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Mercedes admit they face ‘Everest-sized’ challenge to rein in Red Bull next year
Mercedes admit they face a “Mount Everest-sized” challenge to rein in Red Bull next year after Max Verstappen’s comfortable win at the season finale in Abu Dhabi completed the most dominant year in Formula One history.
Verstappen ultimately cruised to his 19th win in 22 races beneath the lights at Yas Marina, meaning the Milton Keynes-based team won an extraordinary 21 out of 22 races in total. Only Singapore eluded them.
And while Mercedes did in the end manage to beat Ferrari to second spot in the constructors’ championship, thanks to George Russell’s third place and Lewis Hamilton’s ninth, it was a gloomy Hamilton who faced the media afterwards.
“Not great,” the seven-time world champion admitted when asked how he felt at the end of a second-consecutive winless year. “I just finished ninth. I’ve had two really bad races [in a row]. Red Bull won by 17 seconds and haven’t touched [developed] their car since August or July. So you can pretty much guess where they’re going to be next year…”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said Hamilton was simply speaking from the heart at the end of what was a “bad weekend” from the 38-year-old’s perspective. But the Austrian added that he was still “the greatest driver in the world”, and still capable of fighting for that record eighth world title, if only the team could give him a car capable of doing so.
Mercedes decided in April to rip up their current car concept and start building something fundamentally different for next year. There are risks attached to that, but Wolff said it was a necessary gamble if the team were to stand any chance of catching Red Bull.
“Red Bull started the [current set of] regulations last season with a massive advantage and they have been able to maintain it,” he explained. “We have a lot of respect for their achievement, from the engineering side, and the driver side, and beating them under these regulations [which last until 2026] is against the odds. That is clear.
“But we have seen with McLaren, where an update unlocked a second of time, there is a key to unlocking dramatically more performance.
“We had to be honest that this car was never going to be good enough to fight for a world championship. We took the decision in April to go back to the drawing board and come up with something new next year. But Mount Everest is in front of us.
“We are changing the concept. We are completely moving away from how we lay out the chassis, the weight distribution, the airflow, literally every component has been changed because only by doing that do we have a chance [of beating Red Bull].
“You could get it wrong also. Everything is possible. There is always scepticism. But that is the mentality in the team that pushes us forward, to never give up.”
Wolff added that beating Ferrari to second place in the constructors’ championship, with the extra $10 million in prize money that that entailed, had left him with a “bittersweet” feeling.
Their fight provided the only real drama of what was a pretty uneventful season finale. Mercedes had begun the day just four points ahead of Ferrari in the standings, and the two teams swapped positions multiple times during the course of the race as their drivers moved up and down the field.
Eventually, with his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz out of the points, and knowing his own second place would not be enough, Charles Leclerc tried something clever. He allowed Red Bull’s third-placed Sergio Perez to pass him on the final lap, knowing the Mexican had to serve a five-second penalty post-race.
Leclerc had worked out that if he could finish within five seconds of Perez, and Russell, behind him, could not, then Ferrari and Mercedes would finish level on points, with Ferrari claiming second on countback as they actually won a race this season.
In the end, it was not enough. Leclerc let Perez past but then declined to hold Russell up, meaning they both finished within five seconds of the Mexican. “Charles only half-did the job,” Horner noted.
Wolff was thankful for Leclerc’s good sportsmanship. “He could have put the handbrake on,” the Austrian admitted. “It shows the character of the driver.”
Behind them, McLaren, for whom Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished fifth and sixth respectively, took fourth in the constructors ahead of Aston Martin. Those two teams, as well as Mercedes and Ferrari, will hope they can close the gap to Red Bull over the winter. But as Wolff admitted, the odds are against them.
“We must leave no stone unturned,” he concluded. “As tough as it is, it is also a great opportunity to come back and aim for the stars.
Max Verstappen wins 19th race of 2023 in Abu Dhabi: as it happened
That brings an end to our live coverage for the 2023 season
Thanks for joining us but overall, good riddance to 2023, I say. Let’s hope 2024 is a vast improvement. We will return for pre-season testing in Bahrain on February 21, a little under three months and 87 days away. A little bit more from us in the coming days, though including driver ratings and Gary Anderson’s technical analysis column.
There's not too long to go until the 2024 season
It will be the longest season on record at 24 races. Here’s the full schedule.
