Max Verstappen ended his season on the right note while Charles Leclerc was left to ponder if he was runner-up or first loser... F1
Conclusions from F1 2022’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand PrixMax Verstappen enjoyed a perfect end to the 2022 Formula 1 season by winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc pipped Sergio Perez to P2 in the World Championship.Verstappen’s record-breaking season ends on the right note
With that issue resolved, then came the team orders controversy in Brazil as Verstappen refused to swap places with team-mate Perez. His performances, ever since the team overcame their early-season reliability issues, have scaled heights only a select number of drivers in F1 history have reached.
It was lost instead during that mid-season slumber following his victory in Monaco, when just as Verstappen was beginning to explore the full potential of the RB18 Perez crashed out of qualifying and Canada, and failed to even reach Q3 in Hungary in the midst of a timid run of races. Although 2022 will ultimately be remembered for Red Bull’s dominance, for the first few weeks – as Verstappen and Leclerc went wheel to wheel in Bahrain and Jeddah – F1 was treated to a glorious glimpse of the rivalry set to define its medium/long-term future.
Considering everything – the way 2021 ended, the new team-mate, the underperforming car and even a public back and forth with F1’s authorities over jewellery – he has conducted himself with great dignity in 2022. His first mechanical retirement since mid-2018, possibly related to that early hit, was the final insult to end a forgettable season.
As if often the case with Vettel it was a remarkably simple gesture but an enormously powerful one, a reminder that while sport can be many things – from divisive and disturbing to joyous and inspiring – it runs on flesh and blood. With Vettel having an awkward relationship with Alonso over the years, never quite sure his respect for Fernando is reciprocated, his former title rival’s tribute would likely have been very touching.
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