INTERVIEW: ‘Miracles happen’ – Emotional Verstappen reacts to winning his first drivers’ championship

After a hard-fought 21 races, the championship battle came down to the very last lap of the 22nd – with Max Verstappen emerging victorious after a late lunge on rival Lewis Hamilton in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen had been left fuming after getting passed by Hamilton at the race start, before sending what he felt was a legitimate move for the lead down the inside of the Mercedes into Turn 6 – with Hamilton then scampering over the run-off to re-take the lead.

READ MORE: Brilliant Verstappen claims maiden title after victory in Abu Dhabi season finale following late Safety Car drama

But if luck didn’t favour Verstappen then, it did on Lap 53 of 58 when Nicholas Latifi crashed at Turn 14, bringing out the Safety Car and leaving Hamilton and Verstappen with just one racing lap at the end, with Verstappen getting the job done into Turn 5 with a clinical pass on Hamilton.

Hear from an emotional Verstappen after he entered F1’s history books in the video above.