You can also read more on the season including the latest on sprints, driver line-ups and our tentative prediction.
Max Verstappen speaks after his 19th win of 2023
“Incredible season. It was a bit emotional on the in-lap, the last time I was sitting in a car which has given me a lot. I have to say a big thank you to everyone at Red Bull. It has been an incredible year. It will be hard to do something similar again, but we enjoyed this year.”
Charles Leclerc on his second second place in a row
A good end to a difficult season for him. He is disappointed that Ferrari did not take Mercedes for second place. More on the standings shortly.
“On one hand I am really happy because on a weekend like this there wasn’t one thing I could have done better. we did an incredible job doing everything right it’s just a shame that we finished third in the constructors... that is all that mattered to me. I would like to thank the team for doing incredible work. The team has done an incredible job pushing until the last race.”
George Russell on his second podium of 2023
“It means a huge amount. So many people back at the factory who have worked so hard to achieve this... I’ve let the side down a couple of times this season... I can chill out now! I came out of the pits on the second set of hards and then Checo just came from nowhere. It was really tense at the end but just really pleased to secure P2 for the team. Massive relief to have brought the car home P3, but really happy to end the season this way.”
Well, that's the 2023 season over
I don’t think many neutral fans will miss it. Good at every point for Verstappen and Red Bull fans, at various points for McLaren and Aston Martin and Williams fans but very mixed for most of the other teams.
Anyway, Mercedes clinch second in the standings. Williams keep their seventh place in a very good season.
FINAL LAP
Perez is going to struggle to stretch the lead to five seconds here... it’s nearly four with half the lap left.
Verstappen crosses the finish line to take his 19th victory of the season. It was never in doubt.
Perez takes second place but will drop to fourth after his penalty, which means that Russell gets a podium and Mercedes keep second place in the standings.
Lap 56 of 58 - It will be tight for Perez to get that five seconds
He was 0.8sec faster that last lap, but I don’t think he has the pace to get it to five seconds...
Alonso gets Tsunoda for seventh which further helps Williams. Good race for Tsunoda, though, and he has had a good if under-the-radar season.
Lap 55 of 58 - Tsunoda is in seventh which means six points
That is not enough for AlphaTauri to claim seventh off Williams, who are not in a points-scoring position.
Should Perez get that five seconds gap to beat Russell to third that would, I think, give Ferrari second place if it finished as it is. I think and even if Sainz drops out of the points, which he will. It would be on virtue of wins.
Lap 53 of 58 - Perez could still get fourth here
He is extending his lead over Lando Norris and it is now 4.5sec.
From the FIA on those pit-stop infringements: “The pit stop infringements are relating to pit crew potentially not wearing the required eye protection during a stop.”
Verstappen and Sargeant’s crew also under investigation for that, I believe, as well as Hamilton and Gasly.
Lap 51 of 58 - Mercedes vs Ferrari battle
Ferrari on 19 points but Sainz is surely not taking 10th here. Mercedes on 17, which means Mercedes would keep second.
Anyway, Perez gets a five-second time penalty for causing a collision. That would drop him to fifth behind Lando Norris and ahead of Oscar Piastri. That helps Mercedes, as Perez had good pace.
Lap 48 of 58 - Perez gets Norris this time
So he will not have to give the place back. Norris gets DRS, though, and tries to go around the outside but fails.
That incident on the previous lap is being looked at. Perez for causing a collision. He might pick up a penalty as he didn’t try his best to take the corner as you normally would but it was a case of under-steering into Norris, I’d say. It was robust but happens.
Lap 47 of 58 - Perez goes up the inside of Norris for fourth at turn nine
But Norris runs off the escape road and keeps the place. He will surely have to give that place back.
“He just crashed into me,” Norris says. “He just steered into me,” Perez says. Hmmm.
Sainz loses ninth place to Hamilton which means the Mercedes/Ferrari pendulum swings in another direction.
Lap 42 of 58 - Sainz is asked for a race update
He has been told to wait as long as possible and to hope for a Safety Car. That is probably his best hope of scoring a few points. Norris moves up into fifth ahead of Tsunoda. If that stays as it is, Williams would lose seventh place to AlphaTauri. Not sure Tsunoda is staying there, though.
