F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix LIVE: Race results as Max Verstappen wins season finale
Follow all the reaction from the final grand prix of the 2023 Formula 1 season at the Yas Marina Circuit
Max Verstappen ended the most dominant season in Formula One history with another victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Mercedes clung on to second place in the constructors’ championship by the skin of their teeth – and a £10milllion cash boost.
Verstappen - who became the first man to lead 1,000 laps in a single F1 season - failed to triumph at just three of the 22 rounds staged, and his latest win takes him to 54 for his career, leaving only Lewis Hamilton (103 wins) and Michael Schumacher (91) ahead of him.
The Dutchman finished 17 seconds clear of team-mate Sergio Perez but the Red Bull driver was demoted to fourth following a five-second penalty for a collision with Lando Norris.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was promoted to second with Mercedes’ George Russell third. Lewis Hamilton finished ninth in the other black-liviried machine with Mercedes three points clear of Ferrari in the standings to land a £105million reward, rather than £95m.
Follow reaction from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with The Independent
Cue the doughnuts!
Max Verstappen has some fun on the grid as he pulls into P1 for the 19th time this year!
Max Verstappen wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Max Verstappen wins for the fourth time in a row at Yas Marina - his 19th win of the season!
Charles Leclerc does take second in the end due to Sergio Perez’s five-place penalty - and the Mexican drops back to fourth.
1-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Perez, Norris, Piastri, Alonso, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Stroll
And Mercedes take second in the constructors’ championship from Ferrari by three points!
Final lap! (Lap 58/58)
Max Verstappen starts his last lap of the season - and is now the first driver to lead 1,000 laps in a Formula 1 season.
And up top: Charles Leclerc has swapped P2 with Sergio Perez with the intention of trying to block George Russell for the constructors’ championship!
Sergio Perez moves up to third (Lap 55/58)
Sergio Perez cruises past George Russell to take third place.
Now the Mexican has three laps to build-up a five-second advantage to take a podium spot!
That could be crucial for the constructors’ championship!
Sergio Perez has a five-second time penalty (Lap 51/58)
Perez punished! He has a five-second time penalty for that collision with Norris!
The Mexican now 2.7 seconds behind Russell - and 3.3 seconds clear of Norris.
Top-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Perez, Norris, Piastri, Tsunoda, Alonso, Hamilton, Sainz
Carlos Sainz in 10th does have to pit again in order to switch compound. As it stands, Mercedes will claim second in the constructors’ championship.
Sergio Perez does take fourth place (Lap 50/58)
At the same turn, Sergio Perez does now take fourth down the inside on Lando Norris!
But... the Mexican is under investigation for causing a collision. We’ll wait and see on this one!
Meanwhile, Alpine and McLaren might be getting a fine: both teams being noted for their pit crews not wearing the requisite eye-protection during pit stops.
Lando Norris and Sergio Perez collide! (Lap 47/58)
Perez looks to take fourth down the inside at turn 6 - and he clips Lando Norris!
The McLaren takes to the escape road and stays in front... but will he have to give the position back?
Norris: “Yeah he just crashed into me.”
Perez: “He just turned into me.”
Sergio Perez pits (Lap 45/58)
This strategy has worked out well for Sergio Perez - he’s up to P5 after pitting and is right on the tail of Lando Norris ahead.
Max Verstappen also heads in - 2.3 sec stop - and comes out five seconds clear of Charles Leclerc. Dominant.
Top-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Perez, Tsunoda, Piastri, Sainz, Alonso, Hamilton
Not one yellow flag yet (Lap 39/58)
No yellow flags and no safety cars yet this afternoon. Very much a rarity...
Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and George Russell pit (Lap 34/58)
A game of attempted undercut begins - but ends with the usual order restored between second, third and fourth.
McLaren try first with Lando Norris, but all the stops are solid and Leclerc keeps de facto second place.
Max Verstappen opting not to respond yet, and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez is now 16 seconds behind in second.
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