Tag: Max Verstappen

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Max Verstappen stuns Hamilton in breathless finish to gripping F1 title race

Max Verstappen sensationally won his first Formula One world championship ahead of Lewis Hamilton as an epic title race concluded in predictably contentious circumstances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In only the second championship chase to see the top two enter the final race of the season all square on points, Verstappen had to match Hamilton but struggled to do so for much of Sunday’s remarkable race.

Red Bull were furious following an early flashpoint that had Hamilton ahead, yet Mercedes were outraged by the chequered flag as Verstappen, on fresh tyres, was allowed a single lap after a safety car to take the title.

Hamilton looked to have done everything right but paid for Mercedes’ call not to bring him into the pit lane in the closing stages.

A tough start had been forecast for Hamilton when he stuck with medium tyres while Verstappen – and others close behind – used softs. Instead, rapid reactions at lights out put the Mercedes in front.

But then the drama truly began, as Verstappen looked to go up the inside at Turn 7 and Hamilton was forced wide and off the track to avoid contact.

The defending champion clearly gained an advantage and pulled away from his rival, only for the stewards – in a decision Verstappen considered “incredible” – to deem Hamilton had given enough time back.

Verstappen and Hamilton both switched to hards in the pits, putting the frontrunner behind Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull car.

Perez doggedly held Hamilton up and brought Verstappen back into play before the Silver Arrow finally got through, able to again build a big lead until a virtual safety car provided another twist.

With Hamilton staying out, Verstappen headed in for a cheap pit stop, potentially setting up a nervy finish with a 17-second deficit on fresh tyres.

Verstappen struggled to find the requisite pace but was given another lifeline by a safety car with four laps remaining.

Again he pitted as Hamilton did not and a dramatic finish saw lapped cars allowed to pass the safety car, infuriating Mercedes and leaving Verstappen one lap to go at the race leader, who he decisively passed at the last.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT!!!!!

‘NO, MICHAEL, NO!’

This was a day to tune into the team radios, with a number of intriguing exchanges as momentum swung back and forth.

Verstappen hailed Perez as a “legend” for delaying Hamilton, while the Mercedes man considered his team’s decision not to box “a bit of a risk” long before another gamble spectacularly backfired.

But Toto Wolff’s pleas to race director Michael Masi were the obvious standout, as Hamilton was left exposed on the final lap. “We went car racing,” replied Masi.

MAX MAKES HIS MARK

Hamilton fell just short of history on this occasion, stuck on seven titles alongside Michael Schumacher, but there was a new landmark for champion Verstappen.

His 18th podium of the year was undoubtedly the sweetest and made the Dutchman the first man to reach that mark in a single F1 season.

RAIKKONEN RETIRES IN PITS

Away from the title race, Kimi Raikkonen’s record-extending 351st and final grand prix in Formula One did not end as planned, with the veteran experiencing braking issues and hitting the barriers at Turn 6 as his rear axle locked up.

Although Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo limped back to the pits, he could not continue and was given a standing ovation as he prematurely exited his car.

TOP 10

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +2.256s
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +5.173s
4. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) +5.692s
5. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) +6.531s
6. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) +7.463s
7. Lando Norris (McLaren) +59.200s
8. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +61.708s
9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +64.026s
10. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +66.057s

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 395.5
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 387.5
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 226
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 190
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 164.5

Constructors

1. Mercedes 613.5
2. Red Bull 585.5
3. Ferrari 323.5
4. McLaren 275
5. Alpine 15

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LEWIS HAMILTON SEALS AMAZING WIN IN SAUDI ARABIA TO GO LEVEL WITH MAX VERSTAPPEN

Formula One F1- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - December 5, 2021 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the race alongside second placed Red Bull's Max Verstappen Pool via REUTERS/Andrej Isakovic

Lewis Hamilton took an incredible victory in an action-packed inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to draw level with Max Verstappen in the world championship standings heading into next weekend’s final race of the year.

