which he has honed to now be world champion, and deservedly so.

Verstappen and Hamilton’s battle this season has been one of the greatest and their rivalry will now be uttered in the same breath as Senna/Prost, Hunt/Lauda and Schumacher/Hill.

The prospect of these two racing each other for another two years, at least, is good for the soul, but for now we must savour this most brilliant of seasons and its victor, Verstappen.

He adds his name to an elite list of drivers to be able to call themselves world champion and there is little doubt he will also join the even more elite club of multiple champions.

– The Sunday Times