Max Verstappen Caps Off Dominant 2023 With a Dominant Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Victory

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 performs donuts on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 26, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Clive Rose | Getty Images)

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — With the final set of practices and qualifying rounds of the 2023 season behind the Formula 1 grid, the last Grand Prix of the 2023 season was upon drivers, teams, F1 and fans at the Yas Marina Circuit for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Like almost every single grand prix in 2023, Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing was a foregone, decisive victor in his dominating 2023 season. With the World Drivers and Constructors Championships decided, the rest of the positions in the points were still up for play before the final checkered flag was unfurled.

After some slightly uncharacteristic troublesome practice sessions through the early portion of the weekend, Red Bull’s Verstappen would start on the pole alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The grid would line up from Saturday’s qualifying with no teams taking grid penalties in the season’s final race.

Once the pre-race ceremonies were complete and drivers buckled into their cars, the tire blankets were removed, and the expected tire strategies were finally laid out, as most of the field would be starting on the Medium compound tires. Meanwhile, the three cars of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas oped for the Hard compound tires.

The grid was set off for their formation lap led by Verstappen, ready to see the final lights out of the year.

Soon, the grid was lined back up, and when the lights went out, Verstappen and Leclerc raced briefly for the lead after a good start from the Ferrari. However, Verstappen’s confidence in his car allowed him to take the outside line in Turn 1 and hold onto the lead.

Meanwhile, attempting to make up for the mistake in the final qualifying round, McLaren’s Lando Norris got around the Mercedes of George Russell and behind his teammate Oscar Piastri.

Taking advantage of a good corner exit in Turn 5, Leclerc latched onto the tail of Verstappen and used the draft to get once again alongside Verstappen into Turns 6 and 7. Once again, Verstappen held off his challenger and held onto the lead and set off to build a gap before the Drag Reduction System, DRS, would be enabled.

Further down the order, Norris got around his teammate for third while drivers along the field were filing into place to work on attempting to save their tires.

The first round of pit stops was started way down the order from the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, who had a massive lock up while racing for position against the Williams of Logan Sargeant, which caught the stewards’ attention but ultimately brought no further action. Daniel Ricciardo also got his AlphaTauri down pit road following his team bringing attention to a possible tear-off in the car’s brake ducts and a need to clean it out.

Further up, Verstappen was holding onto a steady lead ahead of Leclerc and Norris, with similar margins between the three. Meanwhile, a scrap was beginning to form between the McLaren of Piastri and the Mercedes of Russell, which saw excellent defenses from the young rookie before Russell ultimately took the position over Piastri and set on for the podium.

Verstappen told his Red Bull pit wall, “The right front is slowly getting a bit hurt.” on Lap 12, the front runners were starting their first pit cycles as Aston Martin brought down Fernando Alonso to create an undercut opportunity. McLaren soon countered with Piastri, with the rookie narrowly getting out ahead of the veteran.

On Lap 15, Mercedes and McLaren respectively brought Russell and Norris to box. Even with their record-breaking pit stops earlier in the year, an agonizingly slow stop from McLaren saw Russell jump Norris into the podium spots, coming out ahead of Piastri and Alonso.

Going into Turns 6 and 7, Hamilton was chasing down the Alpine of Pierre Gasly. However, a slight lock-up from the Alpine saw Hamilton get into the rear of the car ahead of him, damaging his front wing. When Mercedes brought down Hamilton for his stop, they elected not to change the front wing, believing it would not be a problem through the race.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 26, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Mark Thompson | Getty Images)

Then, two laps later, Red Bull brought Verstappen for his first stop, swapping from his starting Medium compound tires to the Hard tires like the other stops along the order, relinquishing the lead to Leclerc, who would respond a lap later.

Staying out longer, Yuki Tsunoda found himself in the lead of a Grand Prix for the first time, A welcome gift for Franz Tost, who would be stepping down as AlphaTauri’s team principal following the end of the race.

With the first round of pit stops just about completed, outside of Alfa Romeo keeping Bottas out for longer due to starting on the Hard compound tires, Verstappen extended his lead over the field, followed by Leclerc and Russell while the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez was making his way up the order, getting around Piastri.

On Lap 33, Alpine brought down Gasly to start the second round of pit stops, followed by the other Alpine of Esteban Ocon and McLaren bringing in Norris. Mercedes countered McLaren’s move by bringing in Russell, even though he asked, “Are you sure we can’t make the one-stop work? The tyres feel reasonable.”

Mercedes reiterated a good out-lap would be necessary as he got out ahead of Norris.

Ferrari soon countered Mercedes’ and McLaren’s moves by pitting Leclerc, ensuring he would retain second place. Meanwhile, Verstappen continued, happy to let Perez pit before him just in case.

The former title rivals of Alonso and Hamilton found themselves near each other during the pit cycle that cumulated with the stewards investigating if Alonso brake-tested Hamilton going into Turn 5 ahead of the DRS zone. However, the stewards found no penalty necessary.

Then, on Lap 43, Red Bull brought down Perez, and a lap later, Verstappen put on another set of hard tires for both drivers, completing their final stops of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and of 2023 as well.

With Perez lighting up the timing sheets, he made his way around Tsunoda and set his sights on Norris. But more drama unfolded as the McLaren and Red Bull made contact in the Turns 6 and 7 chicane, exclaiming they turned into one another.

A lap later, the same move was attempted, and Perez made the move stick, but not before the Stewards reviewed his move from the lap before, handing him down a 5-second penalty.

Meanwhile, paying attention to all of the situations at hand with the fast-approaching yet penalized Perez, Leclerc attempting to secure second place in the Constructors Championship for Ferrari over Mercedes, mentioning he could let the Red Bull pass and try to build enough of a gap over Russell to ensure the points position.

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 takes the chequered flag during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 26, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Finally, the final lap for the 2023 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix commecned and was quickly completed as Red Bull’s Verstappen picked up his 19th victory of the 22-race season. Even though Perez crossed the line in second place on the road, he did not create enough of a gap, being jumped by Leclerc and Russell, who rounded out the podium, while Perez fell to fourth. Russell securing third also solidified Mercedes’ second place in the Constructors standings over Ferrari.

The McLarens of Norris and Piastri crossed the line, solidifying fifth and sixth and securing fourth in the Constructors standings, a remarkable result considering the rough start to the season. Alonso brought his Aston Martin home in seventh place, picking up fourth place in the drivers’ standings, his best point result since 2012, while Driver of the Day. Tsunoda, drove an inspired race to eighth place. Lewis Hamilton brought his Mercedes home in the ninth position, and Lance Stroll quietly closed out the Top 10 points-paying positions in his Aston Martin.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing broke and secured some Formula 1 records, winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen secured the most wins ever in a season (19), along with the most podium finishes (21), most points scored (575), and most significant points margin between first and second with 290 while completing all laps in the season. Verstappen also became the first driver to eclipse 1000 laps led in a season with 1003 laps led.

F1 drivers and teams can put 2023 behind them and start focusing on 2024. With the 2024 season beginning on Mar. 2, 2024, the grid sets its sights on trying to catch up to Verstappen and Red Bull Racing.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Official Race Classification

FINAL DRIVERS STANDINGS

FINAL CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS