---
title: "Verstappen pays tribute to ‘great sportsman’ Hamilton"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2021/12/14/verstappen-pays-tribute-to-great-sportsman-hamilton/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths"
section: "F1 News"
published: "2021-12-14T10:54:27Z"
modified: "2021-12-14T10:54:29Z"
---

# Verstappen pays tribute to ‘great sportsman’ Hamilton

Max Verstappen says he felt for Formula 1 rival Lewis Hamilton in the manner he lost this year’s world championship, admitting the Mercedes driver “did everything right” in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The winner-takes-all season finale ended in dramatic fashion with Verstappen pulling off a last-lap pass on Hamilton to clinch victory and his first F1 world title.

Hamilton had jumped Verstappen at the start and built a gap of over 10 seconds when the safety car was deployed for Nicholas Latifi’s crash at Turn 14 – wiping out his advantage.

This gave Verstappen the opportunity to attack Hamilton on fresh tyres – having pitted for softs under the safety car – giving him superior grip to Hamilton’s fading hard tyres.

Verstappen acknowledged Hamilton had controlled the race up until that point, believing the events that led to the final lap shootout were “part of racing”.

“Of course there was one side incredibly happy and one side was disappointed,” Verstappen said, as quoted by RaceFans.

“I felt for Lewis. He did everything right throughout the whole race.

“But F1 can be very unpredictable and, of course, it can go either way. It could have been the other way around as well where I would be controlling the race and then I would lose it in the last lap. That’s unfortunately part of racing.”

Hamilton was shown congratulating Verstappen on his title success in parc ferme, despite the disappointment of missing out on a record-breaking eighth crown.

Verstappen paid tribute to his season-long rival, backing Hamilton to return “very strong” in 2022.

“Lewis is a great sportsman,” Verstappen said. “But like I said it’s racing and we all have to deal with it, if it’s positive or negative, but he will come back again, very strong because he is an amazing driver.”