At the thrilling Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, Max Verstappen wrapped up an incredible and record-breaking season in style as he easily won his 19th race of the year for Red Bull.
The three-time world champion finished 17.993 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, whose valiant drive was insufficient to secure the Italian team’s second-place finish in the constructors’ title. Mercedes ultimately won by just three points because, despite finishing second behind Verstappen on the road, Sergio Perez was penalised five seconds for colliding with McLaren’s Lando Norris in the middle of the race, moving George Russell up to third.
Oscar Piastri of McLaren, Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, Yuki Tsunoda of Alpha Tauri, and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes all finished ahead of Norris in fifth place.
Verstappen beat Jim Clark’s 1963 record for the highest percentage of laps led in a season and finished the season as the only driver to complete every lap. Verstappen also led over 1000 laps during the season.
Verstappen praised the “amazing season” and the retiring Franz Tost, the manager of Alpha Tauri, who shaped his early Formula One career. “Being the last time in this car that has given me so much, I felt rather emotional on the in-lap.
“It’s a huge relief to bring the car home P3, but it was really tense at the end as the tyres were dropping off,” Ussell stated. For a great number of individuals back at the plant, it holds immense meaning.
“He had a penalty and we had to help him finish in front of George with the five seconds… but, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough,” said Leclerc, who had slowed to allow Perez to pass him in the final circuits. It’s unfortunate that we came in third.
With the air temperature at 27 degrees Celsius at the start of the race, the track cooled quickly as the sun set and the Yas Marina Circuit was illuminated by floodlights. The starting tyres for the top 12 cars were medium compound.
Before the Drag Reduction System (DRS) was activated on lap three when Perez slid inside Hamilton for ninth and Norris past Piastri for third after having previously overtaken Russell, the Dutchman started from pole position and withstood three early attacks from Leclerc to establish a one-second lead.
Only the second time a Japanese driver had led a Formula One race, Yuki Tsunoda gained the lead on lap 18, giving Alpha Tauri and Tost a memorable occasion as the leaders all pitted for hards. He remained there while Verstappen gradually made his way back to the lead. On lap 23, Tsunoda pulled in, and Hamilton—who had already escaped an early collision with the back of Pierre Gasly’s Alpine that had damaged front wings—returned in 12th place.
By lap 30, it was a familiar story. Verstappen led Leclerc by 6.5 seconds with Russell 2.1 behind in third and Norris fourth. Hamilton was eighth and Sainz 14th. As the second stops began, Norris pitted again on lap 34, taking fresh hards. He re-joined 10th. Mercedes responded, bringing Russell in — and he came out in P9 while Hamilton battled Alonso for ninth and Sainz, on an aggressive strategy, rose to eighth.
With 10 laps remaining, Hamilton passed Sainz for ninth place, but as things stood, Verstappen maintained his lead and emerged victorious with a 15-lap cruise to the finish. Ferrari was still in the lead.
Mercedes was ahead once more, but when Perez past Russell for third, the Mexican’s five-second penalty for a previous altercation with Norris threatened to spoil the chances for the “silver arrows.” Verstappen was then given the green flag.
