The Formula 1 season will come to an end on Sunday, December 13 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are tied in the standings with 369.5 points each, and the winner of this final race will take the championship title for the 2021 season.
The Saudi Arabian GP went to the British driver, in a race full of controversies, with two red flags, two Virtual Safety Car periods, and a Safety Car. The Dutch driver had to give up the position to the Englishman towards the end, and he seems to still be outraged by the FIA's decision, as he stated to media in his country that he is treated more severely than others.
Lewis Hamilton won the penultimate race of the season. Photo: AFP
"Clearly things are not applied equally to everyone. The things I did to defend myself, two other guys did as well, and they didn't even get a mention or a penalty. So I don't understand it, because I think I was just competing hard," Verstappen declared.
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"What happened, in my opinion, didn't deserve any penalty, and the other two people who did it didn't get one either, so clearly it's only me who receives it. Of course, if you fight at the front, people are a bit more critical, I guess, but I don't understand it," he added.
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Valtteri Bottas on the podium. Photo: AFP
He also had some words that could sound like indirects towards Hamilton: "In the end, the critics are always there. But I think, on my part, what is unfair is that I am treated differently from other drivers. Clearly, other drivers can get away with it, and I can't. I think that's a small problem," he said.