Horner after Abu Dhabi 2021: "Hamilton had the good grace to say well done"

Christian Horner appreciated the way Lewis Hamilton handled the 2021 race in Abu Dhabi, he told Sky Sports. Although Max Verstappen was the only one congratulated on-screen, Horner sought a moment behind the scenes.

"I felt the way that Lewis handled that disappointment after the race, hats off to him," Horner said. He continued: "Because he would have been even more disappointed. A record-breaking World Championship has just disappeared but he handled himself with dignity and respect. I shook his hand in the driver’s room after the race, and he had the good grace to say well done."

According to Horner, Mercedes missed out on the race, and thus the title, because they were very defensive. "A lot is made about the final lap, but Mercedes went into that race and they were quicker than us. In the Grand Prix, Lewis was able to manage the gap to Max pretty comfortably but then they went very defensive, they went very conservative," Horner said.