On Sunday, December 12, 2021, Max Verstappen became the new F1 world champion after passing Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of a thrilling Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
With five laps to go in the Sunday finale, Verstappen was 10 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), with the race looking like it was going to be a record-breaking eighth title for the British driver, but an accident for Williams driver Nicolas Latifi turned the race in a different direction.
Max Verstappen has been declared the new Formula One World Champion after a thrilling finish in which he overtook Lewis Hamilton (video)
On the last lap, a safety car appeared and subsequently left the circuit, enabling for one final lap of racing, during which Verstappen passed Hamilton in the most dramatic of racing finishes.
Max Verstappen has been declared the new Formula One World Champion after a thrilling finish in which he overtook Lewis Hamilton (video)
Max Verstappen was greeted by his teammates as he crossed the finish line to claim his first world title.
After a spectacular performance in the last qualifying session on Saturday, Verstappen went into the final in top gear, starting from pole.
Max Verstappen has been declared the new Formula One World Champion after a thrilling finish in which he overtook Lewis Hamilton (video)
Verstappen, a Dutch racer, has won more races this season before the grand prix on Sunday.
If both he and Hamilton failed to finish, he would have been proclaimed champion, prompting speculation that Verstappen could collide with Hamilton if they were racing side by side.
Max Verstappen has been declared the new Formula One World Champion after a thrilling finish in which he overtook Lewis Hamilton (video)
The anticipation for this final was palpable. It was also the first time in over a decade that two Formula One drivers had the same number of points going into the final race.
Hamilton would have become the most successful racer of all time if he had won, overtaking Michael Schumacher's record.