The 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022) is a Formula One motor race held on 20 November 2022 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Going into the weekend, both the Drivers' and Constructors' titles have already been decided at the Japanese and United States Grands Prix, respectively. Max Verstappen leads the Drivers' Championship with 429 points, with Charles Leclerc, second, and Sergio Pérez, third, both with 290 points. Red Bull Racing leads the Constructors' Championship from Ferrari by 195 points and Mercedes by 214 points. During the F1 Commission meeting held ahead of the race, a study for a complete revision of the sporting regulations for 2024 is presented in an attempt to simplify the rules with a review. During the meeting, several points are discussed. Feedback from the drivers shows that visibility in extreme wet conditions is critical with the ground-effect cars, leading to delays in the start of Grands Prix or the need to suspend on-track activities. The FIA has thus started a study to define a kit aimed at eliminating the spray generated in wet conditions. The study shows that there are different penalties resulting from the replacement of power units. The F1 Commission acknowledges that the current rules are not sufficiently deterrent to the teams but rather encourage the tactical replacement of certain engine elements once a driver has surpassed a certain penalty threshold. In this way, the costs increase uncontrollably, undermining the restrictions on power units to be used in a championship. The goal of the FIA is to abolish tire blankets from 2024. However, following feedback from the drivers, it is decided to postpone any decision until July 2023, to collect more data before drawing final conclusions. The F1 Commission approves the idea to activate the Drag Reduction System one lap earlier at the start of a Grand Prix or Sprint race, or after a safety car restart. This change will be tested in the 2023 Sprint races with the intention to make the rule fully operational from 2024. Discussions take place on ways to simplify the procedures for the parc fermé when the event includes a Sprint race. The allowances are reviewed for the teams in the event of an incident during Sprint races, with the proposal to offer a flat fee of $300.000 per Sprint race being approved, eliminating all other additional counts. Finally, other minor changes to the technical and financial regulations for 2023 are unanimously approved. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks the last race in Formula 1 for Aston Martin's German driver Sebastian Vettel.
On the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Vettel had announced his retirement at the end of the season. The German driver made his Formula 1 debut in the 2007 season during the U.S. Grand Prix driving for the former German team BMW Sauber as a reserve driver. Also from 2007 until 2008 he raced for the Italian manufacturer under the name Toro Rosso at the time, with which he won his first race in the category in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, at the time the youngest driver to triumph in a race. From 2009 to 2014 he raced for the Austrian Red Bull Racing team before joining Ferrari, where he competed from 2015 to 2020. For the past two seasons, he has been hired by the British team Aston Martin, with his best result coming in second place in the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. During his career, he has competed in 298 Grands Prix, winning 53 of them, ranking third on the all-time list for races won behind Britain's Lewis Hamilton (103) and compatriot Michael Schumacher (91). He won four Drivers' World Championships, fourth on the world championship roll, all with Red Bull Racing and consecutive between 2010 and 2013, a record equaled by Hamilton and Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio, and surpassed only by Schumacher, with the first world championship won setting the record for the youngest driver to win a world title at 23 years and 134 days, as well as setting, in 16 seasons, 122 podiums, ranking third overall, 57 pole positions, fourth overall behind Hamilton (103), Schumacher (68) and Brazil's Ayrton Senna (65), and 38 fastest laps, scoring 3,097 points, along with eight hat tricks, ranking sixth overall, and four Grand Chelem, ranking eighth overall. Vettel holds the record for the most consecutive wins, nine, in the 2013 season with Red Bull Racing. In parallel, for the Spanish driver of the French stable Alpine, Fernando Alonso, it is the last Grand Prix with the Enstone-based team. Alonso had announced his move to Aston Martin, replacing Vettel, after the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Spaniard with the Alpine has raced since the previous season when he returned to race in the top category for the first time since the 2018 season, with his best result with the French team being third place in the first Qatar Grand Prix run in 2021.
Australian driver of British stable McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo, will also run his last race with the Woking-based team after two seasons. Despite a contract to drive the following season, it was terminated early by mutual agreement between the parties. Ricciardo's best result with the British team was victory in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. His place will be filled by Piastri. Ricciardo, in 2023, will be the third driver for the Austrian Red Bull Racing team, with which he raced as a starting driver from 2014 to 2018. Finally, for Williams' Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi, it is also the last race with the Grove-based team. Latifi has raced with Williams since the 2020 season, with his best result appanage seventh place in the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. The British team, in fact, had announced Logan Sargeant, and the team's reserve driver, would be made official for next season in Latifi's place. Pierre Gasly, too, runs his last race with the Faenza-based team: despite a contract to run an additional year, the French driver signs for Alpine, replacing Alonso. Gasly has raced, as a regular driver, with AlphaTauri since the 2018 season, when the team had the name Toro Rosso, getting the best result the victory in the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, the only one of his career. Gasly, as known, will be replaced of Nyck De Vries, a reserve driver for Mercedes in this championship, who has already made his debut in the category during the Italian Grand Prix, starting from the third free practice session replacing Williams' Thai driver Alexander Albon, as he was diagnosed with appendicitis.
Haas's German driver Mick Schumacher is also having his last race with the U.S. team after two seasons as a starting driver. His best result was sixth place in the Austrian Grand Prix. On the eve of the race, Thursday, November 17, 2022, Haas F1 Team has signed Germany’s Nico Hülkenberg to contest the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship alongside Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen. Hülkenberg (35), a Formula 1 veteran with 181 career starts and a 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans race winner with Porsche, makes his full-time return to the sport next year with the American squad having spent the past two seasons in the role of reserve driver for the Aston Martin F1 Team. Hülkenberg was active in the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship standing in for Sebastian Vettel at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and again at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but the Emmerich-born racer made his first Formula 1 start back in 2010 debuting for Williams at the Bahrain Grand Prix following a stellar junior career. A champion in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport with A1 Team Germany in 2006-07, Hülkenberg then won the 2008 Formula 3 Euro Series followed by the 2009 GP2 Series (now known as the FIA Formula 2 Championship) - prompting a swift graduation into Formula 1 for 2010. Having raced for Williams, Force India, Sauber, Renault, Racing Point and Aston Martin, Hülkenberg has amassed 521 career points in Formula 1 - including one pole position (Brazil 2010), two fastest laps and a best-finish of fourth three times. The German holds a qualifying resume which includes 94 Q3 appearances. A career high of seventh place in the Driver Standings came with Renault back in the 2018 season.
