Toto Wolff tells Max Verstappen ‘he deserved to win’ despite Mercedes appealing outcome

Toto Wolff tells Max Verstappen ‘he deserved to win’ despite Mercedes appealing outcome

Max Verstappen revealed Toto Wolff told him he “deserved to win” what was his maiden Formula 1 world title , despite Mercedes appealing the outcome of a dramatic championship finale . Speaking almost 24 hours after snatching the crown from Sir Lewis Hamilton courtesy of a controversial last-lap triumph at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen said Mercedes’ team principal had sent him a message of congratulations. “Toto sent me a text, congratulations on the season, and that I deserved to win it. So that was very nice of him, of course,” Verstappen said. The new champion, who was nursing a hangover after a night of partying, also appeared to agree with the suggestion Mercedes would not have contested the result of the race had the decision been down to Hamilton alone given the latter’s gracious reaction to Sunday’s defeat. “No, definitely,” Verstappen said. “Of course, it helps that you already have seven titles. I think that comforts him a bit! “If it’s the other way around, it would be more painful for me because I didn’t have one. “Lewis is a great sportsman in general. He came up to me and congratulated me and it must have been very