- Max Verstappen finished sixth in the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit
- There were fireworks on the opening lap after he collided with Oscar Piastri
- Verstappen was hit with a 10-second time penalty and vented his frustration
A furious Max Verstappen unleashed a brutal rant at the stewards during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after colliding with Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen, now a four-time world champion despite Red Bull’s woes this year, was adjudged to have instigated the dramatic opening lap contact with Piastri.
After looking to dive down the inside at the first corner, Verstappen crashed into the McLaren, sending both drivers spinning and dropping down the order.
He was then hit with a 10-second time penalty, a decision he vehemently disagreed with, and sarcastically requested a heavier punishment next time.
‘Can we ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots,’ Verstappen raged to his engineer.
Verstappen weaved his way back up the grid before serving his lengthy penalty at the Yas Marina Circuit. He was later forced to settle for a sixth placed finish.
Max Verstappen labelled the stewards ‘stupid idiots’ during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Verstappen and Oscar Piastri went wheel to wheel during the pulsating opening lap
But Verstappen then made contact with Piastri, sending both cars spinning across the circuit
Piastri was less than impressed with the incident that derailed his race, having started P2 after McLaren secured a front-row lockout in qualifying.
‘Yep, move of a world champion that one,’ he said.
When told Verstappen had indeed been given a penalty, Piastri replied: ‘Good.’
The Australian, who was able to celebrate McLaren’s first constructors’ championship title since 1998 in the aftermath of the race, eventually finished 10th.
His team-mate Lando Norris, meanwhile, stormed to victory to wrap up the Woking outfit’s triumph, sparking wild celebrations in their garage.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished second and third respectively.
Lewis Hamilton took fourth place in his final race for Mercedes ahead of his impending switch to the Scuderia after surging past George Russell on the last lap.
Bidding an emotional farewell to the team over the radio, Hamilton said: ‘The pleasure’s been mine. We dreamed alone but together, we believed.
‘Thank you for all the courage, the determination and the passion, and for seeing me and supporting me.
‘What started out as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books.
‘We did everything together, and I’m so, so grateful to everyone, both here and back at the factory. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. All the best.’
