"We had our difficult times, but it's part of the fight for the title," he said of his great rival, Briton Lewis Hamiltion, whose Mercedes team has filed a complaint about the progress of the race. limit switch.

Q: How to qualify this race?

A: "Exciting! At the beginning, we clearly lacked rhythm. I tried to follow (Lewis Hamilton, his rival for the title, in the lead, editor's note) as long as possible but we didn't have the rhythm. Already, our start was not good. It's quite difficult, I was a bit lonely. Then Checo (Pérez, his teammate) did a great job trying to keep Lewis behind him (after a passage from the Briton through the pits , editor's note) and the gap narrowed. But Lewis passed him and he pulled away again. We tried something different (changing tires) during the virtual safety car but it didn't. didn't work, we still didn't have the rhythm. Then everything went crazy at the end, with the safety car then the restart. (...) Of course, it had thelooked complicated at times, I saw no opportunity to turn the tide. But the safety car gave us a free pit stop, we took the opportunity to switch to softer tires and the last lap was just amazing. I had more grip (than Hamilton), but it still had to be done and we did it! (...) In addition, I had a huge cramp in my leg. But on the last lap, we have to bite the bullet. Then it was just mind blowing emotions. "but we still had to do it and we did it! (...) In addition, I had a huge cramp in my leg. But on the last lap, we have to bite the bullet. Then it was just mind blowing emotions. "but we still had to do it and we did it! (...) In addition, I had a huge cramp in my leg. But on the last lap, we have to bite the bullet. Then it was just mind blowing emotions. "

Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of seven-time world champion, Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), and thus wins his first world title on December 12, 2021 KAMRAN JEBREILI POOL / AFP

Q: Are you starting to digest these emotions?

A: "It's coming in slowly. It's been an incredible season, not just this race. Incredible brawls ... Before we started the season, I felt that we could have better chances compared to the missed opportunities of these. years, but being there at the end is an incredible success. (...) The past comes back to me now, especially the trips through Europe with my father (at the time of karting, editor's note We had a first goal: to get to F1, hope to win a race and hear the national anthem. But then, of course, the ultimate goal was the world title, which is very hard to get. happened, it's crazy. And to have my relatives, my family, my friends, my father, my manager, my girlfriend, all here,it makes things even more special. "

The joy on the podium of the Dutch driver Max Verstappen, after winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and clinching his 1st world title, on December 12, 2021, ahead of the seven-time world champion, the Briton Lewis Hamilton (l) and the Spanish Carlos Sainz Jr KAMRAN JEBREILI POOL / AFP

Q: Your rivalry with Lewis Hamilton has been exceptional.

What do you remember?

A: "Overall, I really enjoyed it. Of course, we had our tough times, but that's part of the title fight (...) and now that the season is over, we're going to be able to relax a bit. It was tense as a competition. In almost every race we pushed each other to the limit and our cars too. I think it's really great to see."

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, the Briton Lewis Hamilton, congratulates the Dutchman Max Verstappen, after his victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and his 1st world title, December 12, 2021 ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

Interview at a press conference

© 2021 AFP