Max Verstappen revealed his sympathy for Formula 1 rival Lewis Hamilton, one year on from the climax of their infamous 2021 title battle.
The Dutchman scooped his first championship on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last season. But it was a moment full of controversy, and months later the FIA admitted the "human error" of then-race director Michael Masi had changed the outcome of the title race.
The topic was always going to be brought up again this weekend, as the F1 circus returns to the scene of the acrimonious climax to that battle. And Verstappen has been speaking about his memories with Sky Sports commentator David Croft.
"Of course, it was all looking great [for Lewis]," he said, referring to the fact Hamilton was comfortably ahead with just a few laps to go before Nicholas Latifi's crash sparked the safety car period that would change everything.
"And something like that happens... it is tough. You know, there was always going to be one winner and one loser. If you're on the losing side, it's going to be bad no matter what. And it also doesn't matter how, if you lose, you lose. And that it's just terrible when you're so close, right?"
Verstappen went on to point out that the Brit can still take some comfort from the fact he had already been crowned F1 champion seven times previously. And his first one also came at the very end of a finale, in Brazil when Felipe Massa had glory snatched from his fingertips with one error from Timo Glock.
"The only thing I did say to myself at the time was, he has seven world championships," continued Verstappen. "And he has also won one where it looked like he was losing out – and then in the last corner, he didn't [referencing that 2008 finale]. So I hope that he could understand at least a little bit the difference in emotion.
"But yeah, I felt for him and especially, you know, we had our moments when we got together that year, but I always respected him and I think we did have a great battle. And also finally, we had two teams fighting for a championship. I really hope that we can appreciate that someday."
Recalling the final lap itself, the Red Bull racer said: "It was the most nervous lap of your life and then also dealing with a cramp struggling to stay full throttle. I couldn't control my leg! It was terrible. [But later] it was the biggest emotional outburst of my life – people were going crazy, people were crying."
