November 26, (THEWILL) – Max Verstappen cemented his dominance of the 2023 Formula One World Championship, cruising to a record-extending 19th victory of the season at Sunday’s dramatic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The newly crowned three-time world champion led from pole position in his Red Bull, beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 18 seconds at the Yas Marina Circuit. However, it was Mercedes who clinched second place in the Constructors’ Championship after Sergio Perez was demoted from second to fourth for a collision with Lando Norris.
The race was action-packed from lights out, with multiple lead changes in the early stages before Verstappen asserted control. There was late drama when Perez passed George Russell for third place on track, only to receive a five-second penalty that dropped him behind the Mercedes driver.
Verstappen lapped every car en route to breaking multiple records, leading over 1,000 laps this season. Ferrari attempted various strategic gambles to usurp Mercedes, while the Silver Arrows did just enough to beat Red Bull by three points.
“It was really tense, but it’s a massive relief to bring the car home P3,” said Russell. “It means a huge amount to so many people back at the factory.”
Meanwhile, Verstappen paid tribute to his team after an “incredible season” and AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost, who nurtured his early career.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
