F1: Max Verstappen snatches championship from Lewis Hamilton after last-lap drama in Abu Dhabi
- Hamilton and Verstappen began the day equal on points at the top of the Drivers’ Championship
- Dutch driver had all but lost before crash brought out safety car and changed race
Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Formula One world championship for Red Bull on Sunday after passing the Mercedes of title rival Lewis Hamilton on the last lap.
Hamilton had been cruising to his eighth world title, but a crash involving Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi with just four of the 58 laps to go brought out the safety car and changed the race.
Verstappen took the opportunity to change to softer tires and when the wreckage of Latifi’s car had been removed from the track, officials ruled that that there would be a single lap to decide the race.
The two began it neck and neck. But the fresh tyres paid off for the 24-year-old Verstappen who surged through to win the race and the title to roars from the stands Yas Marina stands.
“It’s insane,” Verstappen said after the race. “The guys at my team, at Honda, I love them so much. Finally, a bit of luck for me.”
“Congratulations to Max and to his team, I think he did an amazing job this year,” Hamilton said.
In a season of controversies, the title decider had an early twist in it when Hamilton and Verstappen almost collided on the opening lap, with the Mercedes driver pushed wide and cutting a corner to keep the lead.