Sebastian Vettel has said that he's happy for Max Verstappen after the Dutch driver replaced him as the most recent World Champion for the Red Bull team. Vettel, a product of the Red Bull programme, delivered the team their first titles as he won four consecutive Drivers' Championships between 2010 and 2013. Verstappen's triumph in Abu Dhabi on Sunday saw him join Vettel as a Red Bull title winner, but Vettel isn't bothered by the fact that he's no longer the team's most recent champion. "That doesn't matter so much," he told media, including RacingNews365.com , after the race. "I'm happy for Max, but I'm also sorry for Lewis [Hamilton] - I think he had an incredible end to the season. "In my point of view, I don't care who wins, but I think they both deserve it. In the end, only one can take it. "It was an intense fight and good for the sport. Obviously, if you're the lucky one, it's great. If you're not, it's not great."
"Leave the stewards alone"
With the race ending in controversy as Hamilton saw the title slip through his grasp right at the end, there's been plenty of outrage from neutrals and Mercedes fans decrying the decisions made by FIA Race Director Michael Masi. But Vettel said that it's important to remember the humans behind the calls being made and that he doesn't feel the decision-making process is any different to what he's seen during his long career so far. "I think... leave the stewards alone, it is tough enough as it is," he commented. "Ideally, we'd like more consistency, but there's also a human side. It's probably difficult to get it 100 percent right. It has to be our target and we need to see what we can improve. "But I don't think it has been any better or any worse than the past, with the exception of the fines for reprimands, in terms of cash. That's just unnecessary. "I think it looks stupid to ask for 10,000, 25,000, 50,000 (euros)... I would like to see the receipt for what happens with the money!"
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