"I’m naturally very pleased to be welcoming Nico Hülkenberg back to a full-time racing role in Formula 1".
Commented Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team:
"The experience and knowledge base Nico brings to the team is clear to see - with nearly 200 career starts in Formula 1 - and a reputation as being a great qualifier and a solid, reliable racer. These are attributes, which when you pair them together with Kevin Magnussen’s experience, gives us a very credible and well-seasoned driver line-up which we believe will help push the team onwards up the grid. That’s obviously the goal and it was that ambition that has prompted Nico’s return to Formula 1 - he shares our vision and can be a key player together with the rest of the team in building on the foundations we’ve laid this year with our return to the points battle. I’m very happy to move into a full-time race seat with Haas F1 Team in 2023".
Nico Hülkenberg can only be happy to return permanently to Formula 1 after waiting a long time:
"I feel like I never really left Formula 1. I’m excited to have the opportunity to do what I love the most again and want to thank Gene Haas and Günther Steiner for their trust. We have work ahead of us to be able to compete with all the other teams in the midfield, and I cannot wait to join that battle again".
Hülkenberg will start work for Haas F1 Team on Tuesday 22 nd November participating in the end of season Formula 1 test hosted in Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit - Hülkenberg piloting this season’s VF-22 alongside the team’s test and reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi in the second car. Haas F1 Team and Mick Schumacher will part ways at the conclusion of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The German driver joined the American team in December 2020 having won the Formula 2 Championship that year. Over two full seasons competing in Formula 1 Schumacher has scored a best result of sixth place for Haas F1 Team - his points haul coming in the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, one week after collecting his maiden points for an eighth-place finish at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Schumacher currently sits 16th overall in the 2022 Drivers’ Standings on 12 points.
"I would like to thank Mick Schumacher for his contribution to the team over the past couple of years".
Stated Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team, about Mick Schumacher:
"Mick’s pedigree in the junior categories was well known and he has continued to grow and develop as a driver in his time with Haas F1 Team - culminating in his first Formula 1 points-scoring successes earlier this season. While choosing to go in separate directions for the future the entire team wishes Mick well for the next steps in his career path and beyond".
Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Liberty Media s proud to announce that the world’s first official Formula 1 Exhibition will open in Madrid on Friday 24 March 2023. Hosted at the renowned IFEMA MADRID and running until Sunday 16 July 2023, this first-of-its-kind exhibition is set to provide a stunning adventure through the extraordinary world of Formula 1. Officially developed in association with Formula 1 and with unprecedented support from the motorsport community, the show boasts a wide range of never-before-seen artefacts and contributions from the sport’s most legendary teams, experts and personalities. Produced in partnership with Round Room Live, the exhibition is delivered across six purpose-built rooms, each specially designed in collaboration with award-winning artists, filmmakers and craftspeople. Delving far beyond what fans have ever seen before, the show uses bold, technology-led design features and large-scale interactive displays to lift the lid on Formula 1’s past, present and future. Several years in the making, the stunning 90-minute experience neatly combines spectacular audio-visual design, rare film and imagery, engineering and educational displays, sculptural pieces and iconic Grand Prix cars to deliver an immersive experience for everyone - from avid followers to younger fans and families. Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1, said:
"The opening of this spectacular exhibition marks a significant moment in the history of Formula 1. As the sport continues to grow at an exponential rate, it’s vital that our fanbase remains at the forefront of everything we do. Launching this world-class international exhibition allows more fans around the world to fall in love with F1, while providing the perfect platform for us to honour the sport’s incredible history. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this project and helped to build an exhibition that captures the heart and soul of the sport we all love".
On the eve of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, McLaren's top management announces that construction of the team's planned wind tunnel has not met its planned schedule, which will be ready in mid-2023.
The Woking-based stable will have to continue development of the next championship car in Toyota's old wind tunnel in Cologne, Germany, while Alpine announces it has fired its head of legal affairs, Benedicte Mercie, after a legal battle with British stable McLaren over the future of the French team's 2021 Formula 2 champion and reserve driver, Australian Oscar Piastri, initially announced by Alpine but later declared by the Federation's contract recognition committee to run with McLaren, the only valid contract signed with the British team. Max Verstappen did not give up his position at Interlagos to favor his teammate in the standings. However, the Milton Keynes team seems to have resolved the issue internally, with an explanatory statement, published just before the press conference with Verstappen present, to end the controversy:
"As a team we made some mistakes in Brazil. We had not envisaged the situation that unfolded on the last lap and we had not agreed a strategy for such a scenario before the race. Regretfully, Max was only informed at the final corner of the request to give up position without all the necessary information being relayed. This put Max, who has always been an open and fair team player, in a compromising situation with little time to react which was not our intention. Following the race Max spoke openly and honestly, allowing for both drivers to resolve any outstanding issues or concerns. The Team accept Max's reasoning, the conversation was a personal matter which will remain private between the team and no further comment will be made. The events that followed from a social media point of view are completely unacceptable. The abusive online behavior towards Max, Checo, the Team and their respective families is shocking and saddening and unfortunately is something that we as a sport are having to address with depressing regularity. There is no place for it in racing or society as a whole and we need to do and be better. At the end of the day this is a sport, we are here to race. Death threats, hate mail, vitriol towards extended family members is deplorable. We value inclusion and want a safe space for everyone to work in and enjoy our sport. The abuse needs to stop".