The Mercedes man is aiming for a record eighth drivers’ title and headed to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit eight points adrift of leader Verstappen but with the momentum of winning the previous two races.

Having stormed to pole position on Saturday, Hamilton came out on top in a wild race which was twice halted by red flags and saw him tangle with the Red Bull of Verstappen – who he labelled “f crazy” – as the pair wrestled on the track and bickered over the radio.

The upshot of this win, as well as the fastest lap, means Hamilton and Verstappen are locked on 369.5 points.

The remarkable coming-together on lap 37 will now be investigated and could rumble on into the days leading into next weekend’s title decider in Abu Dhabi.

Verstappen would come home in second place, claiming afterwards that: “This sport is more about penalties than racing.”

Unlike the earlier Formula Two race, the start here was surprisingly calm as Hamilton scampered away into the lead with Valtteri Bottas his rear-gunner after retaining second place.

The start of an enthralling race would begin as Mick Schumacher stuck his Haas into the barriers at turn 22.

A safety car was deployed as Hamilton and Bottas dived into the pits, the latter angering Verstappen as he slowed on track to avoid waiting behind his team-mate at the garage.

It would soon be Hamilton turning the airwaves blue as he fumed at the decision to red flag the race, essentially handing Verstappen a free pit stop.

“Have they said what the reason was? The tyre wall that looks fine…that was a huge gamble we took,” Hamilton said amid a flurry of beeps for foul language.

An 18-minute delay for the barrier to be fixed then led to a standing start with a second red flag thrown following a collision in the midfield.

There was still time for drama at the front of the field, Hamilton passing Verstappen who then cut turn one to keep the lead as Esteban Ocon also stormed past Hamilton to move into second.

During the break in racing as the latest accident was cleared away, the FIA and Red Bull were then left bartering over a penalty for Verstappen. It was agreed he would drop behind Hamilton for the second restart, with Ocon on pole for Alpine.

A fine dart down the inside at the second restart saw Verstappen take the lead but Hamilton soon made light work of Ocon and was on the tail of his title rival.

As Hamilton closed in a number of virtual safety cars for debris on the track halted his quest to take the lead.

But when the track was clear he was again squeezed out by Verstappen, who was told to give the place back by his Red Bull garage.

In doing so, Verstappen slowed down significantly and, as Hamilton turned to overtake, he ran into the back of the Red Bull: “This guy is f*g crazy, man,” came his radio call.

Despite wing damage, Hamilton would pass just as Verstappen was hit with a five-second time penalty for gaining an advantage in their earlier spat.

There could be more bad news for Verstappen, with the incident that saw the two title protagonists collide to be investigated by the stewards after the race.

From then on, Hamilton powered to the chequered flag and took the victory with the fastest lap, ensuring the pair head to the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next weekend with nothing to separate them.

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US GRAND PRIX: LEWIS HAMILTON SUFFERS TITLE BLOW AS MAX VERSTAPPEN HOLDS ON FOR VICTORY

Lewis Hamilton’s dreams of a record-breaking eighth world championship were dealt a significant blow after he lost further ground in the title race to a triumphant Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix.

Hamilton, on fresher rubber than Verstappen, hustled his rival all the way to the line in a thrilling climax – but the Dutch driver held firm to claim his eighth win of the campaign.

Hamilton’s points difference to Verstappen has increased from six to 12, with only five rounds and 130 points available in this year’s ferocious title fight.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez finished third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and the McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo.

Under scorching blue skies, Formula One’s biggest crowd of the season created one of the best pre-race atmospheres of the season at the Circuit of the Americas, 15 miles south of downtown Austin.

And the 140,000 sets of eyes were firmly fixed on the charge to the first corner with Verstappen lining up on pole, and Hamilton second.

When the lights flicked to green, it was Hamilton who reacted fastest. The Briton was three thousandths of a second quicker than Verstappen, and his lightning reactions forced the Red Bull man to take action.

