Max Verstappen's father, Jos is in no doubt as to what he considers to be the best moment of his son's career.

It is, of course, Abu Dhabi 2021, the race which saw the youngster secure his first title.

While Jos considers it the best moment of his son's motorsport career, for many it remains the nadir, not so much in terms of the four-time world champion, but the way it came about and how, for many, the result, and thereby the title, was manipulated.

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had fought a hard fight all season, with numerous controversies along the way, but the events of that December night in the Yas Marina, still hang over the sport like a bad smell that won't go away.

Talking to F1 Insider, when asked what he considered to be the best moment of his son's career, Jos replied: "He was also extremely good in 2023. But of course, it was more difficult for him in 2024 because the car wasn't the best in the field and he always had to drive at the limit, without making mistakes, he did that extremely well.

"He's always given one hundred per cent," he added, "but this year it was more noticeable. This year people have noticed that Max can make the difference compared to others.

"Every title is special and valuable," he continued, "but the best is always the first. Abu Dhabi 2021 was very special, when you win the title on the last lap, you'll never forget it.

"Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton won't like that," he admitted.

Recalling the night, Verstappen said: "I remember sitting in the pits with my son shortly after the race and we reviewed his career in fast-forward. It was an extremely beautiful and emotional moment for both of us.

"As for this year, his race in the pouring rain in Sao Paulo naturally stands out. He had to start from the back in extremely difficult conditions. It was easy to make a mistake, but Max simply drove as if the rain hadn't happened.

"That was special."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by ausieausieausie, 19/01/2025 9:04

"None of you have answered my question!!!!"

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2. Posted by kenji, 17/01/2025 13:20

"@ Spindoctor...just sorting through your conjecture. I'm not 'arguing the toss' just pointing out a very salient fact re tyres and opportunities. I keep coming back to the facts of the matter. I will repeat, if the 'official FIA administration officer of the day failed to implement the 'rules' then that was illegal. The rules are not there for different interpretations on any given day. I saw what you did. You called them the 'agreed' rules. Are you saying that the rules can be changed at the behest of other interested parties? My query really is this, why didn't Mercedes/Wolff immediately lodge a protest? That avenue was open for them IMO. Was it because they thought that their grounds were flimsy? Was it because maybe they had got it wrong on the 'rules' interpretation? I don't know but I reiterate that Masi got treated badly,once again, IMO. His reputation has been trashed and that is not right......IMO."

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 17/01/2025 10:55

"@kenji
What's done is done. You can argue the toss about strategy until the proverbial bovines return to their domicile. Because of the failures of FIA, many fans of the *Sport* of F1 consider that the ultimate result is invalid.

I'm not going to opine about woulda, coulda, mighta, but clearly Hamilton was deprived of an *opportunity* to win the race according to the agreed rules. Would he have done so? Dunno. Max's victory simply wasn't a result of racing fair & square, but inevitable because of an administrative failure by FIA official(s) who seemed to cave-in to harassment from RBR and ignored the correct procedure."

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4. Posted by kenji, 16/01/2025 23:02

"@ ChickenFarmerF1.....Thank you for the dishonorable mention in 'despatches'. Mercedes chose track position rather than change tyres which would've definitely changed the outcome. IIRC Hamilton questioned this strategy over the intercoms however despite all the possible outcomes being argued over the years I have come to the conclusion that whilst still seen to be a major indiscretion by many fans the fact remains that Wolff hadf at his side a high flying legal 'eagle' who could've advised Wolff to lodge a protest if he/they believed that they had been cheated out of the win. The legal options were open and they chose not to avail themselves. If Masi's actions were illegal then why weren't they challenged? IMO Masi was scapegoated by the FIA in order to satisfy Mercede's demands as he was relieved of his duties but gagged.

Masi has never, to my knowledge, been charged with anything but his reputation has been savaged and that's grossly unfair. Wolff/Hamilton et al need to let go now. It's over, done and dusted as they say in downtown Dallas."

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5. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 16/01/2025 21:18

"@ausieausieausie - Lewis of course if we're talking only green flag laps. But that's not how racing is done.

Thing of it is, which the likes of @kenji will never acknowledge, had the 4 or 5 lapped cars between Max and Lewis not been let through it's highly doubtful Max could have passed Lewis before the checkers. Had all lapped cars been let through with the order given at the same time frame they'd have crossed the pit entry before the last of the lapped cars got past the safety car, thus compelling the race to end under the safety car. Either of those scenarios results in Lewis winning the race and 8th title.

The only ways Max wins Abu Dhabi 2021 and his first WDC was either the way he did by having only the lapped cars between him and Lewis moved out of his way (remember they were all fighting for position among themselves and would not have just pulled over to let Max past at the line - had they been left in position it would have taken Max 1/4-1/2 of that final lap to clear them and most/all of the rest of the lap just to catch Lewis never mind pass him). Or if the safety car had gone in a lap earlier, thereby giving him time to get past the lapped traffic and onto Lewis's tail by the start of the final lap. Maaaaaybe with no safety car at all he could have won, but that gets into a ton of what if's (pit stops, other strategy calls, Lewis's lead over Max, teammate assistance etc, etc) and is impossible to determine."

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6. Posted by ausieausieausie, 16/01/2025 6:30

"Here's the question that I would like an answer to, Max was trailing Lewis by 10 seconds when the safety car was called. At the end of the race Max was 2.5 seconds ahead of Lewis. My question is, Who completed the racing laps in the shortest time????????"

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7. Posted by Spindoctor, 15/01/2025 16:44

"A rather disappointing piece which tells us quite a lot about father & probably also his son."

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8. Posted by ARL, 15/01/2025 11:53

"Irritating but not as unpleasant as having been charged for attacking and beating his wife. 'Jos the Boss' also sliced the tyres of his wife's car on several occasions and sent threatening text messages.

All round charmfest this man is."

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9. Posted by Wokingchap, 15/01/2025 11:18

"Not sure who's the nastiest, him or his son."

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10. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 13/01/2025 23:20

"If Max had passed Lewis without the Safety Car shenanigans, I'd totally agree. Winning the race and WDC by passing on your rival in the last lap of the season would be a huge high. But how tone deaf and blind do you have to be to consider Abu Dhabi 2021 the greatest moment in his racing career?"

Abu Dhabi '21 is proud dad Jos Verstappen's favourite Max moment

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