Another award for Max Verstappen, named GQ Magazine’s Athlete of the Year
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen walks off the podium holding the trophy. Japan October 2022.
Max Verstappen, the back-to-back World Champion, has been named Athlete of the Year for 2022 by GQ Magazine.
The Dutchman has won 14 of the 21 grands prix held this season, a new record, and clinched his second Drivers’ title in Japan with four races to spare.
Verstappen has been revealed as the first of GQ’s Men of the Year cover stars ahead of their 25th annual awards ceremony which takes place in London on Wednesday November 16.
In recognition of the award, GQ reproduced an interview with Verstappen that was first published in the December 2021/January 2022 edition and which has since been updated – including a discussion about his return to appearing on ‘Drive to Survive’.
Those additions also included the Red Bull driver reflecting upon his dramatic first title success at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where he snatched the title from Lewis Hamilton in controversial circumstances after all had looked lost.
“Yeah, I was like, it might not happen,” said the 25-year-old. “But I just kept pushing till the end, you know? And even if it wouldn’t have worked out, it would have still been an amazing season.”
On his reaction during the in-lap, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner screaming over the team radio “Max Verstappen, you are the World Champion, the World Champion”, the driver said: “It was all very emotional. A lot of things flash back from all the years. I’m not really an emotional guy, but my in-lap was pretty emotional.”
The interview, updated with quotes from “days before he clinched his second World Championship”, also stated Verstappen had recently conducted a sit-down interview for the next series of ‘Drive to Survive’.
Verstappen had boycotted the Netflix production during 2021 over the way it is edited and presented, depicting what he considered to be “fake” rivalries, but confirmed in June a “good understanding of how we can work together” had been reached – and that “you will see a little bit more of me” next time.
He told GQ after the Netflix interview: “It’s just good to understand what we both want from each other, right? And I think the interview we did was good, so…
“I just wanted to keep it real, no fake stuff. No overhyped things, because that’s not how I am. I just want it to be to the point, and my opinion, and how I see things. Of course, we still need to see the end product but it all sounds good.
“I know it’s important for Formula 1. So we came to an agreement and I’m very happy about that.”
Read more: Max Verstappen let Red Bull know who’s boss, but was it boss-like?
