"The angels helped us" - Max Verstappen's mother claims Lewis Hamilton "was stronger in the race"

Max Verstappen’s mother Sophie Kumpen has claimed that Lewis Hamilton was stronger in the 2021 title decider in Abu Dhabi and despite her son "fighting like a lion," only managed to win with "help from the angels."

In an interview with the Dutch newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Kumpen said:

"Max fought like a lion, unyielding and without even thinking about giving up. Because let's face it: Hamilton was the stronger today. It didn't look so good until the end of the race, but then my daughter texted me: 'Safety car!' she wrote. 'Call on the angels'. And lo, they helped me, the angels. I can't count the candles I lit this week."

Amid controversial circumstances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen made the most out of a late safety car intervention to clinch his maiden F1 world title, beating Lewis Hamilton in a much faster Mercedes.

The decision by race control to only let select cars to unlap themselves before the safety car restart has caused considerable controversy and backlash against the FIA – the international motorsport governing body.

Many have felt that Max Verstappen’s triumph at Abu Dhabi was well deserved considering the many instances of misfortune befalling him early during the season. Meanwhile, others — including former F1 world champions Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso — have felt that both Verstappen and Hamilton deserved to “share” the title this year, considering their stellar performances throughout the year.

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Max Verstappen’s mother surprised at how calm he was throughout the season, amid increasing pressure

In the past, Max Verstappen has often been described as “hot-headed”, “immature” and even “dangerous” due to his aggressiveness on track, as well as his fiery responses off-track.

However, during the 2021 season, Verstappen displayed immense maturity to keep his calm and focus on delivering consistent performances at every race – which ultimately helped him keep in title contention after Mercedes’s resurgence late in the season.

Verstappen’s mother Sophie Kumpen, who herself has experience fighting for titles (she was a karting champion in the mid-90s), expressed her surprise at her son’s maturity, saying:

"It's unbelievable how calm he stayed all season, while the tension was constantly cutting. And how he always remained 'just Max'. Yes, he has become a 'guy' this year. Never gets excited again, it always stays calm How come? The years, of course. Everyone gets older and wiser. But maybe also his relationship with an older friend who already has a child: that can change a man."

With his dual Dutch and Belgian citizenship, Verstappen became the first non-British and non-German driver to win the F1 world championship in nearly 15 years. The last driver to do so was Kimi Raikkonen from Finland in 2007 for Ferrari.