Max Verstappen celebrates his 2021 title win. (Image: Getty)
Reigning F1 world champion doesn’t have any interest in reliving the day that dramatically brought him his first drivers’ crown. In what proved the most memorable title battle of the sport’s modern era, the Dutchman went to the wire with icon before sealing glory at the final race weekend of the season in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen arrived at the Yas Marina just a single point ahead of the man, following a season where tensions between the pair regularly reached boiling point following a series of on-track incidents.
Starting on pole, the 27-year-old was overtaken early on by Hamilton, who appeared to be pulling away in the closing stages and on the brink of an unprecedented eighth world title.
And then in a notorious finish that still divides the sport, a crash from driver Nicholas Latifi sparked a chaotic series of events. It culminated in race director Michael Masi controversially changing his initial safety car instructions to ensure one final lap of racing.
It presented Verstappen with the chance to overtake his rival, and he duly did so before taking the chequered flag and sparking huge celebrations. Even then, the win was only later confirmed after failed with a protest to FIA stewards.
Verstappen hasn’t needed to go to the final day for any of his three subsequent crowns. But speaking on the latest Talking Bull podcast, he said he had no interest in reliving the occasion that has gone down in F1 folklore.
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Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton on the podium afterwards. (Image: Getty)
“For me, reliving my first title, like that day, I think I would die of a heart attack,” he told host Nicola Hume. “Because I remember people that saw me that day, especially my girlfriend Kelly, she came into my room before the race – and normally before a race I’m not that nervous.
“I mean, you’re well prepared and there might be some nerves about wanting to do well…but she said that my hands were ice cold. So again, you really don’t want to relive this kind of moments. I mean they’re amazing to look at but not to relive.”
The outcome had huge ramifications for the sport. Masi later lost his role, with newly appointed with two race directors since employed to work together during Grand Prix races.
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Hamilton also went on a self-imposed vow of silence, not speaking publicly until February the following year. It led to speculation that he might even retire from the sport, having claimed the result in Abu Dhabi had been ‘manipulated’.
Verstappen heads into the 2025 campaign facing his biggest fight since 2021 to finish top of the drivers’ standings. His success this time around was achieved despite constructors’ winners and appearing to be superior in pace in the second half of the year.