Max Verstappen has become the fourth Formula 1 driver to be named World Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus Awards – Award also for Valentino Rossi
Great honour for Max Verstappen: At the presentation of the prestigious Laureus Awards, the reigning Formula 1 World Champion was named World Sportsman of the Year. Verstappen beat American football player Tom Brady, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and tennis ace Novak Djokovic, among others, in the vote.
“A big thank you to everyone from the Laureus Academy who voted for me,” Verstappen said in his acceptance speech. “It was a very special year, a very hectic year, because the pressure was always there,” Verstappen said, looking back on the title fight against Lewis Hamilton.
“I couldn’t have done it without the team behind me, the people in the factory. It was an incredible achievement to win the championship,” Verstappen said. “I also want to give a special mention to my father. Without him I wouldn’t be standing here today and I cherish every moment we have together in this success story and hopefully we will have many more. “
Verstappen is the fourth Formula 1 driver to be honoured as World Sportsman of the Year at the awards ceremony organised by the Laureus Foundation since 2000. The most recent recipient was Hamilton (along with footballer Lionel Messi) in 2020. In 2014, Sebastian Vettel was Laureus Sportsman of the Year, while Michael Schumacher won the award in 2004 and 2002.
MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi was also honoured at the award ceremony. The nine-time world champion, who ended his career in the World Motorcycle Championship after the 2021 season, received the award in the “Sporting Icon” category.
“I have already received two awards from the Laureus Academy and I have to thank everyone for that,” Rossi said. “This is great. I was lucky because I had many great successes in my career. The victories are important for sure, but I think the most important thing is that a lot of people know MotoGP and started following motorbike racing because of me.”
Mercedes’ Formula One team, which was nominated in the Team of the Year category, was beaten by Italy’s national football team, which won the 2021 European Championship title. MotoGP rider Marc Marquez also came away empty-handed in the “Comeback of the Year” category.
