Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins his maiden F1 world title after overtaking Lewis Hamilton in a controversial final lap

Max Verstappen became the first ever Dutch F1 world champion after a last lap overtake on title rival Lewis Hamilton at an enthralling and highly-contentious Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas finished in sixth and Sergio Perez retired which means Mercedes claim a record eighth-straight constructors’ championship. But the race wasn’t without controversy.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton bump in the first lap

Medium-tyred Hamilton jumped soft-tyre Verstappen at the start. However, the Dutchman came back in turn six, nudging him wide and over the run-off, but the Mercedes driver continued in the lead. Stewards decided not to investigate. The pit window opened when Verstappen came in on Lap 13, Hamilton a lap later, leaving Sergio Perez in the lead with the mission to hold off Hamilton.

Perez did exactly that. On Laps 20 to 21 he ferociously defended the attack from Hamilton until he was finally passed. He quickly let Verstappen past to continue the chase, before pitting on Lap 22.

Hamilton pulled out a healthy lead of over five seconds to Verstappen, so the Red Bull team risked it and pitted Verstappen for new tyres, giving him 20 laps to catch Hamilton. However, with just seven laps to go, it looked impossible.

Nicholas Latifi’s crash causes controversy

Then Nicholas Latifi came together with Mick Schumacher and forced a safety car. Verstappen pitted for soft tyres as Mercedes did not want to give up track position. 

The controversy came as race director Michael Masi initially said lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen would not be allowed to un-lap themselves, as is normal practice. Which meant Verstappen would have to pass six cars of traffic AND Hamilton in one lap.

Red Bull complained and Masi changed his mind, which put Verstappen right behind Hamilton for the one remaining lap of racing.

Verstappen passed Hamilton into turn five and held off his attempts to re-pass down the two straights that followed. 

Carlos Sainz took the final podium place ahead of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda in P4 – while the latter’s team-mate Pierre Gasly rounded out the top five.

Bottas struggled to P6, running as low as eighth, and losing a potential podium spot from fourth to sixth under the final Safety Car. Lando Norris, who qualified third on Saturday, came seventh.

Alpine took points with Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon eighth and ninth respectively, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounding out the top 10.

By Charlie Parker