FIA boss explains why they won’t give Max Verstappen the championship trophy before the end of 2023
F1 champion Max Verstappen is Unfazed by the delay in trophy presentation.
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Max Verstappen (Via IMAGO)
It is customary in most sports to honor the championship title and trophy immediately after receiving the crown. But it is somewhat different in Motorsports, especially F1. There is a special event held in December known as the FIA gala, where the world champions acquire their trophy at the end of the season.
After Max Verstappen won this year’s World Drivers championship at the sprint race held in Qatar this week, some fans were hopeful to see the Dutch racer lift the trophy at Qatar. But to his surprise, the FIA boss had different plans.
FIA boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem says that the champion Max Verstappen won’t receive his trophy this week but at the gala in December, as the tredtion goes. He feels the gala is an inspiring event for all the young motorsport fans worldwide.
Sulayem reminisces about his childhood days on motorsport.com and recalls his days after winning the Middle East rally championship for the first time, saying, “can’t imagine how badly I slept in Paris for the gala night to get the trophy awarded.” And tells how one ‘dreams’ about going to the gala for the awards.
The Gala, being an ‘evening of the champions,’ is an event where youngsters can see their idols getting awarded; Sulayem says, “Do you want me to make sure that dream can’t come true? No.” and says that such an evening for champions is a dream for young riders.
What does Max Verstappen think about this?
Max Verstappen is unbothered by this news and doesn’t care that he will receive the trophy after two months [when the season ends] at the FIA Gala. Receiving the trophy immediately or not is not the major concern for the World champion. All he cares about is winning the races in the season.
He is already a two-time world champion and believes the trophies are identical. “It’s fine, they are all the same,” says Verstappen when he was asked about his response to this. “But it’s fine, I can wait a while.” Adds Verstappen about receiving the trophy later than the night he won.
Also, after the possible entry of Andretti into the motorsport, sponsors are worried about the relevancy of the motorsport. To which Sulayem responds, “All this talk about a split, and we go to court… And then what happens? The creation of a new championship that has a void?”
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Justin P Joy
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