Purple Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen performs a burnout after successful the Abu Dhabi Components One Grand Prix on the Yas Marina Circuit within the Emirati metropolis on November 26, 2023. (Picture by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
Max Verstappen accomplished an imposing and record-breaking season in acquainted model on Sunday when he cruised to a record-increasing nineteenth win of the 12 months for Purple Bull at an action-packed Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The three-time world champion got here house 17.993 seconds forward of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc whose daring drive was not sufficient for the Italian crew to assert the runners-up place within the constructors’ championship.
That went, lastly, to Mercedes by simply three factors as though Sergio Perez got here house second behind Verstappen on the street he was relegated to fourth with a five-second penalty, for a mid-race conflict with McLaren’s Lando Norris, which promoted George Russell to 3rd.
A surprising achievement 🤩@Max33Verstappen wins his nineteenth race of the season #F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/nNchlK2oLB
— Components 1 (@F1) November 26, 2023
Norris was fifth forward of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda of Alpha Tauri and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton within the second Mercedes.
Verstappen ended the season as the one driver to finish each lap of the season, greater than 1000 laps led, and likewise broke Jim Clark’s 1963 document for the best proportion of laps led in a season.
“An unbelievable season,” mentioned Verstappen, who additionally paid tribute to retirement-bound Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost who nurtured his early F1 profession. “I felt fairly emotional on the in-lap because it’s the final time on this automotive that has given me so much.
Russell mentioned: “It was actually tense on the finish because the tires have been dropping off, however it’s a large reduction to convey the automotive house P3. It means an enormous quantity to so many individuals again on the manufacturing unit.”
Leclerc, who slowed to permit Perez to cross him within the closing laps, mentioned: “He had a penalty and we had to assist him end in entrance of George with the 5 seconds… however, sadly, it wasn’t sufficient… It’s a disgrace we completed third.”
The race started in sizzling circumstances, with an air temperature of 27 levels Celsius and the observe cooling quickly because the solar went down and the floodlights blazed on the Yas Marina Circuit. The highest 12 automobiles began on medium compound tires.
The Dutchman led from pole and fended off three early challenges from Leclerc to open up a one-second lead earlier than Drag Discount System (DRS) was enabled on lap three when Perez swept inside Hamilton for ninth and Norris handed Piastri for third, having already handed Russell.
Because the leaders all pitted for hards, Yuki Tsunoda took over on lap 18, giving Alpha Tauri and Tost a memorable second, solely the second time a Japanese driver had led a Components One race.
He stayed there as Verstappen weaved his method again to the entrance, lastly taking management once more on lap 23 when Tsunoda pitted, returning in twelfth behind Hamilton, who survived an early stumble upon the rear of Pierre Gasly’s Alpine with entrance wing harm.
By lap 30, it was a well-recognized story. Verstappen led Leclerc by 6.5 seconds with Russell 2.1 behind in third and Norris fourth. Hamilton was eighth and Sainz 14th.
Because the second stops started, Norris pitted once more on lap 34, taking recent hards. He re-joined tenth. Mercedes responded, bringing Russell in – and he got here out in P9 whereas Hamilton battled Alonso for ninth and Sainz, on an aggressive technique, rose to eighth.
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Because it stood, it was benefit Ferrari once more whereas, on the entrance, Verstappen got here in once more on lap 44, retaining his result in emerge with a 15-lap cruise to the flag earlier than Hamilton handed Sainz for ninth with 10 laps to go.
It was benefit Mercedes once more, however when Russell was handed by Perez, for third, the ‘silver arrows’ hopes held on the five-second penalty the Mexican was given for an earlier conflict with Norris because the flag got here out for Verstappen.