Another long-awaited verdict is the one for second place in the Constructors' standings. The two contending teams are Ferrari and Mercedes, the latter fresh from its first success of the season in Brazil with George Russell. Mercedes’ Team Principal Toto Wolff says:
"To score a 1-2 finish in Brazil was an incredible result for the team, but it's been made more special by the challenges we have faced this season and how we have overcome them. Securing our first victory of the season is the result of so much hard work, dedication and determination from everyone involved. Our team never stopped believing and never stopped pushing. I couldn't be prouder of them, and it shows just how strong our values are. George was on it all weekend. Faultless on Sunday, he couldn't be more deserving of his first F1 victory and we are so pleased for him. It's a very special moment in his F1 career and a race we'll all remember for many years to come. Lewis put in a brilliant recovery drive. His race pace was impressive, and he put in some incredible overtakes, to fight back through the field and secure the 1-2 finish for the team. We don't expect to be as competitive in Abu Dhabi due to the circuit's characteristics but given the surprises we've had this year with W13, we'll just have to wait and see. We still have an outside chance of P2 in the championship - and the points gap to Ferrari is the smallest it has been all year. Hopefully we'll keep this positive momentum going to end the year strong".
Most of the attention of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, however, falls on Sebastian Vettel. The four-time World Champion says goodbye to F1:
"This is obviously going to be a very emotional weekend as my Grand Prix career draws to a close. I am sure that this race will bring back plenty of happy memories from the last 15 years, and I want to enjoy my last race with the team and with everyone I have met during my time in the sport. It has been a fantastic two years with Aston Martin F1, with lots of fun moments and some great memories. I want to go out on a high, so we will go and fight hard and deliver a great result at the circuit where I secured my first world title, 12 years ago".
The last Grand Prix of the year also casts minds to what is to come. In fact, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly are preparing to change team, not before facing their last challenge with Alpine and AlphaTauri. The Spaniard driver then dedicates a few words to his years with his soon-to-be former team:
"I've enjoyed racing for Alpine and being back in Enstone and Viry. I have very fond memories of my past with Renault and now Alpine at both factories and the team will always have a special place in my heart. When I returned to Formula 1 for the start of the 2021 season, the team welcomed me and made me feel immediately comfortable. Since then, we've gone on to achieve some strong results. The podium in Qatar was a personal highlight for me and something we achieved on merit that weekend. We all faced a totally new set of regulations for 2022 and the team has done well to get on top of these changes and there has been progress compared to last year".
Riccardo Adami, Race Engineer Carlos Sainz car, tell us about your passion for motorsport and the path that brought you to Scuderia Ferrari:
"It all started during my studies at university, I realized I was really passionate about the technical aspects of motorsport. I found that I loved learning about all the aspects of this fantastic world. It was then easy for me to decide to progress from there, partially by luck, to F1 and finally to Ferrari, having a lot of fun in doing what I’m doing".
This weekend we race at Abu Dhabi. Which kind of track is Yas Marina? What will it involve for you, engineering two drivers, starting with Robert and the switching to Carlos?
"The track was quite radically changed last year, making it faster and with more overtaking opportunities. It’s now even more challenging in terms of understanding tyre behaviour and the wing level choices. Having Robert in FP1 will be interesting, as it’s always nice to see the enthusiasm and the approach of a young driver to F1. We’ll give him the best opportunity to learn, understand and to test few important things that will be useful for Carlos and Charles during the rest of the weekend and for next year’s car development".
This is Sebastian Vettel’s last race. You worked with him at Scuderia Toro Rosso and again during the six years he spent at Ferrari. What are your best memories on the track with him, and what was the legacy he left that you can see today in the team’s processes?
"There are a huge number of great memories with Seb both on and off the track. It’s difficult to pick just a few! I definitely remember his first epic win in Monza 2008 (with a Ferrari engine). The first unexpected win with Scuderia Ferrari in Malaysia 2015 at his second race with the team. The many wins and podiums in both 2017 and 2018 when, with a slower car, we were able to challenge the dominant team (Mercedes) for the title right to the very end of those seasons. Seb has brought quite a lot to the team in term of methodologies, attention to detail, he was pushing for improvements at all levels. We put a lot of effort into developing the simulator and it’s now a much better tool that it was back then".
On Friday, November 19, 2022, Abu Dhabi’s weekend starts in clear weather conditions and ideal temperatures for the free practice sessions, where all eyes are on the fight between Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, Sebastian Vettel’s last race and, today, a large number of rookies testing Formula 1 cars in FP1. In today’s news, Formula 1 introduces a new racing category that will be placed below F3: that is Formula 1 Academy, which will be reserved to young female drivers.
After the brief experience of W Series, ended few months before planned due to financial issues, this series seeks to find young women that will have the chance to confront with each other in equal machinery, divided into five teams with three drivers for each, and to fight for a future seat in higher categories. The schedule is set to include seven rounds, each with three races, including at least one weekend shared with the Formula 1 calendar, and the drivers will have fifteen days in order to test their cars. Formula 1 will subsidise each car with a budget of € 150.000 while the drivers cover the same amount of costs with the teams covering the rest of the budget. The single-seaters used will feature a Tatuus F421 chassis, with 165-horsepower turbocharged engines and tyres provided by Pirelli. Back to the Formula 1 circus, the main rumour of the day is that Daniel Ricciardo is set to come back to Red Bull as third driver, as announced by Helmut Marko to German TV. Later in the day, this announcement has been withdrawn, since it has not been officially confirmed yet. We are now at the start of FP1. Lewis Hamilton leads the Mercedes 1-2, with a best lap of 1'26"633, in a session full of rookies and reserve drivers. George Russell is second, two tenths behind. New Zealander Liam Lawson takes #1’s car and closes the session surprisingly in fifth place, two tenths behind teammate Perez; he sets few very good laps on hard tyres and encounters an issue only while he enters the pits, due to a habit taken by driving in Formula 2. Sebastian Vettel, while his father supports him in Aston Martin’s box, closes his last FP1 session of his career in sixth place, highlighting the growth of Aston Martin in this last phase of the season.
