The awards show saw Verstappen, F1 runner-up Charles Leclerc, third driver Sergio Perez and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, reaping the F1 Constructors’ Championship, pick up the evening’s biggest prizes .
During a week of meetings of the World Motor Sport Council and the FIA General Assembly, the awards ceremony culminated in the presentation of the world championship trophy to Verstappen by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Before collecting the trophy, Verstappen told the FIA champions’ press conference that there were “very different” emotions for his second title compared to the first last year.
“All your life you have one particular goal and that is to become world champion, for me, in Formula 1,” Verstappen said.
MORE: The steps Verstappen and Red Bull have taken to expose Ferrari’s failures in 2022
“The first victory is always very emotional, once you get it. But this year has been very different.
“I think we were more competitive this year, and I think the way we performed as a whole team, we won over the drivers and the manufacturers.
“We had a lot of wins as a team. I would say this one is better and more rewarding. But the first will always be more emotional.
Ben Sulayem appeared on stage to present a number of awards throughout the evening, and was joined by F1 CEO and Chairman Stefano Domenicali in presenting Horner with the constructors’ trophy.
Max Verstappen, FIA Formula 1 Champion, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President
Photo by: FIA
During his acceptance speech, Horner quickly moved to dedicate Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in late October.
MORE: How Red Bull’s dynamic leader shaped his F1 philosophy
“I know luckily he saw Max win the championship in Japan, although there was a bit of confusion over the points there,” Horner said.
“But luckily Max won it early and he saw it. And then the following weekend, the day after the past, we managed to win this trophy. It’s very special.
The confusion Horner alluded to came at Suzuka, where an unintended consequence of rewriting the rules surrounding shortened races after last year’s Spa debacle meant that all points were awarded when just over half of the total distance had been covered.
When a post-race penalty was imposed on Leclerc, Verstappen was informed in the parc fermé that he had won the championship. The FIA has already confirmed its intention to review the regulations and seek to close the loophole.
Following Horner’s comments, Ben Sulayem said: “Christian, first of all you deserve the win, whether it’s the constructor or Max. Second, you mentioned Dietrich. I drove with Red Bull sponsorship in my last championship.
“And one thing you said about Japan, you said Japan was controversial [sic] – Nope. The FIA was blamed for the points, but it was not the FIA who made the rules, it was the teams who made the rules, and we implemented them.”
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President
Photo by: FIA
Domenicali chimed in, saying, “OK guys, stay focused!” but Ben Sulayem continued: “For me it’s very, very clear about the FIA, so thank you very much.
“[Horner] right, they deserve the win, everyone who wins deserves it. These are the rules. So well done, I say it honestly, and for more wins too.
Other F1 winners of the evening included Lewis Hamilton, who won the FIA Action of the Year award for his double overtaking on Leclerc and Perez during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and legendary designer Gordon Murray, who was awarded the first FIA President’s Innovation Medal for his contributions to racing and road car design.
FIA World Championship champions in Hypercar, GTE-Pro, Formula E, WRC, Rally Raid and WRX were also honoured, with many making spectacular entrances driving their cars on stage.
