Verstappen wins in Abu Dhabi as Mercedes secure second place in constructors' championship
The Dutchman left no margin for error in the final race of the 2023 season to end a record-breaking season on a high. Mercedes secured second place in the Constructors' Championship after a close battle with Ferrari down to the last moment.
Max Verstappen wins in Abu Dhabi to conclude a perfect season. / @F1
The sun has set on Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, giving way to the final race of 2023. It has been a dull and monotonous year for many, an exciting one for others and certainly a special one for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman's dominance in the RB19, which he affectionately calls "Rocky", has left drivers and teams who, since the first season, had accepted with resignation that this was going to be a year without options.
As expected, Max finished the year with his 19th win in 22 Grand Prix races and set another record by leading 1000 laps in a single F1 season.
At the start, Max was set against Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, his karting rival from years ago. With nothing to play for, Verstappen set off as usual, as if the championship was at stake in every race, alongside a Leclerc who was determined to secure second place in the Constructors' Championship, especially after a difficult year for him as a driver and for Ferrari as a team. On the opening lap, Leclerc fought against a Verstappen who was defending like never before, in a battle that hinted at the excitement of a duel between two great drivers. A thrill that Red Bull's unbeatable dominance has deprived fans of for most of the year.
Charles managed to hold on to second place until the end, but despite his best efforts for his team, it was not enough. With George Russell in third and Checo Perez behind him with great pace, the Monegasque turned on the radio and took on the role of Ferrari strategist:
"Tell me the difference between Checo and Russell. If it's less than five seconds, I'll give him the slipstream and let him pass".
Charles knew he needed Checo to overtake Russell to score more points, especially after the strategy with Carlos Sainz had failed completely. The Spaniard had to fight his way back into the points after qualifying in sixteenth place, but the pit stop strategy didn't work at all and Sainz finished the race without scoring on a crucial day.
Things got even more complicated for Ferrari on lap 48 when Pérez collided with Norris while attempting to overtake him, an incident the FIA deemed to be the Mexican's fault and which earned him a highly controversial five-second penalty. Although Pérez managed to overtake Russell into third place, the Mexican would need to gain more than five seconds on the Englishman to retain that position and allow the Reds to take second place in the Constructors' Championship.
When it looked as if all was lost for Ferrari, Leclerc decided to make one last desperate attempt, an action that once again revealed the potential that everyone has been talking about since he entered the pinnacle of motorsport as a potential rival to Verstappen. The Monegasque got on the radio to Ferrari, asking what else he could do, and shortly afterwards let Pérez through with a few laps to go in an attempt to give him the five-second advantage he needed.
The podium was completed by Verstappen in first, Leclerc in second and Russell in third, securing second place in the Constructors' Championship for Mercedes. 2023 was a similarly tough year for the British team, especially for George Russell, who carried the burden of his poor performances throughout the season and felt responsible for almost losing that position for the team.
As 2023 draws to a close, the question is more relevant than ever: will there be a team capable of breaking the dominance of Red Bull and Max Verstappen? We will find out in 2024.
Verstappen, Leclerc and Russell on the podium in Abu Dhabi. / @F1