Robert Schwartzman, who takes Sainz’ place, places his Ferrari seventh, while Ricciardo, Bottas and Albon round up the top ten. IndyCar star Pato O’Ward encounters issues with his McLaren in the first laps, but at the end of the session manages to complete 22 laps in his first appearance in an official Formula 1 session. Logan Sargeant adds another crucial extra point to his super-licence, with over 100 km raced in this session, making him closer to his call as second driver in Williams - the only free seat left after Nico Hülkenberg was announced to replace Mick Schumacher at Haas. After setting third time with soft tyres at the beginning of the session, he spins after a sudden lock but manages to preserve the car from damage, and only a yellow flag is issued after this incident. As of the other reserve drivers in this session, Robert Kubica (Alfa Romeo) sets the 14th time, while Fittipaldi (Haas), O’Ward (McLaren), Doohan (Williams) and Drugovich (Aston Martin) are at the bottom of the grid, closing respectively P17, P18, P19 and P20. Later, during FP2, Verstappen, who takes back his car, sets the fastest lap in this session with the time of 1’25”146, in which he has dominated from start to finish. George Russell is second, three tenths behind, and Leclerc is third, four tenths slower. It has to be reminded that FP2, which is held at sunset, is more relevant for evaluating the set times since the air and track temperature is closer to the one in qualifying and the race, as these two sessions are set in the night time. While FP1 is more focused on trying different sets and analysing the performance of the rookies, FP2, in which all regular drivers come back to their cars, is crucial for studying the race pace on different tyres. Mercedes and Red Bull close the session with a pretty positive race pace, while Ferrari seem to struggle. Leclerc at one point even asks his team:
"Why are we slow?"
The answer from the pit wall is that, compared to their rivals, Ferrari’s pace is inferior.
"Our pace is not great at the moment".
Daniel Ricciardo only runs around for 14 laps, since he reports issues while stopping on his marks in the pit lane due to a “slippery patch” of concrete, then he is stopped by an oil leak. Anyway, he manages to set the ninth time, behind Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso on Alpine, and beating his teammate Lando Norris, who has fully recovered from his illness during the Brazilian Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas closes the top ten. After the two sessions, Max Verstappen seems happy with the work done:
"I’m really happy with how that session went, I think the car came together well. Liam did a really good job in FP1, he was calm and steady which is exactly what we needed. In FP2 we tried a few things and in the long runs the car was working quite well, so I’m pretty happy with that. Weather wise, the temperature in FP2 was more representative of what it will be like during qualifying. Of course, we’ll always try to refine a few things overnight, but we should be competitive in quali and the race".
His teammate Sergio Perez explains that there is still work done but the premises are positive:
"The car was good today. It was a very interesting two sessions, very different in the morning to the afternoon. This morning was a bit tricky with the temperatures, which means the afternoon session is the one we really have to pay attention to, because it will be the most representative for the weekend. We are just exploring the balance around the car but generally, we feel we have plenty of information for tomorrow and more importantly, for Sunday. We are competitive in the long-runs but we have a bit of time to find in the short runs. There are a few bits to analyse to see where we can do better, it is very important here to have great race pace here".
About Mercedes, George Russell seems quite satisfied about this free practice and is hopeful for the next season:
"We had a very strong day in terms of what we've learned, given this is one of the last opportunities to gain learnings for the next season. With the test items that we ran during FP1, especially on my side of the garage, I'm looking forward to 2023 with what we've learned today. For FP2, the track changed completely with the temperature drop. The car felt fast, but I think Red Bull are ahead of us in terms of single lap pace and maybe even more so in the long runs. So, we have some work to do overnight, but compared to Ferrari our performance from what we can tell so far looks reasonable for this weekend. I'd like to think we'll be able to fight for the top 3 in qualifying tomorrow and see where that can take us on Sunday. We will keep our heads down and put in the work overnight".
Lewis Hamilton, instead, has mixed feelings, but overall positive:
"FP1 felt good today, which is a positive outlook for next year. In FP2, the car balance was a bit off, following some set-up changes between the sessions, so we will need to make some updates overnight but otherwise, we're relatively competitive. Tyre management for qualifying tomorrow will be tough, in FP1 you could do a slow run to get the tyres working and in FP2 it took much longer to get them in the right window, so it's a little bit like rolling a dice. We hope we can be competitive with our race pace this weekend, but still need to understand better where we are compared to the other teams. We will work hard overnight and hopefully we can be in the fight for the front. A big thank you to everyone in the factory and here at the track who have put in so much dedication and hard work to throughout the year".
Ferrari drivers seem quite pessimistic, but not everything is lost. Charles Leclerc looks to the bright side:
"Overall, our sessions were ok. We struggled a bit with the race pace due to tyre degradation, which was expected. Our qualifying pace was a little better, but our competitors seem to be a step ahead. We will use tomorrow’s practice to make further progress and give it our all for the last qualifying of the year".
Carlos Sainz Jr., who only joined FP2, feels that there is a lot of work to be done:
"It was a very busy FP2 for me after missing the first session, so it was all about catching up and getting into the rhythm as soon as possible. The feeling on track wasn’t too bad but I know we’ve got plenty of margin to improve tomorrow. I’m looking forward to the last qualifying of the year".
