Lewis Hamilton fans crashed Max Verstappen's F1 trophy presentation last night in Paris following his controversial win in Abu Dhabi during the season finale on Sunday.
Parked outside the building where the FIA Awards were taking place in France, a van stood with the message '#WeStandWithLewis' after Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff announced the Brit could quit F1 after being left 'disillusioned' by the sport.
Many fans and pundits agree that Hamilton was robbed of a record-breaking eighth Drivers' Championship due to decisions made by race director Michael Masi during the final lap, but with Mercedes withdrawing their appeal, the decision stands and Verstappen is the champion.
Still angry with the FIA, Wolff and Hamilton didn't attend the Gala, despite F1's regulations that the top three drivers of the championship must attend.
Speaking during the prize giving, Verstappen said: "I think he should look back on what he has achieved, and that should give him a lot of comfort and the drive to keep going.
"I can understand that the first few days, after a race like that, you are not happy.
"You should understand that this is racing, and these things can happen to you."
The British driver was leading by 10 seconds before Williams driver Nicholas Latifi crashed into the barriers, deploying a Safety Car.
Stewards allowed some of the cars to overtake, but not all of them, setting up a controversial winner-takes-all final lap.
The Dutchman, on fresher tyres, flew by the Briton, going on to secure his first Drivers' Championship title.
When asked whether he feels sorry for the seven-time champion, Verstappen said: "No, I don't feel sorry for him, but I understand it can be painful.
"At the end of the day, that's racing as well. You just have to keep fighting until the end, and you know that in racing, anything can happen.
"He also won a championship like that. I think he can understand as well."