Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton on the final lap at the Ya൲s Marina Circuit to win the title in dramatic circumstances.

In an interview with , Verstappen opened up about ꧟the pain he suffered during the dying stages in Abu Dhab𒉰i.

“If you go back over th🎀e data you will not see a very smooth throttle input. I ꦐwas screaming on the radio [after he had won] but the whole lap my foot was going like that,” Verstappen said.

“It was completely done. One more lap and I couldn’t have finished the♚ race like that. The stress levels were so high in the final lap that probably your body reacts to th𝔍at. But you cannot give up.”

Versta🅘ppe⛄n ultimately overtook Hamilton into Turn 5 on the final lap to take the lead of the race.

Reflecting on t⛎he final la﷽p in Abu Dhabi, he explained: “I was like: ‘I need to overtake him [Hamilton]. There’s only one option here. I’m not going to finish second.’ I tried to be really on it with the restart. It was all working well until I crossed the line and started to feel cramp in my leg. It’s one of the most painful things that can happen because you’re going full throttle for a long time.

“You feel the muscle clenching and becoming like a tennis ball. Of course, the♔ adrenaline helps because, if it were to happen when you’re just walking around, you cann🃏ot move. It’s impossible.

“But there was no option; I h🌃ad to. So I was just keeping it full throttle and I could feel my leg hurting more and more. Luckily, turn five arrived and I went for the [overtaking] move. I had like three seconds off throttle.

“You then have two very long straights and, on the second one where Lewis came back at me, I could feel my foot vibrating. I couldn’t control it because the muscle was hav🌳ing a spasm. My foot on the last sector was like thi𝔍s [he indicated a juddering motion].”

The circumstances in which Verstappen won the title have dominated𒆙 the headlines in the off-season with FIA race director Michael Masi heavily-criticised for his handling of the Sa🐬fety Car period. 

The Dutchman doesn’t believe the controversy has ꦅovershadowed his success in 2021.

“Not at all,” he replied. “I had a very good season and I think I really deserved it. I have been really unlucky as well. People always remember the last race but, if you look at the whole season, the championship should have be🔜en decided way earlier.”