It is Saturday, November 19, 2022, so it is time for FP3. The temperatures are high, with an air temperature of 30 °C and track temperature of 46 °C. The two Aston Martins are the first cars on track with new hard tyres, but after a slow lap both drivers get back to the pits to mount the medium tyres. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are now on track, running with a view of the race pace on medium tyres, after the bad performaces during FP2. Sainz Jr. is the first to close a lap, in 1'27"821., while Mick Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on new softs are out on track. Leclerc records the best time in 1'27"314, after complaining about a bit of bottoming. Hamilton ends his lap in 1'26"040, followed by Russell with less than half of a second of detachment. The two Red Bulls are still in the pits. Lando Norris has problems due to a front-right brake fire and Sebastian Vettel reports a similar problem a few minutes later. Sergio Perez starts on mediums and places himself in the seventh position. The two Mercedes are again on track, on softs, while the two Alpines get good times on mediums: Alonso is third and Ocon fourth. Despite the traffic in the second sector, Sergio Perez takes the lead in 1'25"861. Pierre Gasly loses a piece of carbonium on the third sector of the track, triggering a red flag. During this time frame, Lewis Hamilton does not slow as he should and also passes the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, but fortunately he is not then awarded with a penalty. When the race is resumed, Hamilton takes the lead in 1'25"824, but George Russell immediately gets first in 1'25"395. Sergio Perez then goes first in 1'24"982, ahead of the two Mercedes cars. Then, 15 minutes to the end, the Mexican driver mounts the soft tyres for his qualifying simulation, consolidating the first position with 1'24"982. Max Verstappen ends with a gap of 0.152 seconds from his team mate, because of running wide at Turns 5 and 16. Lewis Hamilton finishes the practice session third with a time of 1'25"222., over two tenths off the pace, with Russell another two tenths off in fourth place with a time of 1'25"395. Lando Norris finishes fifth with a time of 1'25"518., his team mate Daniel Ricciardo eighth in 1'25"950., while Vettel is ninth in 1'26"012. During the very last minutes of the session they simulate the qualifying with the softs and end respectively in sixth (1'25"571) and seventh position (1'25"605), behind Lando Norris’ McLaren and with six tenth of detachment from Perez. Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel and Alexander Albon close the top ten.
During the FP2, on Friday evening, it was Max Verstappen to take the first place with soft tyres, ahead of Russell’s Mercedes and Leclerc’s Ferrari. Now, at the circuit there are similar weather condition to those of the evening before, so without surprise, at the start of Q1 Max Verstappen sets the fastest time with 1'24"754., over half a tenth ahead of team mate Sergio Perez and three-tenths up on the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz. The Mercedes duo made up by Russell and Hamilton does its best during the second attempt, together with Lando Norris in his McLaren, while Max Verstappen has some problems with his headrest: I think it’s broken he says on the radio to the Red Bull pit wall and asks to control it. Near to the end of Q1, there are no changes in the timesheets: Verstappen goes back to the pits and does not complete his second attempt, but remain first, ahead of Perez, Sainz and Leclerc, and Norris. Bad for Sebastian Vettel, who is in the drop zone at risk of Q1 elimination in his last qualifying, but he runs a good final lap and goes sixth, ahead of the Mercedes cars of Russell and Hamilton, while Zhou and Tsunoda complete the top ten. Mick Schumacher manages to get into Q2 in eleventh position, followed by Ocon, Stroll and Ricciardo. After the pole conquered at Interlagos, Magnussen is now eliminated in Q1, together with Gasly, Bottas, whose tyres didn’t work, as he says to his team, and the Williams duo Albon and Latifi. Q2 starts and the Red Bull is still leading the ranking, with Sergio Perez taking the first place as he is three-tenths ahead of Verstappen, with 1'24"419. Ferrari did not start well, as they seem to have not the pace, but both drivers manage to do their best, while Q2 is about to end, placing second and third with Leclerc and Sainz respectively: the two are separated by just 0.004 seconds. Max Verstappen is now fourth, a tenth further back. Hamilton is confused by Mercedes’s 0.355 seconds’ gap to the drivers in the top places; he is fifth, with Norris who manages to do better than Russell taking the sixth position. Vettel runs another wonderful lap at the end of Q2 taking the eighth position despite frustrations over traffic, with Ocon and Ricciardo completing the top ten. Alonso does not manage to join his team mate Ocon in Q3, in his last qualyfing with Alpine, and gets in eleventh position.
It is the start of Q3 and the Red Bulls are again the fastest cars on track. Verstappen runs the first lap in 1'23"988. taking the lead, ahead of Sainz, Perez and Leclerc, while Hamilton, who has brake issues, and Russell are in fifth and sixth position respectively. When the drivers are again out of the pits for their final efforts, Verstappen manages to strengthen his advantage by setting 1'23"824., while Perez is faster than the two Ferraris, and two-tenths from his team mate, so both Red Bulls will start from the front-row. There is half a tenth between Perez and Leclerc, who has Sainz, Hamilton and Russell at his back. The three top teams are in the top six positions, while Norris is in seventh, followed by the Alpine of Ocon, the Aston Martin of Vettel and the second McLaren of Ricciardo. Max Verstappen takes the 20th career pole position, the seventh of the season, for the first time since that obtained in the Mexico City Grand Prix, and equals the number of pole starts in the category achieved by Damon Hill and Valtteri Bottas. Red Bull Racing's two-time World Champion Dutch driver reconfirms his pole position for the third consecutive edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after 2020 and 2021, in the latter in which he then won the race, capturing his first world title. Verstappen takes pole position at the Yas Marina circuit for the third consecutive championship for the first time in his career. Great performance from Max Verstappen, who got the pole in the last qualifying of what has been a wonderful season for him:
"It couldn’t have been better today, the tow worked out well as we managed to lock out the front row. We went out there and did our thing. As a Team we had an almost perfect qualifying and we are very excited for tomorrow, The most important thing is that Checo stays ahead of Charles so we’ll do what we can to make that happen. I do think that our car is quick, there’s a massive question mark around the other teams though and how much long run performance they will have gained overnight. We made a few mistakes in Brazil I guess but we learn from that and we are back where we should be".
