It was a slightly bleary-eyed Max Verstappen who sat down to face the media on Monday for the first time as the official F1 world champion. A long night celebrating his maiden world title aboard Asya, Red Bull’s hospitality yacht in Yas Marina, had clearly taken its toll, although an impromptu swim in the pool of DJ friend Martin Garrix at around 6.30am had helped to clear the head. He apologised if he seemed a little off colour. “It was a late night and I’m still, of course, not feeling 100 per cent,” the 24-year-old said, smiling.

There was nothing for which to apologise. Despite the keyboard warriors who have labelled him a disgrace, Verstappen did absolutely nothing wrong on Sunday night. Like Hamilton, he drove a brilliant race and had every right to celebrate the end of an extraordinary campaign, one in which he came of age, forcing Hamilton in turn to raise his game. The sadness is the ongoing controversy over the way the race unfolded – with Mercedes still potentially launching an appeal, although that prospect seemed to be receding on Monday night – has definitely taken some of the shine off it. Not that Verstappen was letting it worry him unduly. He is as laidback off the track as he is aggressive on it. “I’m not disappointed at all,” he insisted. “I think it [the controversy] just sums up the whole season in general. It’s been pretty crazy and intense.

“Both teams, we gave it our all to the end and I think it was just an amazing battle.”

Verstappen said he had never been unduly concerned by the protests launched by Mercedes in the immediate aftermath of his win. Even as the clock ticked towards midnight, nearly five hours after the race had finished, he remained calm. 

While out in the paddock television crews mingled with celebrities including former Netherlands stars Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert, in town to support their compatriot, Verstappen remained hunkered down with his dad Jos. “I was just very calm,” he said. “Talking to people, family, people in the team, just going over things in general about the car throughout the whole season. It was a long wait, of course, but it was fine.”