Max Verstappen recalls F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 drama: “Cramp, pain, nerves, stress”

A year ago Verstappen won his first F1 championship by pipping 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton to the finish in the season-finale, in part due to race director Michael Masi’s incorrect application of a 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Safety Car rule.
Verstappen is now a two-time champion and won the 2022 race after returni♎ng to Abu Dhabi, where he told Sky: “It has been a crazy year in general. Coming back here brings back memories from that weekend which was pretty stressful at the time.
“When I got home, I watched it. ꦏIt gave me goosebumps.
“I was nervous, ꦦvery nervous. It was the most important lap of my career.
“The worst thin⭕g that happened? I crossed the line. In the middle of the straight, I got a cramp in my leg! In my calf. Trying to stay at full throttle! I couldn’t control it!”
Verstappen said about his late overtake of Hamilton which effectively won him the championship: “My instinct said: ‘I need to go for it’. I went for it. Nobody expected it - 🎃not my dad, not Christian Horner.
“I was in the lead but had two long straights with my foot [in pain!] You are fighting for the c💙hampionship and need to deal with this stuff. It was really painful.
“It was the biggest emotion of my life. I hear🅰d on the radio that people wer♔e crying.”

Hamilton was denied a𒀰n all-time record eighth title due to the controversial f♛inish.
Verstappen revealed sympathy for his great rival: “It was all looking great, then something like that happened.൩ It is to✨ugh.
“I said to myself at the time: ‘He has seven world championships including one which looked like he might lose out until the final corner s💎o I hope he could understand, at least a little bit, the difference of emotion’.
“We had our moments where we got together. I always respected him. We had a great batt💦le.”
Verstappen revealed about his F1 fut﷽ure: “I signed until 2028 when I will be 31. I don’t know if I will continue in F1, it depends if we are competitive. F1 is great but it’s a lot of travelling and a lot of races. Is family more important or is F1 more important?”
Hamilton and Verstappen will renew their battle next year in the sport's longest-ever season - the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 2023 calendar has a record 24 races.

James𓂃 was a sports journꦬalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.