Sergio Perez is happy for the team:
"It is a great Team result for everyone back home and here in Abu Dhabi, we are in the best position to finish off the job and get that result tomorrow. It certainly was good teamwork with Max today, it was important to get both cars as high up as possible for the race. My Q1 and Q2 were looking strong, and I was hoping for more, but then Q3 wasn’t ideal, especially our first run. That put us on the back foot a little and in the end, it wasn’t good enough for P1. We have a very long race ahead of us, so we need to finish the job off tomorrow and deliver a massive result for the Team. It will be important to get off the line well and get a strong start to get away from Charles. We are certainly confident going into tomorrow that our race pace is good and we can race harder. We are a lot happier with performance than we were in Brazil. It would be a huge year for us if we are able to get second place in the Drivers’ Championship and make history for the Team. We will work hard and hopefully we can succeed".
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s Team Principal, is satisfied about today and hopes to get the same good result tomorrow:
"It was a great qualifying from the Team, our first front row lockout of the year and first since 2018. We are tremendously happy with the performance as it gives us an opportunity to end our most successful season in the best possible way. Max secured the 20th pole position of his career with a stellar last lap. On top of that, he gave Checo the tow in the second sector to help him secure the second grid slot - locking out the front row for the Team. It was. We couldn't have asked for a better Saturday, but there is still a lot to do. Now we must focus on converting this into the best possible result tomorrow, ensuring 2nd place in the Championship for Checo".
Charles Leclerc talks about the tyres issues he had but is concentrated for the race:
"P3 is the best we could do today. It was quite a tricky qualifying, especially in terms of tyre management, as is usually the case in Abu Dhabi, with the rear tyres overheating in the final sector. With Carlos starting right behind me, we will work together to put pressure on our competitors ahead and aim to finish the season on a high".
Carlos Sainz Jr. is satisfied with the car’s setup:
"It was a solid qualifying for the team today as we made a step forward on pace and car setup. I'm not entirely happy with my last attempt in Q3 as the traffic on the out-lap compromised getting everything up to temperature and I didn’t put a great lap together. However, I’m happy with the feeling in the car and I think we’re in a good position for tomorrow. There are still many points to fight for and we’ll push until the end".
Laurent Mekies, Ferrari’s Racing Director, compliments the team for their work:
"We’re reasonably pleased with how qualifying went. I think the team has made a step forward since yesterday, when we weren’t completely happy with the car’s handling. Here at the track and back in Maranello, we worked on fine tuning the set-up and on extracting a touch more performance from the car. Out on track, Charles and Carlos gave their best and improved their performance lap by lap, executing this session in a solid way. That resulted in us locking out the second row, with Charles within a whisker of Perez’s time. It’s a decent starting position for tomorrow’s race, but we know Red Bull and Mercedes will have a very strong pace. We can expect a close six-way fight, and tyre management will likely be a key factor again. That could present opportunities and we will try to make the most of them".
Lewis Hamilton is not so satisfied, especially fort he gap to the poleman:
"We came here expecting this to be a difficult one for us but we didn't expect a gap of eight tenths to pole position. We were losing six tenths today on the straights to the top cars. I gave it everything, so it's a bit of a surprising result and just being so far behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Hopefully our race pace tomorrow will be better than our qualifying pace today. There's also some bouncing at this track, which adds to our lack of performance and issues with temperature splits on the brakes which we've experienced throughout the whole season. The whole team is working hard and they're doing an incredible job to fix these issues, especially also for next year. I'm looking to tomorrow and the final race of the season".
George Russell hoped for a little bit more, but is excited for tomorrow:
"We hoped for better lap times during qualifying but should be in a stronger position during the race tomorrow as our long run pace looked competitive from what we've seen so far. The grid position seems fair when you look at our current car performance at a circuit like Abu Dhabi but following the results in Brazil, we were probably hoping for a little bit more. So, we would have liked to be a little bit closer to the front but should be in a better place for the race. Tomorrow will be interesting, as there are lots of different strategy options. I expect Red Bull to be out of reach, but I hope we can chase Ferrari. Let's see what tomorrow brings - we will fight as hard as we can all the way to the finish line".
Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, continues:
"Today didn't go our way unfortunately. We didn't get the job done right and went backwards in terms of our performance, while our competitors made a step forward. We opted for a higher downforce and higher drag setup, and it was just too slow on the straights during the session. We've also had issues with the brakes that we need to investigate. The weekend looked positive for us so far, especially during the earlier sessions but in the end, we didn't deliver when it came down to qualifying. All in all, a disappointing day for the team. We want to be in the front, fighting for victories. Hopefully, our set-up will benefit from the earlier start time of the race tomorrow and the higher temperatures, which seemed to result in better car performance for us so far here in Abu Dhabi".
