[ad_1]
Max Verstappen dominates from pole to take a record-extending 15th win of 2022; But Charles Leclerc holds off Sergio Perez in the finale to second in the race and championship; Mercedes struggle with Lewis Hamilton suffering mechanical failure and George Russell penalized for unsafe release By Matt Morlidge at Yas Marina
Last Updated: 11/20/22 3:07pm
Max Verstappen ends a dominant season with a record-extending 15th victory from the campaign!
Max Verstappen ends a dominant season with a record-extending 15th victory from the campaign!
Max Verstappen claimed a dominant Abu Dhabi GP victory to sign off his glittering 2022 title-winning season in style, though Charles Leclerc denied Red Bull a perfect finale by holding off Sergio Perez for second place in the race, and the championship.
A record-extending 15th win of a 22-race season never looked in danger for Verstappen after he held off his team-mate into the first corner from pole, although the battle behind was absorbing and went down to the final laps.
Leclerc and Perez came into the final race locked on points and the Ferrari was the big underdog behind the Red Bulls, although a two-stopping Perez could not catch Leclerc, who like Verstappen was one-stopping, in time.
Red Bull, left ruing a 1.3s gap at the checkered flag, therefore did not take the first one-two in the championship in their history.
“We had the perfect race,” said Leclerc. I knew the only way for us to beat Checo was with a different strategy.
“I really hope next year we can make a step forward and fight for the championship.”
Carlos Sainz was fourth in the other Ferrari, with Mercedes struggling in the last race of a difficult campaign.
Lewis Hamilton is forced to retire from the Abu Dhabi GP with hydraulic issue!
Lewis Hamilton is forced to retire from the Abu Dhabi GP with hydraulic issue!
Lewis Hamilton was running just ahead of a charging Sainz on the penultimate lap before suffering a hydraulic issue; Mercedes’ first mechanical failure of the year. That sealed what was inevitable, Hamilton failing to win a race in a season for the first time in his 22-year career.
George Russell did finish the race, in fifth, although only after having to serve a five-second penalty for an unsafe release in the pits.
In his final race of a glittering and title-laden F1 career, Sebastian Vettel scored a point in the Aston Martin – although he wanted more after a one-stop strategy saw him fall back behind his team-mate, and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
He finished the race just behind Daniel Ricciardo, who is also leaving the sport – potentially permanently – as he exits McLaren for a soon-to-be-confirmed move back to Red Bull as a development driver.
Fellow multiple champion Fernando Alonso suffered another DNF, his fourth from the last seven races of his Alpine career before he replaces Vettel in the Aston Martin for 2023.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Final result1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari3) Sergio Perez, Red Bull4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari5) George Russell, Mercedes6) Lando Norris, McLaren7) Esteban Ocon, Alpine8) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin9 ) Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren 10) Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin
How Leclerc denied Red Bull their perfect finale
Verstappen’s victory may not have been a surprise at Yas Marina, but Perez losing out to Leclerc certainly was.
Perez came into the last race with more momentum, speed and a better starting position to Leclerc, who hadn’t won a race since July’s Austrian GP and hadn’t finished higher than third for four races.
But Leclerc, who is so often left behind by the Red Bulls over race pace with Ferrari’s sub-optimal tire management, reversed form and kept with the Red Bulls in the first stint, and particularly, the second.
His pace behind Verstappen and Perez forced Red Bull into a second stop for the Mexican with 25 laps remaining.
In a move eerily similar to the reverse of this last year, Hamilton holds up Perez in the final race of the season.
In a move eerily similar to the reverse of this last year, Hamilton holds up Perez in the final race of the season.
Perez was around a second-a-lap faster than Leclerc on fresh tyres, though was potentially crucially held up by Hamilton – with the Mercedes driver overtaking him in a roles reversal from last year’s controversial Abu Dhabi decider – though the Monegasque, and Verstappen, managed to expertly retain pace on wearing rubber.
Leclerc kept Perez out of DRS range on the final lap and crossed the checkered flag a second ahead to seal his best-ever-championship finish.
More to follow.
.
|
Sources 2/ https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5za3lzcG9ydHMuY29tL2YxL25ld3MvMTU3NDAvMTI3NTE2MjMvYWJ1LWRoYWJpLWdwLW1heC12ZXJzdGFwcGVuLXNpZ25zLW9mZi1mMS0yMDIyLWluLXN0eWxlLWNoYXJsZXMtbGVjbGVyYy1kZW5pZXMtcmVkLWJ1bGwtb25lLXR3b9IBkwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5za3lzcG9ydHMuY29tL2FtcC9mMS9uZXdzLzE1NzQwLzEyNzUxNjIzL2FidS1kaGFiaS1ncC1tYXgtdmVyc3RhcHBlbi1zaWducy1vZmYtZjEtMjAyMi1pbi1zdHlsZS1jaGFybGVzLWxlY2xlcmMtZGVuaWVzLXJlZC1idWxsLW9uZS10d28?oc=5 The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
[ad_2]