Max Verstappen won his first Formula 1 championship in stunning fashion on Sunday, snatching the title from his rival Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season after a hotly debated decision by race officials to restart the race following a late crash.
The finish capped a stunning day of high-stakes racing, and ended a final-day duel for the world title in which Hamilton had led most of the race.
“It’s just insane,” Verstappen said, adding, “When you stand here and they tell you you’re the world champion, it’s just incredible.”
The decision by race officials to restart racing for one final lap after a crash by Nicholas Latifi with five laps remaining turned the tables at the finish.