It is Sunday, November 13, 2022, and it is the last race of the 2022 season. The conditions of the track are good and the cars line up on the pit lane. The Red Bulls are in the first row, with Max Verstappen on pole position. Behind them there are the two Ferraris, while Daniel Ricciardo is starting P13 due to a penalization. Everyone is on medium tyres, except for Gasly on softs and Magnussen and Latifi on hards. The lights go out and the race starts. On the first lap Hamilton has a contact with Carlos Sainz and cuts the chicane. He needs to give up the position but he overtakes him on lap 5. On lap 8 Sainz overtakes Hamilton and on lap 9 George Russell does the same thing. The first driver in the pits is Alexander Albon on lap 12. On lap 20 Verstappen pits for hard tyres and on lap 21 Charles Leclerc does the same, thinking to pit only for once. Unfortunately on lap 28 Fernando Alonso retires in his last race with Alpine. Schumacher and Latifi have a contact on lap 39 and for this reason the Haas driver is given a five seconds penalty. Hamilton and Perez battle for 3rd place and the Mexican gets the position on lap 46; the British driver has problems with the car and retires on lap 55. In the meanwhile, Sergio Perez is trying to reach Leclerc to get the second place not only in the race but also in the Championship. After 58 laps the final race of the season ends. Max Verstappen wins (for the 15th time this year), while Charles Leclerc is second and takes the second place in the Championship. Sergio Perez completes the podium in third place. Sebastian Vettel closes the last race of his career in P10 and celebrates doing donuts like the drivers on the podium. Max Verstappen wins the thirty-fifth career Grand Prix, for the first time since his victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix, as well as the fifteenth success in the season, a new all-time record in the category, confirming his victory for the third consecutive edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after those of 2020 and 2021, in the latter in which he won his first world title. Max Verstappen is really happy about this season and talks also about his teammate and his team:
"It was incredible to win here again and to get 15 wins in total this season is unbelievable. It was a good race, the one stop really worked for me and it was all about tyre management today. As a Team, we did everything we could to get Checo up there ahead of Charles, we had split strategies, but it didn’t work out today. Overall, we’ve achieved a lot this year as a Team and we can all be proud of that, its great motivation heading into next year. We’ve had an incredible season and I want to thank everyone in the Team out here in Abu Dhabi and back at the factory, this sport requires dedication, and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing has that, it’s clear to see. I’m really looking forward to a break now and I hope everyone has a good Winter and much needed time with family and friends".
Sergio Perez has missed the second place in the Championship just for one second but he says he is happy after all:
"I am pleased because I gave it my all today. In the end we just didn’t have enough, this is how the sport works, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. It hurts to lose second place in the Championship by one second, there are things we could have done better but at the end of the day what matters is that you never give up in this sport and that is what I have done this season, on and off track, so I can go home happy. What really meant the most this season is that we gave everything, always, and we ended the final race doing just that. The Team has had a tremendous year so it is nice to finish the season well, we will regroup and look to another strong year in 2023".
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s Team Principal and CEO, comments on the fantastic season his team had and he thanks Dietrich Mateschitz and dedicates the season to him:
"What a season and what a way to end it. It's just unbelievable. Winning 17 races as a Team. Five 1-2 finishes and being so close to 1-2 in the Drivers' Championship brings to an end what truly has been a remarkable year. It surpasses anything we have ever achieved. The drivers have been exceptional. A record-breaking 15th win this season for Max. A third straight victory in Abu Dhabi. Exemplary. Checo gave it all he had, coming so close to catching and taking Charles by the end of the race, but sadly it wasn’t to be. Third place in the Championship is still fantastic though and brings to an end his best season ever in F1. Every season in F1 is grueling but it truly has been a herculean effort from everyone this season. From the campus in Milton Keynes, to everyone at track, it has been an immense Team effort. I’d also like to thank our partners who, without their support, none of this would be possible. When we reflect on this season, there have been some epic highs and equally sobering lows, but we look back on 2022 as a season like no other, one in which we lost our founder Dietrich Mateschitz. F1 was his passion, his love. We dedicate everything we have achieved this season and the two World Championships to him. Danke Didi".
Charles Leclerc is happy with the race and the second place in the Championship and thanks his team for their work, but he also talks about the target for next Championship:
"It was a good race. We executed it perfectly and, as we didn’t have the pure pace to beat our competitors, put pressure on them in the key moments, which paid off. It was a season full of ups and downs, but considering where we came from, we made a good step and can be satisfied with our progress. I want to thank the whole team, both back home at the factory and at the track, for all their hard work and dedication. P2 in the Constructors’ means a lot and we don’t want to stop here. We have to keep our heads down and push as hard as we can this winter, with the target of winning the title next year".
On his 4th place, his season and his team Carlos Sainz Jr. comments:
"It was a solid race today. The start wasn’t clean but I managed to pull a nice overtake on the Mercedes at turn 6. Unfortunately, I lost time and tyre life behind Lewis and from then onwards we committed to the two stop strategy. Overall, it was a strong performance, with good teamwork to finish P2 with Charles in the drivers’ championship and P2 in the constructors’ championship, which was our target this weekend. It hasn’t been an easy season, especially the first half, but I’ve managed to recover the pace, and my feeling with the car has been much better in the second half. Even though we’ve only just finished the season, we are fully focused and motivated to push this winter and I am already looking forward to next year. Thank you to every single member of the team for your tremendous effort and determination and to every tifosi out there for your incredible support! Bring on 2023! Forza Ferrari".
Mattia Binotto talks about Ferrari’s season and the work of the his team also for 2023:
"Second place in the Constructors’ and Drivers’ championships is down to all the hard work over the course of the season. This has been an important year, in which we had set ourselves the goal of getting back to being competitive and, in that, we have succeeded. However, we know, if we want to win the titles, there is still a lot of work to do. I congratulate the entire team, drivers, engineers, mechanics, here in Abu Dhabi and all those back home in Maranello, because they were able to stay focussed on our goals for this weekend. The season had its difficult moments, but overall it has been signifcant".
So he adds:
"We can put 2022 behind us knowing that we made a lot of progress and, as from Tuesday, we will start preparing for the new challenge that awaits us in 2023. I want to thank our fans for their unwavering support this season. Thank you also to Sebastian for everything he has given to Formula 1 and to Ferrari".
