Horner: You didn't hear Max moaning on the radio

Horner was speaking in an interview with The Telegraph, as the team boss shed some light on some of the aspects of Formula 1's 2021 season finale under the floodlights of Yas Marina circuit, where Max Verstappen claimed victory of Lewis Hamilton and with it the 2021 F1 Drivers' Championship.

Horner explained that the team and their star driver had their backs against the wall, but didn't give up and just went for it.

"Naturally, we’re going to roll the dice and go for it," he told The Telegraph as the team has pulled out all the right decisions to give their ace a chance of winning.

"Max just refused to give up. You didn’t hear him moaning on the radio," Horner said, which could be seen as a dig at Hamilton.

"Every lap, he drove his heart out, then suddenly a chance presented itself.

"He didn’t even defend," Horner hit out at Hamilton. "He was waiting for him more into Turn Six, but Max took him by surprise."

Red Bull consultant Dr. Helmut Marko gave some explanation regarding Verstappen's race and title winning last -lap pass on Hamilton, the pass which surprised not only the seven-time World Champion, but also the viewers and the pundits.

"Max suffered from a cramp in his lower leg," Marko told Formel1.de.

"He no longer had full control of his foot and did not know how that situation would develop.

"That is why he attacked immediately," the Austrian revealed.

"Normally you wouldn't do that there, because then you give Hamilton the chance to counter using his DRS," Marko explained, despite there being no DRS immediately after the Safety Car period, slipstream most probably.

"In Turn 5, you need a lot of grip when accelerating out," Marko said, "something we could fall back on with the Soft tyres."

In an interview with his personal sponsor CarNext, Verstappen said of the pass: "I knew I had better top speed.

"I was like, 'As soon as I'm ahead, then I can control the defence'.

"When you're behind, you [the driver ahead] can always close the door, and then you're not fully in control.

"It's like, 'I need to send it there and then I am in control'," the Dutchman insisted.

Needless to say, that the 2021 season finale has stirred up considerable controversy. In his interview with The Telegraph, Horner gave some details in that regards, related to the post-Abu Dhabi GP protests Mercedes lodged, where it was revealed they had a barrister accompany them into the Stewards' office.

"We were summoned to the stewards' hearing and confronted with a barrister I had last seen dealing with a tyre issue that they had back in 2013 - suddenly you're in the thick of it," Horner revealed.

"The stewards in the room, they weren't professional lawyers," he went on. "There was a finance guy, the driver steward and a local steward in there.

"Is it fair then to be faced with a QC?" the 48-year-old questioned. "That can be quite intimidating.

"He's not an operational member of the team, he's not a Sporting Director," Horner pointed out. This is an issue that needs to be considered by the FIA.

"We don't want to be taking lawyers, let alone barristers, racing," he insisted.

"I did find it disappointing that there wasn't a single member of the Mercedes team below the podium.

"It's a shame that they've taken it in the manner they have," the Briton lamented.

"Emotions run high. They have been a winning machine for eight years now, and at some point that has to come to an end," the Red Bull boss insisted.