Christian Horner admits Max Verstappen ‘got lucky’ in Abu Dhabi to beat Lewis Hamilton

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has admitted that Max Verstappen was lucky to benefit from the late safety car that allowed him to overtake Lewis Hamilton to win his maiden Drivers’ Championship title at last month’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 24-year-old became the first Dutchman to clinch the individual honours at the Yas Marina Circuit after crossing the finish line ahead of his Mercedes rival under controversial circumstances.

Race director Michael Masi handed Verstappen a golden opportunity to fight back when he was allowed to move through the field after only the five lapped cars between himself and Hamilton were asked to overtake the safety car.

Verstappen went on to force his way around the Brit during the one-lap shootout that followed to rubber-stamp his first Drivers’ Championship triumph in dramatic fashion.

The result sparked plenty of post-race controversy as a result of the widely-held belief that all lapped cars would be required to un-lap themselves in such a situation.

The timing of the safety car period was also crucial in shaping the outcome of the race, with Horner left unable to deny the element of luck that was in play in Abu Dhabi.

However, the Red Bull boss was also adamant that Verstappen’s title was fully deserved, insisting that Hamilton enjoyed more than his own fair share of good fortune over the course of the season.

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“I think that it was such an epic year,” Horner told RacingNews365.

“It was probably the most competitive season in Formula One in the last 30 years, and I think, for Red Bull, for Max, for Honda, to come out on top…

“Yes, we got a little bit lucky with the safety car at the end of the race, but so much bad luck [had] gone against us throughout the season.

“These things, I’ve always said, tend to balance themselves out over the course of a season, and I think Max, he led more than 50 per cent of the laps in the year, more than every other driver combined.

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“He had more pole positions, he had more race wins, and for me he was totally deserving.”

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Verstappen will be able to emulate the likes of Fernando Alonso in winning back-to-back Drivers’ Championship titles by claiming the spoils once again this year.

There is still a chance that he may avoid the possibility of rekindling his rivalry with Hamilton, who is yet to officially confirm his participation in the upcoming season.

The Brit is said to be mulling over his immediate future in the sport after losing trust in the FIA due to the events that unfolded in Abu Dhabi.

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The governing body is set to announce the results of an investigation into proceedings just two days before the curtain-raising Bahrain Grand Prix in March.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently suggested that Hamilton will eventually drop his concerns and return to the grid in spite of his grievances over the handling of last year’s championship decider.

“No, I don’t think so, they are just rumours,” he told reporters when quizzed on Hamilton’s situation earlier this month.

“Has he declared that he is not going to run? Exactly, no. When you are a driver, you speak for yourself and not what others say about you.

“I trust that this is not the case. Lewis is an important part of the sport and of F1, his achievements, Verstappen is there… I am sure we will find a very exciting F1 next season.”

source: express.co.uk