George Russell isn’t so satisfied about his race but he is confident for next championship:
"This could have almost been a memorable race, but we probably got more wrong than right today. We didn't have the pace this weekend and tried as hard as we could, but this was actually one of the toughest race of the season for us. It's a shame how the race panned out for me - I had a strong start fighting Carlos, but with the long first pit-stop and the five-second penalty meant the race was over for me. This race brought us back to reality, after our high in Brazil at a track that suited our car much better. Today simply highlighted what we already knew: that we have lots of improvements to make during the winter. Everyone in the team in Brackley and Brixworth is pushing as hard as they can and we're headed in the right direction. And we are confident, we will have a stronger car next year".
Of course Lewis Hamilton cannot be happy with his race as he needed to retire on lap 55:
"This last race was just a good reminder of the whole year and I'm glad it's over and that we can now look forward to next year. I had a strong start, but the car floor took a big hit during the contact with Carlos and everything else unfolded from there. When it happens, you just lose a little bit of performance, but the balance basically shifts forwards. It's almost like you have loads of front wing and I had to wait for the stop to take out front wing - which did improve the balance. We had a difficult car all weekend and unfortunately, I had to retire right before the race finish because we lost hydraulic pressure. We will have the next couple of weeks at the factory, where we will work hard to make sure we can come back stronger next year so we will focus on that. I hope that the struggle this year will provide us with the strength and the tools to fight for more victories in the future - the team in Brackley and Brixworth deserve it, given how hard they've worked all year. So, we continue to get up and try - we need to show our strength across this winter and into next season".
Toto Wolff talks about the difficulties of Abu Dhabi race and the goals for next year:
"Today we really didn't perform well. We did all the mistakes we could possibly have made tonight: we didn't have the pace, one driver breaking down and the other one running out of tyres - it's a good summary of the challenges this season for us. We cooked the tyres in the first few laps because we attacked. The car seemed strong at the start, but then the front right just gave out and maybe that's something we should've predicted. We knew that Abu Dhabi was going to be a difficult one for us so at least that prediction was accurate but then unfortunately we made mistakes we could've avoided. For us, this was a character-building season and we will put this car on display in the factory as a reminder. We had more bad moments than good ones, but the good ones were spectacular, like a week ago in Brazil, which reminded us how good it can be. It's okay the way we feel right now but we're pushing hard so we can be back next year".
Fernando Alonso, who cannot be happy about his race, talks about Alpine’s fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship and thanks his team:
"Unfortunately, it's another retirement for us today after we were fighting for the points and looking quite comfortable. Importantly the team finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship, which was the goal coming into this weekend, so well done to everyone at the team on achieving this target. Even though it's a goodbye to the team after this weekend, I will always think of Alpine with good memories. I spent nine years of my life with this team and won two championships in the past with Renault, so I wish them well for the future".
Daniel Ricciardo, who finished P9, talks about his last race with McLaren and thanks his team:
"I'm really pleased to get some points in my last race for McLaren. I felt like I did the best I could with the pace I had. I was struggling to keep the front tyres alive. That was the biggest limitation, that's where it got a bit tricky. I felt in terms of moves, I defended when I could and overtook when I could, so from that point of view, I'm pretty pleased. Vettel caught me quite quick in the end and trying to hold him off I think I killed the tyres a bit but I am happy to have held on and got the points. It was a good end to the season. Big thanks to the whole team - they also put a nice message on the dash after the race, so that was cool. Appreciate that. We've had some high highs and some low lows but throughout it all I've enjoyed my time here racing alongside Lando and hopefully doing McLaren proud. Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far, Papaya army and everyone both trackside and back in Woking - I can't thank you enough. It may have been my last race for McLaren but I'm looking forward to what comes next. I wish the team the very best for next season".
Sebastian Vettel talks about his race and the emotional weekend he had. He thanks his team and who supported him:
"I enjoyed the race this evening, but it was a shame that we could not quite get past Daniel [Ricciardo] at the end. The lead-up to the race was a bit different with so many tributes and activities on the grid, but once the lights went out it was full-on race mode. It was not an easy race because it was a close call between a one-stop and two-stop strategy. On my car, we tried to make the one-stop work, but as the tyres were getting older it was quite challenging to hold on. It was nice to fight the last couple of laps with Daniel and to have us both finishing in the points, but we just missed out on moving up a place in the Constructors' World Championship. Overall, it has been a big and emotional weekend, so thank you to everybody for all the support. Seeing so many flags and so many smiling faces has been very, very special. I am sure I am going to miss it more than I understand right now. The past two years have been great for me personally so thank you for all the support - all the messages, the letters and all the love in general. I will miss that but it has been an absolute joy throughout my career so thank you all again".
Formula 1 2022 is not finished yet. Because Oracle Red Bull Racing confirms Daniel Ricciardo will return home and re-join the Team as the third driver for 2023. Bringing a wealth of experience and character, Daniel will assist the Team with testing and Sim work, as well as commercial activity. With 29 trophies to his name, there were plenty of high points in an excellent first run with Red Bull Racing. Immediately making an impact in his first year in 2014, finishing 3rd in the Championship and securing wins in Montreal and Budapest. Then onto 2015 and an epic Monaco performance and the fastest lap of the race, taking his maiden pole at the same race a year later. In 2016, he was also the only driver to finish all 21 races. 2017 saw Daniel win a wild Azerbaijan Grand Prix and take eight other podiums, before rolling into the 2018 season with a bang. He won two of the first six races that year, storming through the field in China and then who can forget that win in Monaco or perhaps just as iconic, that dive into the swimming pool? Since Daniel left the Team at the end of 2018, he has spent 2 years respectively at Renault and McLaren. Whilst he hasn’t seen the success he was accustomed to, he remains a phenomenal and highly respected driver who brings another layer of knowledge and expertise to the Team.