Lap 38 of 58 - Alonso says they are the slowest car down the straight
But Alonso gets him back to move into 11th again. Hamilton says he was brake-tested by Alonso on the long straight and he is correct. He came off the power in the middle of the straight as he was drifting right and off the track. A bit odd...
Lap 36 of 68 - Can Leclerc keep Russell behind?
Yes, he does. Stroll has allowed Norris to close in on Russell but in the end he actually helps the Mercedes, giving him the use of DRS down the straight and he takes seventh place from the Aston Martin. Norris needs to dispatch the Canadian pretty sharpish if he is to trouble Russell, though I suspect the Mercedes has the pace over the McLaren today.
Lap 33 of 58 - Verstappen's lead over Leclerc is now eight seconds
I imagine he will get to around 10-12 seconds and leave it there. Norris comes into the pits from fourth, but he was about to get eaten up by Perez. Will it be a quicker stop than last time? Yes. 2.3sec this time. Not rapid but pretty decent. He comes out behind Stroll and in 10th.
Lap 32 of 58 - Verstappen leads Leclerc by 7.5sec
Russell’s pace is pretty much the same as Leclerc’s and has made no further inroads into the Ferrari in second place. Norris likewise on Russell. Perez has the pace to challenge Norris for fifth, though, and will be on his rear wing in the next five or six laps at this rate.
Lap 22 of 58 - Verstappen gets Stroll for second
As Leclerc gets Sainz for fourth. Leclerc losing time to Verstappen since they began their second stint.
Tsunoda maintains his lead and looks to be going for a definite one-stops strategy. Sure, he will drop down once he pits but the AlphaTauri late-season form has been superb. A good chance of a decent points haul today. Enough to overtake Williams for seventh? Not sure. Not impossible.
Lap 17 of 58 - Verstappen pits at the end of the last lap
Leclerc stays out and he will lead Tsunoda. Hamilton says he has “definitely lost some front end”. Verstappen comes out in seventh behind the Ferrari of Sainz, who is going longer on the hard tyres. Not sure Sainz will be able to keep that Red Bull behind for long if he wants to help his team-mate’s chances of the win out.
Lap 15 of 58 - Hamilton tags the back of Gasly
We only saw the end of it but his front-wing left end-late is askew.
“I’ve just damaged my front wing. He locked up in front of me,” he says. It wasn’t a particularly hard hit and not much Gasly or Hamilton could have done there. Hamilton could have backed up, I guess but he might have locked up himself.
Hamilton pits from ninth. They do not change the front wing at Mercedes.
Lap 14 of 58 - Piastri comes out JUST ahead of Alonso
But Alonso will have warmer tyres... Piastri locks up and that gives Alonso the advantage heading into turn nine... can he keep the place? Yes, so far.
Norris in the other McLaren has been told to pit and George Russell follows him in. It’s a painfully slow stop from Norris, who is overtaken in the pit lane by Russell! Could that cost the team a podium? I think they are probably looking safe in the battle for fourth with Aston Martin but let’s see...
Lap 12 of 58 - Piastri now under pressure
Tsunoda in the AlphaTauri is right on his rear wing.
“Right front is slowly getting a bit hurt,” Verstappen says.
Better news for Red Bull is that Perez has overtaken Gasly for eighth place. Nothing at stake for Perez other than points here; he has already secured second in the drivers’ standings.
Lap 11 of 58 - Ferrari vs Mercedes
Ferrari currently scoring 18 points. Mercedes scoring 11, which would mean Ferrari take second in the standings.
Russell harries Piastri again at the start of the lap and then eventually - finally - gets the move done at turn nine. That means it’s Ferrari 18 and Mercedes 13... which means Ferrari would take second by just one point as it stands.
THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX IS GO
It’s a good start for Leclerc, who takes the inside line but Verstappen just drives around the outside, cleanly and into the lead! They pair battle throughout the rest of the lap, Leclerc getting his nose in front briefly in the middle sector but Verstappen has the grip and the nous to keep the lead!
Norris ahead of Russell on that first lap too, into fourth. Good racing at the very front.
The 72-year-old who fixes broken F1 drivers in his Ford Puma
A very interesting feature piece from earlier in the week from Natasha Bird.
When the best racers in the world find their careers on the line, they call Rob Wilson – Telegraph Sport finds out why.
