Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton has every reason to return to Formula 1 next year despite his unhappiness over the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said on Thursday that Hamilton was “disillusioned” and he could not guarantee he would return next year.
Verstappen said: “I can understand the first few days after a race like that you’re not happy.
“But you should also understand this is racing and these things can happen.”
Verstappen said seven-time champion Hamilton should spend some time thinking about what he has achieved in F1 – and what he could go on to achieve.
“He should just look back at what he has achieved already,” said the Red Bull driver said, who grabbed the championship from Hamilton on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi race after a controversially handled safety-car period.
“That should give him a lot of comfort and it should also be that drive to keep on going because he is still trying to challenge for that eighth title and for sure he can do that next year so I don’t see any reason to give up just now.”
Verstappen pointed out that Hamilton himself had won a title in similar circumstances, when he deprived Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on the last corner of the last lap of the last grand prix in 2008.
“I don’t feel sorry [for him] but I can understand that it can be very painful but at the end of the day,” he said. “He also won a championship like that.”
Verstappen was officially presented with the world championship trophy at the prize giving gala of governing body the FIA in Paris on Thursday.
Hamilton and Wolff did not attend, in protest at the events of Abu Dhabi.
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was due to attend but the FIA said he had been with his new Alfa Romeo team at their base in Switzerland and his flight had been delayed.
Mercedes’ constructors’ championship trophy – which they have won for a record eighth consecutive season – was collected by chief technical officer James Allison.
Outgoing FIA president Jean Todt has launched a review of the events of Abu Dhabi and the season after a series of controversies over inconsistent decisions by officials. The FIA has also admitted that the image of F1 has been “tarnished” by the Abu Dhabi controversy.
Todt said of Verstappen: “He gets what he deserves. He made a great season. You focus on the last lap. It’s true he was very lucky on the last lap. But you should see the whole season. Was he lucky in Silverstone? Was he lucky in Azerbaijan? Was he lucky in Budapest? He was not.”
Todt refused to be drawn on whether Hamilton and Wolff would be penalised for not attending the prize giving ceremony, as is required of them in the sporting regulations.
“Tonight we should celebrate rather than trying to get into any kind of controversy,” Todt said.
“There is no point. What would it give? In a way, I feel sorry because Mercedes should have much more reward. Eight times champions for the manufacturers is something unique.
“Are we going to punish because he’s not coming? This is not the platform to speak about that. We should be above that.”
A new FIA president will be elected on Friday morning, either Englishman Graham Stoker or Emirati Mohammed bin Sulayem.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner paid tribute to Todt’s achievements over his 12 years in office, among which was the introduction of the halo cockpit head-protection device which saved the life of Frenchman Romain Grosjean in his fiery crash in Bahrain last year, and perhaps a number of other drivers’ as well.
“We’ve pushed you hard but you have always kept a balance and a fairness,” Horner said. “I remember all the discussions about the halo. Not one team wanted the halo but you pushed for it and many drivers owe you their lives as well, not just in F1 but outside F1.”
