Sport

Max Verstappen wraps up Formula One season with victory in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc secures runner-up spot in championship as Lewis Hamilton ends season without a win after retiring

Max Verstappen celebrates his victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Max Verstappen celebrates his victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Sun Nov 20 2022 - 15:32

Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with an untroubled, dominant run at the front from pole to flag in Formula One’s season finale.

The Dutch driver beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into second. Leclerc drove a masterful race and his team pulled off a tactical coup to seal it, ensuring the Monegasque driver took second in the championship, denying Red Bull their first drivers’ championship one-two. Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez was third, unable to catch Leclerc at the death.

Lewis Hamilton had to retire his car with a hydraulic problem, bringing a difficult season to a close, the first in the seven-times champion’s career in which he has not won a single race.

Verstappen’s win was a pedestrian affair, he went unchallenged out front with another display of complete control and pace that has typified his season, which closes with a record 15 wins from 22 races.

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Behind him Leclerc and Pérez were in a fight of their own and took it to the wire as they adopted alternate strategies. Ferrari’s one-stop ultimately paid off as he managed his rubber to the flag to seal second despite a charge from Pérez, leaving Red Bull thwarted at the last.

Leclerc and Pérez were level on points going into this final round and Leclerc fought hard to beat his rival despite starting behind him on the grid. It is the least Ferrari might have expected having started the season so strongly but will be of cold comfort given Red Bull comfortably secured both drivers’ and constructors’ titles.

Red Bull have still yet to take a one-two in the championship despite the dominance they enjoyed this year and with Sebastian Vettel taking four titles between 2010 and 2014. Second is Leclerc’s best finish in the championship.

For Hamilton it brings to a close his remarkable and unique record in F1 of being the only driver to have taken a victory in every season he has competed in F1 since his debut in 2007. It is the final disappointment after what has been a brutal season where the uncompetitive Mercedes has not only been off the pace but a handful to drive and hugely physically demanding in the form of the bouncing and porpoising with which it suffered for the majority of the year.

He finishes in fifth place, equalling his previous lowest championship standing with McLaren in 2009 and 2011 and behind team-mate George Russell who was fourth and took fifth place in Abu Dhabi. It is only the third time Hamilton has been outscored by a team-mate, with Nico Rosberg doing so in 2016 and Jenson Button in 2011.

The result also ensured Ferrari have sealed second place in the constructors’ championship beating Mercedes into third. Mercedes were 19 points back going into the race and overcoming it was a major ask but the Scuderia nonetheless closed out with a strong race. After a season strewn with errors by driver and team in operation and execution the close season presents a chance for the team to reset they badly need.

Third place is the lowest Mercedes have finished since they were fifth in 2012 and this year is the first since 2014 that have failed to win the constructors’ championship.

Vettel drew his F1 career to a close with 10th place for Aston Martin at the track where he secured his first title in 2010. The German is retiring having raced in F1 for 16 years. He enjoyed huge success taking four titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013 but could not replicate it when he moved to Ferrari. The 35-year-old was in the fight for the title twice in 2017 and 2018 but both times was denied by Hamilton as he and Mercedes saw off the Scuderia’s challenge.

Vettel made his debut in 2007 with Toro Rosso and finishes his career having competed in 299 races, he has taken 53 wins, with the last for Ferrari at Singapore in 2009.

Carlos Sainz was fourth for Ferrari, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo sixth and ninth for McLaren, Esteban Ocon seventh for Alpine and Lance Stroll eighth for Aston Martin. – Guardian