Max Verstappen ended the 2022 Formula One season with 15 wins after dominating at the Yas Marina Circuit much like he has all year.
The Dutchman finished on 454 points, 146 points ahead of his closest rival, Charles Leclerc who narrowly pipped Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, to second place in the Drivers’ Championship.
Further down the order, Alfa Romeo just managed to hold off Aston Martin for sixth place in the Constructors Championship despite finishing on the same points.
Emotions were also high at Abu Dhabi due to four-time Champion, Sebastian Vettel, completing his final race in the sports.
What a journey it has been#AbuDhabiGP #DankeSeb pic.twitter.com/Hq6VLsJjYI
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 20, 2022
Reflecting on the season, Park Life Sport take a look at the five things learned from the past year:
The new cars did not provide as much excitement as expected:
Coming of the back of a very entertaining season in 2021, hopes were high for even more excitement this year.
While the season started in interesting fashion, it did not take long for Red Bull and Verstappen to assert their dominance at the top.
The racing was still packed with overtakes and the midfield battle was close.
Overall though, it was a no contest, and this year there were just five race winners, after six last year including surprise wins for Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon.
Mistakes end up being costly for Ferrari:
The season started so brightly for Leclerc at Ferrari, with him winning two of the opening three races of the season.
He looked a serious title contender, but mistakes from the team and questionable strategy calls hampered his chances.
If Ferrari want to take the fight to Mercedes and Red Bull next season, they need to cut out these mistakes.
Adaptability is key:
The new cars have demonstrated how cut throat and challenging F1 is.
Australian driver, Ricciardo has struggled to adjust at McLaren and despite being an extremely talented driver the team confirmed he would not be racing for them in 2023.
Daniel Ricciardo signs off in style after finishing P9 in his final race for @McLarenF1 👍 #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/f92ntw67te
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 20, 2022
Max Verstappen showing an incredible level of dominance:
The Red Bull driver picked up his second Drivers’ Championship title this season, securing the title with four races to go.
He showed shades of Lewis Hamilton in 2020 and Vettel back in his time at Red Bull.
It was a remarkable effort this year, and he will be hoping to make it three on the bounce in the new season in 2023.
Follow along to our live blog here.
Mercedes managed to stabilise well despite rocky start:
It looked as though it was going to be a difficult season for Toto Wolff’s team, but consistent performances and podiums saw Mercedes remain near the top of the standings.
Their highlight of the season came in the penultimate race, where George Russell picked up his maiden F1 victory.
They will need to continue their progression into next year if they want to pose a threat to Red Bull and Verstappen.
