Abu Dhabi GP: Max Verstappen claims record-extending win as Mercedes hold off Ferrari in constructors battle

Max Verstappen claims record-extending 19th win of 2023 in season finale; Red Bull driver moves clear of Sebastian Vettel in third on F1’s all-time list of race winners; Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc second but George Russell takes third to keep Mercedes second in Constructors’ Championship

World champion Max Verstappen capped his historically dominant 2023 Formula 1 campaign by claiming victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to take sole ownership of third on the sport’s all-time list of race winners.

In a dramatic finish to decide second behind Verstappen’s Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship, Charles Leclerc took second for Ferrari but it was not enough to overturn a four-point deficit to Mercedes, for whom George Russell took third and team-mate Lewis Hamilton ninth.

Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished second on the track, but was demoted to fourth by a five-second penalty for causing a late-race collision with Lando Norris, who came fifth ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen controlled the 22nd and final race of the year from pole position to claim a record-extending 19th win of the season, taking his overall victory tally to 54, moving him beyond Sebastian Vettel and leaving just Hamilton and Michael Schumacher ahead.

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Sergio Perez bumps into Lando Norris, sending him off track at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The Dutchman, who sealed his third successive title with six grands prix remaining, ends the season with a record total of 575 points, more than double his nearest challenger Perez, with Red Bull winning all but one race.

Fernando Alonso took seventh for Aston Martin, with Yuki Tsunoda’s impressive eighth place not quite enough to lift AlphaTauri above Williams for seventh in the constructors’ standing.

Alonso’s team-mate Lance Stroll rounded out the points, as Aston Martin’s underwhelming second half of the season ended with them 22 points back from fourth-placed constructor McLaren.

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After a lock up by Pierre Gasly, Lewis Hamilton made contact with the Alpine driver, causing damage to his front wing

Abu Dhabi GP result: Top 10
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3) George Russell, Mercedes
4) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
5) Lando Norris, McLaren
6) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
7) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
8) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri
9) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
10) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

Verstappen ends historic campaign in style

Having overcome some practice struggles to take pole in Saturday’s qualifying session, the chance of Verstappen not converting from pole appeared minimal as the lights went out at the Yas Marina Circuit for the final time in 2023.

Once the Dutchman saw off two overtaking attempts from Leclerc on the opening lap, that chance was almost non-existent.

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A challenging start for Max Verstappen as Leclerc battles for first but the Red Bull driver rapidly eases past in the opening lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

As has so often been the case throughout the season, Verstappen calmly managed his tyres to remain outside of DRS range, before easing into the distance as the race developed.

Verstappen’s comfort at the front was such that he at one point came onto team radio to offer up priority at the second round of pit stops to Perez, who was attempting to come through the field from ninth on the grid.

Albeit helped slightly by those behind him focusing on their own contest, Verstappen ended the race just short of 18 seconds clear of Leclerc.

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Charles Leclerc attempted a last shot at beating Mercedes by handing over DRS to Sergio Perez to gain a 5s gap

Perhaps most significant among the host of records he has set during a near-faultless campaign is a win percentage of above 86 per cent, which unlike victory and points totals, isn’t impacted by an ever-growing calendar.

Verstappen moved clear of Vettel, the last Red Bull driver to win a drivers’ title before him, in race wins, and will now be focused on returning in 2024 to match the streak of four successive championships the German won between 2009 and 2012.

More to follow…

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