The highlight so far: Max Verstappen becomes world champion in Abu Dhabi, and his father is by his side again.
Image: Getty
Father Jos Verstappen was nothing more than a promise in Formula 1, Max is the first world champion in the family – also because he learns early on what toughness means. That makes him even more dangerous.
S.seven years – that’s how long Max Verstappen had to wait for his first world championship title. That’s a lot of time for a man with such extraordinary talent. Lewis Hamilton was world champion in his second season, Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in their fourth, Alain Prost in their sixth. Someone who has been racing at the same level as the best since 2016 can have doubts: What if it hadn’t worked out again this year? What if Red Bull has put so much development capacity into this year’s car that you will have to pay for it when you restart in 2022? What if the other crown princes like Lando Norris, George Russell or Carlos Sainz suddenly fight for the top next year because the field has become much more even?
How much pressure there was on Verstappen could be heard and seen after he overtook Hamilton on the last lap of the last Grand Prix of the year and secured the title. It was also a gift of fate – but no one will ask about it in a few years. The story of the eternal second, the unrewarded talent and the sloppy genius is finally over. He has finally redeemed a nation.
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