close global

Welcome to GPFans

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY

  • NL
  • GB
  • IT
  • ES-MX
  • US
  • GB

Are you a F1 Fan? Follow GP Fans

Edition

NL GB IT ES-MX US
Verstappen, Jos, Abu Dhabi

Why Verstappen wasted no time with championship-winning Hamilton pass

Verstappen, Jos, Abu Dhabi — Photo: © LAT Images
7 reacties

Why Verstappen wasted no time with championship-winning Hamilton pass

Verstappen passed Hamilton at turn five on the final lap to become F1 world champion

Max Verstappen has explained he would not have been "fully in control" had he not lunged quickly on Lewis Hamilton in the last-lap shootout in Abu Dhabi.

A late safety car and the controversial ending of the period put Verstappen on Hamilton's gearbox with one lap remaining of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

On soft tyres, Verstappen held the upper hand over his rival and struck under braking at turn five in what transpired to be the championship-winning move.

Talking in a CarNext video, Verstappen's father, Jos, revealed he had thought: "Why there? Why there?

"Because then you have two straights after that. So I was thinking he was lining him up to pass at the end of the straight but then it happened there. I think a lot of people were surprised.”

Answering his father, Verstappen explained: “But I knew I had better top speed, so as soon as I was ahead I knew that I could control the defence because when you are behind, he can always close the door and you’re not fully in control.

“So I needed to send it there and then I was in control.”

Verstappen was crowned champion at the FIA prize-giving gala in Paris on Thursday, an event Hamilton failed to attend with the FIA to consider punishing the seven-time title-winner for a breach of sporting regulation article 6.6.

Reflecting again on the championship-deciding pass, Jos added: “I think also he didn’t expect that and that is why I think Max did it at that spot.”

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Red Bull F1 car speeds through a Tesco car park: 'Nearly got run over'

Red Bull F1 car speeds through a Tesco car park: 'Nearly got run over'

  • Yesterday 22:58
F1 champion's radical weight loss hack put him on Suzuka pole: 'Helped give me the edge'

F1 champion's radical weight loss hack put him on Suzuka pole: 'Helped give me the edge'

  • Yesterday 21:57
F1 icon refused to work with Michael Schumacher

F1 icon refused to work with Michael Schumacher

  • Yesterday 21:14
Red Bull poach Ferrari star after Gianpiero Lambiase exit

Red Bull poach Ferrari star after Gianpiero Lambiase exit

  • Yesterday 20:29
Mercedes F1 stars George Russell and Kimi Antonelli sent stern warning by boss Toto Wolff

Mercedes F1 stars George Russell and Kimi Antonelli sent stern warning by boss Toto Wolff

  • Yesterday 19:45
Max Verstappen tests for revamped Red Bull at Silverstone

Max Verstappen tests for revamped Red Bull at Silverstone

  • Yesterday 18:58

Just in

22-4
Red Bull F1 car speeds through a Tesco car park: 'Nearly got run over'
22-4
F1 champion's radical weight loss hack put him on Suzuka pole: 'Helped give me the edge'
22-4
F1 icon refused to work with Michael Schumacher
22-4
Red Bull poach Ferrari star after Gianpiero Lambiase exit
22-4
Mercedes F1 stars George Russell and Kimi Antonelli sent stern warning by boss Toto Wolff
F1 news

Recommended by the editors

F1 icon refused to work with Michael Schumacher F1 Stories

F1 icon refused to work with Michael Schumacher

Yesterday 21:14
Red Bull poach Ferrari star after Gianpiero Lambiase exit Red Bull

Red Bull poach Ferrari star after Gianpiero Lambiase exit

Yesterday 20:29
Mercedes F1 stars George Russell and Kimi Antonelli sent stern warning by boss Toto Wolff Mercedes

Mercedes F1 stars George Russell and Kimi Antonelli sent stern warning by boss Toto Wolff

Yesterday 19:45
Max Verstappen tests for revamped Red Bull at Silverstone Latest F1 News

Max Verstappen tests for revamped Red Bull at Silverstone

Yesterday 18:58
Ontdek het op Google Play
x