Verstappen instantly moved to his left, in an attempt to put the squeeze on Hamilton, who held the inside line for the left hander.

Hamilton placed his Mercedes on the apex of the bend before moving ahead of Verstappen, and leaving his title rival with little-to-no room. The Dutchman ran across the kerbs and Hamilton raced off into the lead. It was the perfect start for the defending champion.

By the end of the first lap, Hamilton was a second clear, but that proved as good as it was going to get for the British driver.

“He is quicker than me right now,” a concerned Hamilton reported to his team in the very early stages.

Moments later, Verstappen was on the radio, too, but displaying a more victorious tone.

“He’s sliding a lot and I have a lot more pace,” said the Red Bull racer. “I just wanted to tell you.”

Then, on lap 10, Red Bull called Verstappen in. The championship leader bolted on a new set of rubber and emerged in fifth, which promptly became fourth as he fought his way past Ricciardo, crucially without losing any time.

Hamilton reported that his tyres felt okay, and Mercedes left their man out.

But Verstappen was flying, lighting up the time sheets with a series of fastest laps, with Hamilton now in no man’s land.

When Hamilton elected to stop Hamilton – three laps later than Verstappen – he was only 14 seconds up the road. And when he left the pit lane he was 6.5 seconds back.

Hamilton slowly niggled away at Verstappen’s lead, and by lap 26, he had halved the deficit to three seconds.

On lap 29, Verstappen stopped for a second occasion and Hamilton set the fastest lap of the race.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff came on the radio with a rallying call.

“Lewis you are racing for the win,” he said. “Leave me to it, bro, thanks,” came his superstar driver’s response.

With 19 laps left, Hamilton was 11.4 sec ahead of Verstappen when he stopped for a second time.

Hamilton, with eight-lap fresher rubber, returned to the track 8.5 sec adrift of his rival.

In half-a-dozen laps, Hamilton took four seconds out of Verstappen’s lead and with 10 laps remaining, he was just three adrift of his rival.

With seven to go the gap stood at two seconds and by the start of the final lap, Hamilton could smell the exhaust fumes from the back of Verstappen’s Honda engine.

But Verstappen displayed impressive composure under the most of intense circumstances to close out the win – crossing the line 1.333 sec ahead.

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Father went to hospital after Verstappen win

Max Verstappen may have been on top of the world, but his father Jos Verstappen had to be airlifted to hospital shortly after watching the Dutch GP on television.

Dutch reports say the 49-year-old former Formula 1 driver was taken to the hospital in Roermond, in the southern Netherlands, due to stomach and intestinal pain.

De Telegraaf claims he has been treated with antibiotics.

“After that, it should be fine again,” Jos Verstappen confirmed.

Before that, Verstappen snr watched his son Max race to victory from pole position at their home Dutch GP at Zandvoort by watching television at home.

“Jos had been having problems with his intestines for a few days,” Max and Jos’ manager Raymond Vermeulen told Het Laatste Nieuws.

“He watched until halfway through the race, but then couldn’t walk straight anymore.”

Vermeulen says Jos agreed to be checked out in hospital because he plans to travel again soon.

“A precaution,” the Verstappen manager said. “He was then able to go home again. Everything is going well with Jos.”

However, the Verstappen family is unlikely to be too disappointed that they couldn’t celebrate the highly popular Dutch GP dominance all together.

“There was not so much euphoria from Max, because the Verstappen family has only one goal – to become world champion,” said former F1 tyre engineer Kees van de Grint.

“If they don’t get that title by the end of the year, all of this glory and this orange party will be forgotten,” he told RTL GP.

“That’s why Max is so down-to-earth – he knows what a tough task lies ahead of him.”

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Verstappen’s father hopes Dutch fans won’t boo

Max Verstappen broke with his usual routine on Thursday by doing a ‘track walk’ on home soil at Zandvoort.

