Maiden title for Verstappen, but what an acrimonious end to a stellar season!
Red Bull's Max Verstappen clinched his first Formula One title on the last lap of the final race of what is arguably the most exciting season in the sport.
The manner of victory was, however, overshadowed by chaotic scenes towards the end of the race as the Race Director, Michael Masi, fumbled in handling the Safety Car period to remove the Williams of Nicholas Latifi from the track after a crash.
At the start, Verstappen, who was on pole after a brilliant qualifying session on Saturday that saw him use the benefit of the tow from his teammate Sergio Perez to maximum advantage, couldn't make it count as his title rival, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, got the better start.
Seconds later, Verstappen attempted to pass Hamilton by diving on the inside of Turn Six. Hamilton had anticipated the move and positioned his car to take the outside of the turn but with Verstappen fully crowding him out, he opted for the run-off area which meant he maintained the lead.
Red Bull protested but the Stewards were firm that the Dutchman had left no room for Hamilton.
Although Verstappen was on soft tyres compared to Hamilton on the mediums, the Red Bull did not have the pace to catch the Mercedes.
Hamilton was consistently stretching the gap. Red Bull opted to pit Verstappen early and keep Sergio Perez out.
Verstappen came in on the 14th lap for a set of hards that could last to the end of the race. Mercedes immediately responded by pitting Hamilton a lap later.
Despite dropping to second place, behind Perez, the seven-time world champion maintained his comfortable lead over Verstappen, who was now fourth behind the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.
On the 19th lap, Hamilton was right at the gearbox of Perez, with Verstappen a further eight seconds behind. The Mexican put in a brilliant defense as Hamilton tried to find a way through.
Hamilton passed Perez before the Red Bull driver recovered the position through the use of DRS. The Brit kept up the pressure and when he finally managed to pass the Red Bull, Verstappen had reduced the deficit to less than two seconds.
Worse for Hamilton, Verstappen got DRS assistance from Perez, with the Mexican swiftly letting his teammate by to continue the chase on the 21st lap of the 58-lap race.
Five laps later, Kimi Raikkonen’s Formula One career, comprised of 349 races with 21 wins, came to an end when his Alfa Romeo suffered a technical issue, causing him to skid off and gently hit the barriers.
The 2007 world champion mastered his experience to nurse it back to the pits.
It went from bad to worse for Alfa Romeo as Antonio Giovinazzi, for whom the race might have been his last in Formula One, had to retire on the 35th lap on account of a power unit issue.
He parked his car at a run-off area which prompted a Virtual Safety Car. Verstappen pitted and got new set of hard tyres.
He was now 17 seconds behind the race leader with 20 laps to go. The Dutchman set about closing the gap and set a number of fastest laps, but he was not reducing the deficit by the amount needed to mount a challenge on Hamilton at the end of the race.
It seemed as if Hamilton would cruise to an eighth title and even Red Bull's Team Principal, Christian Horner, deemed that only a miracle could hand the title over to them.
Minutes after that wish, Williams’ Latifi crashed at Turn Fourteen with only five laps to go, seconds after a tussle with the Haas of Mick Schumacher.
Hamilton was 12 seconds ahead of Verstappen with three lapped cars lying between the two at the time of crash.
With nothing to lose, Red Bull opted to pit Verstappen. It meant that there would be five lapped cars between him and Hamilton.
There were only three laps to go and the question was whether all the lapped cars would be allowed to unlap themselves, as per the norm.
This would take time and had the potential of making the race end under the Safety Car.
Meanwhile, Perez was ordered to pit in order to retire the car, coming as a huge disappointment after his valiant effort to give his teammate a sling shot to victory by holding back Hamilton for as long as possible.
On the penultimate lap, Horner asked Masi about the decision not to allow lapped cars to unlap themselves.
Masi replied that he was assessing the situation. A short while later, the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen were allowed to unlap themselves leaving others that were supposed to unlap themselves in limbo.
On fresh softs, Verstappen was able to pass Hamilton who could do little to defend given his 42-lap old tyres.
Verstappen took victory under questionable circumstances in the final lap to become the first ever Dutch Formula One world champion. Hamilton, on his part, congratulated the 24 year-old on his maiden title.
The Dutchman set a record of 18 podium positions this season. Mercedes secured a record eighth consecutive Constructors’ title.
The team is appealing the drivers’ classification after their initial protests to the Stewards were dismissed.
It’s an acrimonious end to an otherwise stellar season full of thrill and excitement, and an end that leaves Masi, or his successor, with plenty of work to do to restore confidence in the sport. BY DAILY NATION
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