Did Max Verstappen deserve to win the Formula 1 World Championship?
10:45, 19 Dec 2021
26 Comments
The dust has started to settle on the dramatic conclusion to the Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi last weekend, and Max Verstappen is now officially World Champion. Lewis Hamilton pushed him as far as he could, but in the end, it came down to a one lap shootout and Verstappen had what it took, to become number one. Well he had fresher tires and a fortunate safety car, but nevertheless he is the World Champ.
Elite consistency
Max Verstappen was unbelievably consistent. He finished 19 races in 2021, which is actually two less than Lewis Hamilton, however, crucially across the races he did finish, he had an average finish position of 1.84. While Lewis Hamilton could only manage an average finish position of 2.76 across the 21 races he completed, almost an entire place different. His unbelievable consistency is highlighted by the fact he finished first or second at every race he finished minus one, and that one occasion was the Hungarian Grand Prix when he recieved a hefty old shunt from Valtteri Bottas . Even when he wasn't winning the race, his ability to still score a large haul of points was excellent, which brings me onto my next point.
Superb damage limitation
This might seem a bit of a weird one, but Max Verstappen's ability to grab a result from an unlikely position against the odds really did put him in good stead. Let me take you back to Russia when it looked like Lewis Hamilton would score a significant blow, when it took P1 in the closing stages. However, with ran teeming down, Verstappen surged through the field to finish second, all after starting the race dead last. When he qualified third in Imola , he stormed off the line to overtake Sergio Perez and Hamilton to take the lead and never relinquished it. Verstappen's ability to grab a result from nowhere ties into his consistency, and where Hamilton had a handful of off races, like in Turkey or Monaco, Verstappen didn't have as many of those days.
Super Speed
It really took until the end of the season for Mercedes to have the superior package and by that point they were playing catchup and Max had just enough in the tank to get over the line. Right from pre-season testing Verstappen seemed to be the fastest man on the grid, and it was super evident during those mid-season races. France, and the double header in Austria, Verstappen seemed in a league of his own. The Red Bull was clearly the fastest car on the grid. However, even when Mercedes dominated the closing stages, Verstappen made sure he was still quick, he was on pole in Abu Dhabi, and should've been on pole in Saudi Arabia.
Wrestling the title from Mercedes
And Verstappen had to do it the hard way, wrestle it back from the Silver Arrows, something no one has achieved since Red Bull and Seb Vettel did in 2013. The challenge is greater emphasized by the fact Mercedes still won the Constructors'. Max's achievement was no mean feat.
Why didn't he deserve to win the title?
Well the obvious reason is the final lap of the final race of the season. When it came down to it, Hamilton was level on points was five laps from a record eighth title. He was 11 seconds clear, and Horner admitted it himself, Red Bull needed a miracle. And that's what they got. Did Red Bull deserve to win the race, absolutely not, and does that mean they didn't deserve to win the crown, maybe? Mercedes have every right in my opinion to feel hard done by, but at the end of the day, what happened isn't Verstappen's fault, so you can't blame him.
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Max had a brilliant season but clearly the answer is, no. It doesn't matter how he performed over the season the facts are clear they both had a great season and enjoyed finishing on equal points, yes Max had one more win but at the end of the day it's the one that ends up with the most points and Lewis had the winning points taken away from him.
The answer is simply no he was gifted the title only because there was a vile conspiracy against Lewis Hamilton not take his well deserved 8th WDC
I agree with many who suggest Lewis should go back to F3 next year and sharpen his 1 on 1 skills after the masterclass The Champ put on him.
Should also try to get that trademark choke out of his game as well.
Hamilton and mercedes couldnt take the WDC title even though they deliberately took out Max at silverstone and did they best to do the same at hungaroring.
Fully deserved win for Max!
Why are millions all over the world saying its the end of the Fake Era?
Case closed.
Every day I replay the last lap and still amazed at the way The Champ toyed with the old man.
The best since Senna without question.
MAX IS THE NEW GOAT
He won in inferior car and was able to put his car in front of 2 Mercs where the actual car/engine combination was not as fast. But the driver could make the difference this year becasue the difference was less then other years
The 1st Real World Champion since Schumacher.
MAX VERSTAPPEN
2021 F1 WORLD CHAMPION.
You mean the 2nd biggest off-track cheater, GP3 crasher and brake checker since Schumacher days. Then you would be correct.
Lewis choked unfortunately.
Max deserves the title just as much as Norris or sainz both of them had outstanding seasons. I wonder what MV will tell his grandchildren 1 day when they turn round and ask their grandad HOW he won his 1 and only F1 WDC !!
Lu Lu fans get up everyday with a ray of hope...sorry but Lewis is done...keep crying
Max Max Max Supermax!
lucy trolls will jump up with joy but history is written. crying n whining will get you nowhere lucy fans
Nope!..but maxissy deserve to be a first paper champ?
Deserving something and actually winning something fairly are two different things
Well if everyone on the Lewis side is so grieved because of that last race. Then scrap the results of that race and Max would still be the well and most worthy and deserving World Champion by his achievements cause he won more races then Lewis. Problem solved and the outcome won’t change a thing. ??
Well everyone it's only a few more months to wait until we see how the 2022 cars perform.
Like most people I hope the cars will allow for much closer racing.
Forget DRS ...anyone can overtake with that advantage.
I think the true test of how skillful the drivers are will be shown in a very clear way.
Deserving a championship isn't the same as winning it by default , rules where broken in that race and that's going to go on for ever, F1 is the biggest loser in this as there really isn't any winners....
He deserved it infinitely more than Ham thats for sure. Ham deserved to lose halfway at Silverstone when he took Max out & swung WDC 50 pts in his favor & then Bottas torpedoed both RBR as he would've done in last race had Ham been tied but ahead on races won like Max was.
Hell No !!!
It was gifted.
Hell Yes, and it made my day, Finally some real Justice.
The real World Champion 2021 is Max Verstappen
The faul players were tributed by God through Masi
All bad (organised) luck payed back with one lucky decision made by Merc not to pit Lewis....
Max needed to be pushing Lewis on every lap of the last race but he didn't come close, checo was closer , so on balance no he didnt do the job when he needed to do, NOT A CHAMPION ....
Deserving is quite different from actually earning a championship.
The fact that everyone is asking this question worldwide over and over again simply means: NO!
I will agree that Max is a gifted driver though
He has to be gifted everything ? ? ?
hahahahaahahaha
Only in england this is really a question. And even in england peiple can give respect dor the year Max had.
Idi ot Max will not appear in drive to survive... luly fanboy