“Are you sick or something?” his father Jos jokingly asked him over the phone as the circuit inspection with Red Bull engineers took place on Thursday.

Amid the intense title battle with Lewis Hamilton, the Dutchman said his engineers simply advised the walk take place ahead of this weekend’s race on the highly unique Zandvoort layout.

For Hamilton, who arrived at the circuit wearing an orange-themed outfit, this weekend’s tension will be exacerbated by likely vocal hostility by Verstappen’s fans.

“I hope the audience reacts better to the battle and doesn’t boo Lewis,” Jos Verstappen said. “Max will figure out how to deal with his opponent himself.”

But Max, 23, said he will not be issuing a public plea for the Dutch fans not to boo.

“It is not up to a local football club to go over the loudspeaker and say ‘guys, you cannot boo’ because it will naturally happen,” he said.

“I just have to focus on what I am doing on the track. I’m sure most of them are just here to see cars and racing and have a great weekend.

“I cannot decide for them.”

As for Hamilton, the seven time world champion said recently that those who boo have “hate in their hearts” – but he is now saying he will rise above that extra challenge this weekend.

“It’s just a passion that the fans have – or the dislike that some of them have of their opponents,” said the Mercedes driver.

“They’re probably a small portion in the grandstand out there and I admire the others for being able to withstand the boos too. That’s the sport.”

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen declared winner of aborted Belgian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen was proclaimed as the winner of a farcical Belgian Grand Prix after only two laps were completed behind a safety car.

The 12th round of the Formula One campaign at a rain-soaked Spa-Francorchamps circuit finished three hours and 44 minutes after it was due to begin when the clock finally stopped on an embarrassing afternoon for the sport.

George Russell took second, with Lewis Hamilton third and half-points awarded.

Hamilton’s championship advantage over Verstappen has been reduced to three points.

Seventy-five thousand fans stood in the persistent drizzle for a race due to start at 3pm, pushed back to 3:10pm, 3:15pm and 3:25pm. The safety car took the field away on a formation lap but after eight minutes the race was stopped.

Following two hours and 47 minutes without any action, the FIA’s race director Michael Masi then gave the green light for the race to resume.

The sodden spectators, those who remained in the hope of a race, pumped their fists in delight, with Verstappen’s fans lighting orange flares on the Kemmel Straight.

But after just two laps completed of the rain-drenched 4.35-mile circuit, the race was red-flagged. The sport’s bosses were facing accusations of a cynical manoeuvre with two laps ensuring a classification could be granted.

“I feel really sorry for the fans,” Hamilton said. “They have been incredible to stick with us and hold out for a potential race.

“They knew when they sent us out at the end there that the track wasn’t any better and they did it just so that we could have two laps behind the safety car which is the minimum requirement for a race.

“I hope the fans get their money back.”

Hamilton added: “You couldn’t really see five metres in front of you, and you could not go flat out. It is a shame because it could have been a a good race if it didn’t rain as much.”

Verstappen, who declared the conditions as “fine to race” after it was stopped the first time around, added: “I said at 3:30, ‘Let’s go’.

“The conditions were decent but the visibility was low. If we started at 3, we stood a better chance. It is a win but it is not how you want to win.”

It is the first time in F1’s 71-year history when such few laps have been completed for a classified result. Indeed, it is only the sixth time half-points have been awarded.

The abandoned affair came just 24 hours after British driver Lando Norris was fortunate to emerge unscathed from a terrifying 185mph crash at Eau Rouge in qualifying.

The Spa-Francorchamps venue is considered to be one of the most dangerous tracks on the F1 calendar, with 23 drivers perishing here. Two years ago, French Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert lost his life after a multi-car collision.

Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, tweeted: “Brave decision by Michael Masi. If the race had gone ahead and there had been a serious accident, we’d be asking why he started the race. Tough. But ultimately a mature thing to do. Spa has claimed a lot of drivers.”

