Despite the protest from Mercedes, Max Verstappen never really worried about his world title. “We had a really good time because we knew we’d won it on the track. Nobody can take that away from us.”
The Red Bull driver did not deal with the legal steps of the Silver Arrows and instead celebrated. The Dutchman announced this on Thursday at the gala of the world association Fia in Paris.
“I had a drink on Sunday,” said Verstappen, and after a pause followed up with a grin: “One too many.” He woke up with a “nasty headache” on the afternoon of the Monday after the party in Abu Dhabi and “really needs a break now” after the exhausting season.
Don’t feel sorry for Hamilton
Meanwhile, he does not feel sorry for the dethroned Lewis Hamilton. “But I understand that it is very painful for him. But that’s racing, anything can happen,” said the new champion, who does not believe that Hamilton will resign: “I see no reason why he should give up or quit . “
Since Thursday, Verstappen has been certain as world champion because Mercedes refrained from calling a protest at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday . The protests on the evening of the race focused on Verstappen’s behavior in the crucial safety car phase and instructions from race director Michael Masi.
Verstappen had benefited from the measures so much that he had the chance to overtake Hamilton on the last lap and also used it to win his first world title.
Vice world champion Hamilton and Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff had decided not to take part in the gala in France. Technical Director James Allison accepted the trophy for the design engineer title for the Silver Arrows.
