Max Verstappen missed out on the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year ‘World Sports Star’ award.
Verstappen had one of the best years of any sportsperson on the planet. He won the F1 Drivers’ Championship, becoming world champion for the first time in his career.
The Dutchman was one of the six nominees for the prestigious award. The list was made official after he won the championship in a stunning and dramatic race held at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
However, fans of ‘Super Max’ were left disappointed, as Verstappen missed out on the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year ‘World Sports Star’ award. He lost out to Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore.
The voting for the award was public and in the shape of an online public vote. Blackmore pipped five other prominent sportspeople to the honour. She won thanks to her victory at the Grand National at Aintree.
She won the award ahead of Mexican boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, American football quarterback Tom Brady, Serbia’s world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic, Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah and Verstappen.
Did he deserve it?
Although Verstappen did receive a lot of votes, he ultimately fell short. There were many fans who expressed their disappointment with him being a popular choice because of the controversial manner in which he won the championship.
It was so tense that the shade was thrown during the programme presentation. Former footballer and current pundit Gary Lineker suggested that Verstappen’s victory was tainted.
“That was the most incredible end to a season that had absolutely everything,” he said. “Apart from, possibly, a fair final lap.”
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