LONDON (REUTERS) – Max Verstappen stated on Wednesday (Dec 15) he felt just like the System One world champion and any transfer by Mercedes to attempt to take away the title in courtroom wouldn’t change that.
The 24-year-old Purple Bull driver denied Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton an eighth crown in a controversial decider in Abu Dhabi on Sunday after a sudden change of the security automobile process performed into the Dutch teenager’s fingers on the final lap.
Mercedes have till Thursday night, the evening of the gala awards ceremony in Paris the place Verstappen is because of obtain the champion’s trophy, to attraction after post-race protests had been dismissed.
“I do really feel just like the world champion,” the Dutch driver advised reporters in a video name after a manufacturing facility homecoming when requested in regards to the danger of legal professionals getting concerned.
“It does not matter what they attempt to do. We received it on observe, when there was a inexperienced gentle and we handed them on the observe.
“And they’ll by no means have the ability to take that away from me anyway.
“Concerning the doable attraction, I am not busy with that.”
Workforce boss Christian Horner stated it was time to maneuver on.
The speedy indications, nonetheless, had been that Mercedes – whose bosses have stated nothing since Sunday – had been nonetheless seething at what they contemplate a manipulated end result that robbed Hamilton of a file title.
Hamilton, who led the race till that final lap, collected his knighthood at Windsor Citadel on Wednesday and stated nothing to media.
“We have welcomed Max residence to the group at present because the world champion,” stated Horner. “We’re trying ahead to seeing him decide up the trophy tomorrow night because the world champion.”
Requested whether or not Purple Bull may pull out of the game if Mercedes had been to win an attraction, Horner selected his phrases rigorously.
“If the unthinkable had been to occur, we’d problem that within the applicable method,” he stated.
The Briton added that he had sought out Mercedes group boss Toto Wolff after the race however the Austrian was unavailable. Ola Kaellenius, head of Mercedes-Benz, did provide his congratulations, nonetheless.
Wolff despatched a textual content later within the night, as he did additionally to Verstappen, congratulating Purple Bull on the drivers’ championship.
“I congratulated him on successful the constructors’ world championship and reminded him that is the place the cash’s paid, not the drivers’. I have never spoken with him since,” added Horner.
Mercedes received the group title for the eighth 12 months in a row.
Horner stated Mercedes’ dispute was with the governing Worldwide Vehicle Federation (FIA) and race director Michael Masi and never Purple Bull, who did nothing improper however had been an occasion.
