The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix produced what is arguably one of the most eventful Formula One races of all time; After a poor getaway at lights out, the chances of lifting the world championship title began to diminish for Max Verstappen, as his rival, Lewis Hamilton embraced the power of Mercedes to extend his lead to a rather unreachable level.

However, just when everyone was starting to believe that Hamilton winning his eighth championship title was almost certain, the Dutchman got a miraculous second chance in his title pursuit.

A late safety car (thanks to Nicholas Latifi) followed by a bizarre call by Michael Masi, the race director, led Verstappen, with shining new soft tires, to tailgate Hamilton with a mere lap to go.

Of course, we all know how the battle turned out in the end. However, quite interestingly, Verstappen admitted that he could have lost the championship on the last lap owing to an untimely discomfort which caused a load of pain.

Watch Story: From Lewis Hamilton to the Miz: When F1 & WWE Crossed Over

What did Max Verstappen say?

During a Dutch interview, Verstappen opened up that he suffered a leg cramp just when the lights went green on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi GP. Hence, the Red Bull driver endured unbearable pain throughout the lap whenever he had to open up the throttle.

“Yeah, yeah… But, I had a cramp! I had a cramp from turn 1 onwards in my leg. So, every time I went full throttle, it hurt so much. So, in the last lap, I was of course fighting the battle and I had a massive cramp in my leg, so...,” Verstappen said.

Trending

Daniel Ricciardo To Be Replaced by Liam Lawson After Miami, F1 Pundit Dishes Out Harsh Verdict After Australian’s “Amateur Mistake”

April 17, 2024 11:14 AM EDT

Max Verstappen Sabotaged Daniel Ricciardo’s Only Chance of Getting the Red Bull Seat for 2025

April 21, 2024 11:59 AM EDT

F1 Rumor: Christian Horner and Wife Geri to Publicly Reveal All Details on Leaked Chat Scandal

April 22, 2024 04:10 PM EDT

Carlos Sainz Blames Charles Leclerc for Causing Fred Vasseur’s Painful Chinese GP Loss

April 21, 2024 12:23 PM EDT

Ferrari F1 News: Carlos Sainz Pushed Away From Audi as “Difficult” Period Approaches After Contract Pressure

April 23, 2024 12:28 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

The interviewer then asked whether he had the pain under the safety car. But, Verstappen denied and reckoned that it probably had something to do with ‘the nerves’.

“No, with the restart. Maybe, it was the nerves,” Verstappen concluded. Overall, despite the cramp, Verstappen managed to keep his cool and breezed past Hamilton around turn 5, and went on to clinch his first-ever world championship title. The Dutchman is now also the first distinct world champion since Nico Rosberg in 2016.

Why Do F1 Drivers Train Their Necks?