A bit more on Lando Norris and McLaren from Tom Cary
It speaks volumes for McLaren’s dramatic improvement this year that Lando Norris left the mixed zone after qualifying in Abu Dhabi on Saturday absolutely furious with himself, bemoaning a “stupid mistake” on his final lap which left him fifth on the grid for Sunday’s season-ending grand prix.
“I’m just doing a s--- job on a Saturday,” Norris fumed as he stalked off. “It was a terrible day for me today.”
What Norris and McLaren would have done for such a ‘terrible’ day at the start of this season. Eight months ago, Norris qualified 11th and finished 17th at the season-opener in Bahrain, two laps down on winner Max Verstappen.
Ferrari vs Mercedes is the battle to watch today
Sadly the winners of the championships have been decided but there is some pride at stake for the best-of-the-rest team. Mercedes currently lead Ferrari by four points heading into the final race. Ferrari have had an excellent upturn in form since the Dutch Grand Prix, when they trailed Mercedes by 54 points and were behind even Aston Martin.
Here’s what Lewis Hamilton had to say about his team’s hopes of finishing second.
It would better their 2022 result by one place, but given they won eight titles in a row from 2014-2021...
It’s fairly evenly poised with a driver from each team in the top four and one from each outside the top 10.
F1 qualifying head-to-heads in 2023
Red Bull: Verstappen 20 Sergio Perez 2
Mercedes: Hamilton 11 Russell 11
Ferrari: Leclerc 15 Sainz 7
McLaren: Norris 15 Piastri 7
Aston Martin: Alonso 19 Stroll 3
Alpine: Gasly 14 Ocon 8
Williams: Albon 22 Sargeant 0
AlphaTauri: Tsunoda 8 De Vries 2, Tsunoda 4 Ricciardo 3, Tsunoda 2 Lawson 3
Alfa Romeo: Bottas 15 Zhou 7
Haas: Hulkenberg 15 Magnussen 7
Few drivers really took a pounding, with only Perez, Stroll and Sargeant failing to register seven qualifying ‘wins’ over their team-mate over a full season.
Qualifying times for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1min 23.445secs
- Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:23.584
- Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren 1:23.782
- George Russell (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:23.788
- Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:23.816
- Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:23.968
- Fernando Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin 1:24.084
- Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Haas F1 Team 1:24.108
- Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:24.171
- Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alpine 1:24.548
- Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:24.359
- Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:24.391
- Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:24.422
- Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1:24.439
- Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:24.442
- Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spa) Ferrari 1:24.738
- Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 Team 1:24.764
- Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:24.788
- Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:25.159
- Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams no time set
Good morning F1 fans
Welcome to our coverage for the final race of the season – the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Glad it’s nearly over? Well, I think you would have good reason to be. Yes, you can talk about the excellent battles behind the very front but that is not the headline draw of F1. It’s who wins that matters. Who can remember who finished second in the 2002 constructors’ championship? Exactly.
The season has been dominated by Max Verstappen since race one, pretty much. There was a brief period after four rounds where Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez was holding his own but since then he has been mired in a battle with the Ferraris, McLarens, Aston Martins and Mercedes cars despite driving what will end up being the most dominant F1 car in history.
Things have been a little closer in recent months with Ferrari denying Red Bull a clean sweep in Singapore but, really, does another team winning one race out of 22 really make that much of a difference? Even in Mercedes’ best years Ferrari or Red Bull would pop up with a few wins here and there. And even in those leaner years for competition Nico Rosberg or Valtteri Bottas gave a better account of themselves in the title than Perez has.
How much are Red Bull and Verstappen holding in reserve, too? Both titles were clinched long ago and were a formality long before that. Unfortunately the final race of the year looks like going the way that the vast majority of the others in the last 18 months have done, with Verstappen strolling to victory.
After a difficult FP3 yesterday he managed to get his RB19 in the window and himself in the zone and took pole position by a few tenths over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Lando Norris in the McLaren may have challenged for pole – at least he thinks so – but made a mistake on his final flying lap.
Four different manufacturers in the top four is encouraging (and Red Bull have not been a shoo-in for pole in the last few months) but you would feel that someone needs to take out Verstappen on the first lap to be able to live with his race pace.
Anyway, the race gets going at 1pm GMT and we are here for all the build-up, live updates and reaction as the 2023 season ends.