2021 Formula 1 World Champions Max Verstappen and his rivals Mercedes have been nominated for the 23rd annual Laureus World Sport Awards.
Verstappen claimed his first Formula 1 title after a dramatic, action-packed year, some say one of the greatest F1 seasons in history, to deny Lewis Hamilton – last year’s nominee for the same award – what would have been a record eighth F1 title.
While Verstappen took the drivers’ title, Red Bull were beaten by Mercedes to last year’s F1 constructors’ title, to make it an unprecedented eighth in a row for the mighty German team.
Laureus World Sport Awards Announcement
The Nominees for the 23rd annual Laureus World Sports Awards, revealed today, including some of the greatest athletes on the planet. The world’s media – 1,300 journos and editors – voted across seven categories to honour the sportsmen, sportswomen and teams who set new standards in a year like no other.
Through the use of a ‘virtual’ format, adapting the Awards show to a pandemic context, Laureus continues to recognise athletes and organisations who inspire us not just inside the sporting arena but away from it, and this year that includes some who contributed directly to the ongoing fight against Covid-19.
Max Verstappen, who won the Formula One Drivers’ Championship on a dramatic final race day in Abu Dhabi was nominated because he “won his first Formula One World Championship in 2021 after one of the most thrilling contests ever seen in the sport.
“Overtaking seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at turn five in a nail-biting last lap finish in the final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi.
“Aged just 24, driving for the impressive Red Bull team led by Christian Horner, he had ten Grand Prix wins during the year and a record 18 podium finishes.
“Belgian-born, the son of former driver Jos Verstappen, he became the youngest ever driver to compete in F1 in 2015 at the Australian Grand Prix, when he was aged 17 years 166 days. He was also the youngest winner, aged 18 years 228 days, in Barcelona.”
Verstappen was nominated for the 2016 Laureus Awards Breakthrough of the Year.
This year the Dutchman is up against Tokyo Olympic Games stars Caeleb Dressel, who won five golds in the pool, and Eliud Kipchoge, who defended his title in the marathon; tennis great Novak Djokovic; Bayern Munich’s star striker Robert Lewandowski.
The list is completed by Tom Brady, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl LV and established himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Mercedes F1 Team up for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team won a record eighth consecutive Constructors’ World Championship with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas combining to make it happen last season for the team.
Laureus explained the reasoning behind the nomination: “Under team principal Toto Wolff, and led on track by multi-world champion Lewis Hamilton with Valtteri Bottas as No.2, Mercedes-AMG Petronas won a record eighth consecutive Constructors World Championship in 2021.
“Hamilton may have missed out on making history with an eighth individual world title, but his second-place finish in the final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi helped seal Mercedes’ title victory ahead of Red Bull, whose Sergio Perez had to retire early. Mercedes were the winners of the Laureus Team of the Year Award in 2018.”
This year, they are up against the Italian Men’s Football Team who were victorious in the rescheduled Euro 2020, following a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over England in the final.
The Argentina Men’s Football Team, including Lionel Messi, won the Copa America in similarly epic fashion, vanquishing their arch-rival Brazil in the final, while FC Barcelona Women’s Football Team won their first Champions League title.
Those three are joined by the China Olympic Diving Team, who won gold medals in seven of the eight events in Tokyo, the Milwaukee Bucks – led by Giannis Antetokounmpo – who ended their 50-year wait for a second NBA championship.
As for the announcement in April, Laureus confirmed: “A broadcast show will continue Laureus’ record of extensive global syndication, delivering annual television audiences of over 600 million for the Awards and associated news content, along with many millions more across social and digital channels.”