12/12/2022
NEWS STORY
Receiving the Formula One World Drivers' Championship trophy for the second year running, Max Verstappen insists that "this year was better".
"Your whole life, you aim for one particular goal and that is to become a world champion, for me, in Formula 1," said the Dutchman as he held the trophy.
"The first win is always very emotional, once you achieve it," he continued. "But this year has been very different.
"I think we were more competitive this year, and I think the way we were performing as the whole team, we won the drivers' and the constructors'.
"We had a lot of victories as a team," he added. "I would say this one is better and more rewarding. But the first one will always be more emotional."
Of course, in the eyes of many, this year was very much different to last year, for the 2021 world championship trophy was handed to the Dutchman just days after the controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Indeed, as reaction to the race still raged, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes opted not to attend the awards ceremony, earning him a severe rebuke from the newly elected president.
Finishing sixth in the 2022 standings there was no requirement for the seven-time world champion to attend this year's event even though he won the (fan decided) FIA's Action of the Year award for his double overtake on Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez at Silverstone.
Accepting the constructors' trophy from Stefano Domenicali, Christian Horner said: "For nine years there was only one manufacturer on this trophy. It's been the most incredible year for the team. We've broken every record of our own. Tonight I'd like to dedicate this one to Dietrich Mateschitz."
Charles Leclerc was there to receive the award for runner-up, as was Sergio Perez who finished third in the 2022 standings.
Interestingly, as F1 and the FIA make much of their Net-Zero sustainability target, according to the sport's governing body "1,000 guests" from the various member clubs and sporting organisations around the world were present.