Abu Dhabi GP: Max Verstappen claims record-extending win as Mercedes hold off Ferrari in constructors battle

World champion Max Verstappen capped his historically-dominant 2023 Formula 1 campaign by claiming victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to take sole ownership of third on the sport's all-time list of race winners.

In a dramatic finish to decide second behind Verstappen's Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship, Charles Leclerc took second for Ferrari but it was not enough to overturn a four-point deficit to Mercedes, for whom George Russell took third and team-mate Lewis Hamilton ninth.

Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez finished second on the track, but was demoted to fourth by a five-second penalty for causing a late-race collision with Lando Norris, who came fifth ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

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Verstappen controlled the 22nd and final race of the year from pole position to claim a record-extending 19th win of the season, taking his overall victory tally to 54, moving him beyond Sebastian Vettel and leaving just Hamilton and Michael Schumacher ahead.

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The Dutchman, who sealed his third successive title with six grands prix remaining, ends the season with a record total of 575 points, more than double his nearest challenger Perez, with Red Bull winning all but one race.

Fernando Alonso took seventh for Aston Martin, with Yuki Tsunoda's impressive eighth place not quite enough to lift AlphaTauri above Williams for seventh in the constructors' standing.

Alonso's team-mate Lance Stroll rounded out the points, as Aston Martin's underwhelming second half of the season ended with them 22 points back from fourth-placed constructor McLaren.

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Abu Dhabi GP result: Top 10
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3) George Russell, Mercedes
4) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
5) Lando Norris, McLaren
6) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
7) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
8) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri
9) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
10) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

Verstappen ends historic campaign in style

Having overcome some practice struggles to take pole in Saturday's qualifying session, the chance of Verstappen not converting from pole appeared minimal as the lights went out at the Yas Marina Circuit for the final time in 2023.

Once the Dutchman saw off two overtaking attempts from Leclerc on the opening lap, that chance was almost non-existent.

As has so often been the case throughout the season, Verstappen calmly managed his tyres to remain outside of DRS range, before easing into the distance as the race developed.

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Verstappen's comfort at the front was such that he at one point came onto team radio to offer up priority at the second round of pit stops to Perez, who was attempting to come through the field from ninth on the grid.

Albeit helped slightly by those behind him focusing on their own contest, Verstappen ended the race just short of 18 seconds clear of Leclerc.

Perhaps most significant among the host of records he has set during a near-faultless campaign is a win percentage of above 86 per cent, which unlike victory and points totals, isn't impacted by an ever-growing calendar.

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Verstappen moved clear of Vettel, the last Red Bull driver to win a drivers' title before him, in race wins, and will now be focused on returning in 2024 to match the streak of four successive championships the German won between 2009 and 2012.

"It was an incredible season, it was a bit emotional on the last lap," Verstappen said. "The last time sitting in the car which of course has given me a lot.

"Of course, very proud to win the final race, I have to say thanks to everyone at Red Bull it's been an incredible year. It will be hard to do something similar, but we definitely enjoyed this year."

Mercedes-Ferrari battle provides thrills

While there was little doubt about who was going to win the race, the sub-plot of Mercedes trying to hold off Ferrari in the constructors' standings provided plenty of entertainment.

Leclerc started second and Russell fourth, while Hamilton was 11th on the grid with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz 16th after both endured disappointing early qualifying exits.

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Their mixed up starting positions and a race where stopping twice was the optimum strategy meant that a near constantly changing leaderboard made it hard to keep track of who was going to come out on top.

Russell made a poor start and lost a place to Norris, but regained fourth on lap 11 by overtaking Piastri, who had also been passed by his McLaren team-mate.

The Mercedes driver would then advance to third after a slow McLaren stop enabled him to pass Norris, with Leclerc comfortably holding onto second ahead.

The intrigue would come as the quick Perez came through the field, where he could potentially split Leclerc and Russell to aid Ferrari's cause.

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However, Ferrari's hopes of helping hand were ruined when Perez carelessly drove into Norris when overtaking the McLaren, earning a five-second penalty which would prove crucial at the end.

Perez passed Russell with four laps remaining but even with the help of a fast-thinking Leclerc, who slowed down to give the Red Bull a slipstream and allow it through, couldn't open up an all-important five-second gap to the Mercedes.

Russell staying within a place of Leclerc would have kept Mercedes a point ahead of Ferrari, who held the tiebreaker by virtue of Sainz's win in Singapore, but Hamilton outperforming the Spaniard gave the Silver Arrows an extra cushion.

The seven-time world champion made early progress into the top 10, but had his hopes - and front wing - dented as he drove into the back of Pierre Gasly's Alpine after the Frenchman locked up on lap 15.

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The incident ultimately appeared to do little damage, but Hamilton appeared to fail to maximise the potential Russell was showing the Mercedes had, as he passed Fernando Alonso before the Aston Martin immediately hit back, with Hamilton claiming his former team-mate had brake tested him after retaking the place.

Then on the final lap, in what could have been a crucial moment, Hamilton got ahead of Tsunoda for eighth only to suffer a big snap and give the position back.

Ultimately his blushes were saved by Sainz's disappointing race, with Ferrari's attempt to put him on a one-stop strategy failing to pay off with no Safety Car aiding his cause.

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