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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Max Verstappen’s excellent season ended with a snug victory on the Abu Dhabi on Sunday, incomes the Formulation One champion a record-extending nineteenth victory of the marketing campaign and 54th general to maneuver into third on the all-time record.
Verstappen completed forward of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes driver George Russell, and likewise collected a bonus level for the quickest lap. His 54th profession win moved him one forward of former Crimson Bull nice Sebastian Vettel, with solely Michael Schumacher (91) and Lewis Hamilton (103) left forward of him.
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“What an unbelievable 12 months,” Verstappen mentioned after crossing the road. “It was a bit emotional on the in-lap.”
Crimson Bull received 21 of twenty-two races this season, with Sergio Perez claiming two wins.
“It will likely be very exhausting to have one other season like this, we all know that,” Verstappen mentioned. “We are going to see, we’re working exhausting for subsequent 12 months to have a really aggressive automotive.”
After profitable two of the primary 4 races, Perez fell rapidly behind his star teammate.
“You’ve smashed it out of the park this 12 months,” Crimson Bull workforce principal Christian Horner informed Verstappen on the radio. “We’re all extremely happy with you.”
Perez crossed the road in second place, however dropped to fourth due to a five-second time penalty following an incident with McLaren’s Lando Norris late on.
Leclerc let Perez go previous him on the ultimate lap within the hope Perez would end greater than 5 seconds forward of Russell, with Mercedes and Ferrari each preventing for second place within the constructors’ championship.
With Russell’s teammate Hamilton ending ninth for 2 factors and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. out of the factors, Mercedes clinched second behind Crimson Bull within the constructors’ desk.
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“Sadly, it wasn’t sufficient,” mentioned Leclerc, after his third podium previously 4 races. “It’s only a disgrace we completed third in constructors, that’s all that mattered to me, we didn’t obtain that however I need to thank the workforce for doing such unbelievable work.”
Mercedes beat Ferrari by solely three factors, and whereas Sainz is the one different driver to win a race this season — in Singapore two months in the past — his failure to attain in Abu Dhabi proved expensive for Ferrari.
On the finish, it was Russell who delivered.
“It means an enormous quantity, there’s so many individuals again on the manufacturing facility who’ve labored so exhausting to realize this, it’s been a extremely difficult season,” Russell mentioned after solely his second podium this season. “I’ve let the aspect down a few occasions this 12 months so I’m happy to have introduced it throughout the road at present.”
Norris completed the race in fifth place forward of his teammate Oscar Piastri, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in seventh. AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, Hamilton and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) accomplished the highest 10.
Hamilton positioned third within the standings, however the seven-time F1 champion completed and not using a victory for a second straight 12 months.
Verstappen began from pole place for the twelfth time this season — greater than twice as many as another driver — with Leclerc alongside him and Piastri third.
The Yas Marina monitor is considered one of hardest to overhaul on and Verstappen made a very good begin, holding off a few assaults by Leclerc.
Verstappen switched to exhausting tires on lap 17 of 58, adopted by Leclerc on the subsequent lap, leaving Tsunoda within the uncommon place of main a race on workforce principal Franz Tost’s final grand prix earlier than retiring.
Verstappen regained the lead a number of laps later and was by no means troubled.
Perez was given a penalty for bumping tires with Norris, though it appeared Norris had sufficient house and changed into Perez’s entrance proper tire.
“Why are we given this penalty? I used to be forward,” a bemused Perez mentioned on workforce radio.
Perez was second general this season to present Crimson Bull a 1-2, however the veteran Mexican driver completed a mammoth 290 factors behind Verstappen.
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