Max Verstappen receives championship trophy: ‘This has been an incredible season’ | formula 1

“This has been an incredible season,” said the 25-year-old Dutchman, after receiving the trophy for the second year in a row from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “We had a very difficult start to the season. At a certain point I stopped believing in the title. But we managed to turn things around very quickly. All the victories we’ve had this year, I never expected that. I am very proud of this team. Hopefully we can continue this way for a few more years.”

Verstappen won no less than fifteen grands prix, a record in Formula 1. His Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez recorded two victories. Together they also gave their team Red Bull the constructors’ world title. Team boss Christian Horner collected the corresponding prize in Bologna.

Lewis Hamilton received the prize for the best action of the year at the FIA ​​gala. The seven-time world champion won the election with his overtake in the Grand Prix of Great Britain, passing two cars (of Pérez and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc) at the same time.

Earlier in the day, at the headquarters of his Red Bull, Verstappen personally thanked all employees for their efforts this year. On Friday, he and his Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez visited the Red Bull factory in the English city of Milton Keynes.

“Thank you very much for your work this year, we appreciate it very much,” Verstappen said through a megaphone to the hundreds of employees, who received him with applause outside the factory. “We’ve had an incredible year. Everyone can be very proud of that. I hope you have a great vacation with family and friends. But we also want to win more and keep this feeling and momentum. I am already looking forward to next year.”

Verstappen travels from England to Italy, where the FIA ​​was honored as world champion at the gala of the international motorsport federation.