The remainder of the grid finished where they started with Daniel Ricciardo fourth for McLaren ahead of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and the AlphaTauri driver of Pierre Gasly.

Sergio Perez crashed on the way to the grid but took part in the second restart from the pit lane after Red Bull fixed his damaged machine.

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PEREZ WINS AZERBAIJAN MOTOR GP AFTER VERSTAPPEN AND HAMILTON CRASH OUT

Sergio Perez won a dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Max Verstappen crashed out from the lead with just five laps remaining following a horror tyre failure and Lewis Hamilton threw away second place to finish 15th.

Verstappen looked poised to race to the flag following a slow pit stop for Hamilton, but a terrifying rear-left puncture sent the Red Bull driver out of control and into the concrete wall on the right-hand side of the start-finish straight.

Verstappen was able to walk away from the high-speed crash, kicking the tyre which had failed, with the safety car deployed.

The race was then suspended on lap 49 of 51 after Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley urged FIA race chief Michal Masi to red-flag the event fearing another devastating puncture.

Indeed, questions will now be asked of Formula One’s tyre supplier, Pirelli, after Lance Stroll also suffered a high-speed blowout on lap 31.

The drivers were permitted to take on fresh rubber for what was effectively a two-lap race before Hamilton launched a gung-ho move on Perez for the win only to run down the escape road at the opening corner in a plume of tyre smoke.

“I am so sorry, guys,” said the world champion.

Sebastian Vettel rolled back the years to drive from 11th to second to claim Aston Martin’s best result of their return with Pierre Gasly third for AlphaTauri.

Hamilton’s late mistake means Verstappen remains four points ahead of the British driver after the opening six rounds.

Hamilton started from second before taking the lead at the beginning of the third lap when he roared past pole-sitter Charles Leclerc on the start-finish straight.

Verstappen and team-mate Perez followed suit on laps seven and eight to put the pressure on Hamilton, who had been unable to build a gap in a Mercedes which has largely been off the pace this weekend.

Hamilton then made his sole stop on lap 11, but with Gasly pitting at the same time, the seven-time world champion’s release was delayed.

The Mercedes driver’s pit-stop took 4.6 seconds, paving the way for Verstappen to take the lead of the race when he pitted for fresh rubber on the following lap. Hamilton’s slow stop also enabled Perez to leapfrog him.

While Verstappen remained unchallenged at the front, Hamilton hustled Perez, but despite being faster than the Mexican in the final sector he was unable to find a way past.

On lap 31, Stroll suffered the first terrifying puncture. The high-speed failure sent Stroll’s Aston Martin into the concrete wall on the left-hand side of the pit-straight, but while the Canadian sustained extensive damage to the front of his car he emerged unscathed from the horror crash.

The safety car was deployed for five laps to clean up the debris, with Verstappen executing the perfect re-start to leave Perez trailing.

Behind, Vettel, who ran longer in his first stint to lead the race for a brief period, then fought his way past Leclerc and Gasly to move up to fourth.

Verstappen was in complete cruise control – on course to move 16 points ahead of Hamilton – until the dramatic late turn of events on the Caspian Sea.

The race was suspended for 30 minutes and ahead of the re-start Hamilton told his team “you have to remember this is a marathon not a sprint”, seemingly content to take second and his 18-point haul.

But the seven-time world champion sensed an opportunity to pass Perez and win the race at the first bend only to run off the circuit.

Leclerc finished fourth ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris with Fernando Alonso sixth. On a day to forget for Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas was only 12th.

“I am so happy,” Perez said. “Normally Baku is pretty crazy. I am sorry for Max because he did a tremendous race and deserved the win.

“At the restart, I had a poor start and Lewis was alongside me but I broke as late as I could and it didn’t work for him.”

Vettel said: “It means a great deal to finish on the podium.

“It has been a tough start (to the season for Aston Martin) but we had good pace and that was the key.

“It is a great day and I am over the moon. We didn’t expect to be on the podium.”