"Headbutting the tire wall": Max Verstappen believes key moment could have decided F1 title fate sooner

Max Verstappen feels he could have sealed up the 2021 World Drivers' Championship sooner had he not headbutted the tire wall at this year's British Grand Prix.

The Dutchman suffered a 51g impact in a first-lap crash at Silverstone while dueling for the race lead with Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen, who had won the Sprint Qualifying race on Saturday that weekend, was enraged by the celebrations that followed in the Mercedes garage after Hamilton won the feature race.

The Red Bull Racing driver had more than one dust-up with Hamilton over the course of the season, but his 180mph crash at Silverstone was one of the stand-out moments in the pair's rivalry.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner touched on Max Verstappen's late tire blowout in Azerbaijan and the double header in Austria and France, before saying:

"There have been some big moments... It was important to come back strong, and Max (Verstappen) did that, and then Silverstone was a key moment, and again how he came back from that."

When Max Verstappen was asked to share his views, the Dutchman said:

"Same as Christian (Horner). Headbutting the tire wall in Silverstone wasn't that great."

Max Verstappen had three DNFs (did not finish) in 2021 - two of which came as a result of battling Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone and Monza. Despite that, he still set a new record for the most podium finishes in a season, with 18.

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Max Verstappen spends family time with sister Victoria and nephew Lio

Fresh off his maiden WDC win, Max Verstappen decided to pay a visit to his younger sister Victoria Jane Verstappen and newborn nephew Lio.

Max Verstappen was joined by partner Kelly Piquet and his parents Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen for what could be considered a mini-family reunion just in time for the holiday season.

The Dutchman is taking some well-deserved time off after one of the most closely-fought F1 championship battles in recent memory.

Max Verstappen plans to return to his title defense in 2022 sporting No. 1 on his car, as is the right reserved for reigning drivers' world champions.

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