13/12/2020
NEWS STORY
Max Verstappen: "It has been a very enjoyable two days which we didn't really expect coming into the weekend. Being on pole was already great but to win here is a perfect end to the season for us all. The tyre management was good and the car had a nice balance which made it very enjoyable to drive. I expected a very tough fight today but I think we managed everything very well and there was never really a moment where I felt under pressure which is a pretty good feeling. To finish the year off like this I'm of course very happy with and I just hope we can start next season competitively, so we can be there right from the start, as we want to be able to try and fight for the championship but for that we need to start strong. Everyone in the Team and at Honda has worked so hard the whole year to improve the car and this is a really good boost going into the winter and I hope everyone gets to celebrate tonight."
Alex Albon: "I'm happy and I think if the race was a couple of laps longer I'd be even happier as I feel we could've got past Lewis and taken another podium today. I was managing my tyres at the beginning of the stint and maybe I was too conservative as I had lots of life left in them at the end of the race whilst everyone else's were starting to drop off. But overall it's a great result for the Team today and I'm happy with my race. I've felt very good with the car this weekend and it's probably been my best in F1. There was obviously a lot of pressure coming into this race and my only goal was to focus on my performance and do the best job possible so I'm proud of how I've delivered under the circumstances. It feels great to prove to everyone that I'm strong enough mentally to deal with all the external talk and keep improving. As a Team we haven't given up, I've had a lot of support from everyone back at the factory and we've worked hard with the engineers to make me more comfortable in the car. Now I'm just looking forward to going home and relaxing with my family."
Christian Horner: "A win was the best possible way to sign off the 2020 season in what has been a challenging and disrupted year. To beat Mercedes fair and square from pole position, the first time Mercedes have been beaten at this circuit since 2013 when we last won with Vettel, is a phenomenal performance. Max has been supreme all weekend, delivering the perfect qualifying lap which he was able to convert into his 10th win today. Alex had arguably one of his strongest race weekends of the year to finish fourth just behind Lewis and collectively this was a very strong Team performance at this venue. All credit to Honda for being the only engine manufacturer not to incur any penalties this year and on achieving a second win with us this season. A big thank you must also go to all the staff in Milton Keynes who have worked tirelessly in difficult circumstances this year to keep developing the RB16 and ensuring we kept the momentum going throughout the season. This is also a fitting way to end our title partnership with Aston Martin and we look forward to seeing them back in the paddock next year. It's been a rollercoaster season and once the test finishes on Tuesday I hope that everyone can enjoy a well-deserved break."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Yas Island, here.