Red Bull: Verstappen still scheduled to receive trophy on Thursday

Red Bull's Christian Horner says Max Verstappen is still scheduled to collect his trophy as F1's 2021 world champion at the FIA's prize giving gala on Thursday evening in Paris, in the absence of any indication to the contrary by the governing body.

On Wednesday afternoon, there had been no communication from the Mercedes camp about whether it would follow through with its intent to appeal by Thursday evening a protest dismissed by the stewards after last Sunday's title decider in Abu Dhabi.

Upon Verstappen's return to Milton Keynes on Wednesday to celebrate his world title with his team, Horner admitted to being in the dark over Mercedes' intentions in the next 24 hours.

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"It’s very difficult for me to know what their position is," said the Red Bull team principal, quoted by RaceFans. 

"From our perspective we’ve welcomed Max home to the team today as the world champion. And as far as we’re concerned, the situation is that obviously, we’re looking forward to seeing him pick up the trophy, hopefully, tomorrow evening as the world champion.

"I think the official period is until 7:00 o’clock tomorrow that the right of appeal exists.

"Max Verstappen is the world champion. We’ve welcomed him home to Red Bull racing today, he’s seen all of the team and I think, really, it is time to move on.

"Hopefully he will receive the trophy tomorrow evening and be crowned as the world champion. I have no indication otherwise.

"I haven’t spoken with Mercedes or heard from Mercedes or the FIA to hear anything different at this point in time."

Horner stressed that Mercedes' contentious dispute is with the FIA, not Red Bull, although the Milton Keynes-based outfit would obviously be a party to any eventual litigation proceedings.

"This is a dispute between the FIA and Mercedes," he commented. "Of course, Red Bull is an interested party, so I would be represented accordingly.

"But this isn’t a dispute between Red Bull and Mercedes. Max won the race. He became the world champion and we’re incredibly proud of him. And that’s that’s where our focus is."

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