F1 race outcomes: Max Verstappen wins Abu Dhabi GP

Verstappen led from the beginning of the race and solely relinquished his lead briefly to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc within the pitstop cycle. The race was spiced up by divergent tire methods between Leclerc and the opposite Pink Bull of Sergio Perez of their battle for second on the planet championship.

The one-stopper Leclerc was caught by the two-stopper Perez within the closing phases, aided by tire info from Verstappen, who was additionally a single-stopper in entrance.

However Perez merely could not get shut sufficient to make a transfer, so Leclerc took second by 1.3s, each within the race and the factors.

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2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix outcomes

How the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix developed

Verstappen simply held his pole lead on the run to Flip 1, the vast majority of the sphere beginning on the medium compound tyres, forward of Perez, Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). On the run to Flip 6, Sainz lunged inside Hamilton, sending him subsequent to the exit, whereas the Mercedes was briefly despatched airborne over the kerb.

Hamilton initially held his place, having straight into the highest of Flip 7, however was requested to let Sainz again in entrance, which he did on Flip 4. A lap later, Hamilton DRS swung previous Sainz into Flip 9, however Sainz stopped in DRS vary and repaid the favor in the identical nook 4 laps later.

Within the different Mercedes, George Russell then overtook Hamilton – who complained of a lack of energy – for fifth.

Verstappen pulled out a 2.7s lead over Perez by lap 10, with Leclerc and Sainz abreast at 3s behind. Behind the Mercedes duo, Lando Norris ran seventh for McLaren, whereas Sebastian Vettel, in his final ever Grand Prix, dueled with the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso.

Ocon was the primary of the highest 10 to get exhausting tires on lap 15, adopted by Perez and Russell (who had a really sluggish cease and dropped into the trail of Norris, leading to a 5s time penalty) a lap later. Perez joined the battle towards Vettel, costing him time in his battle for second place with Leclerc – each within the race and on the planet championship.

Sainz raced on lap 18, additionally catching up behind Vettel, as Verstappen and Leclerc ran lengthy within the high two locations. Verstappen stopped on lap 20, letting Leclerc lead till he pitted two laps later. A sluggish cease meant he was reunited simply forward of Sainz however properly behind Perez, who caught Verstappen on this stint and was 2nd behind his team-mate at half distance.

Leclerc shut down Perez, who once more confronted recent difficulties on lap 34 – because the groups juggled the professionals and cons of going for a one- or two-point technique. Satirically, Leclerc was informed to beat if Perez did not – so the state of affairs might have been reversed.

Sainz and Russell clashed for the second time on lap 40, Russell taking his 5s penalty at this level, leaving the single-stopping Hamilton properly forward.

Perez was delayed having to cross after which repass Hamilton as their methods converged with 12 laps remaining, Hamilton utilizing the second DRS zone to good impact. However as soon as he completed, Perez needed to chase down the 10s hole to the one-stopping Leclerc in second.

Sainz caught and handed Hamilton for fourth, simply as Hamilton was pressured to brake with a hydraulic drawback and he pitted to retire – the workforce’s first mechanical retirement of the season.

Regardless of Verstappen being informed he might go “full ship” on the tyres, Perez didn’t have sufficient tempo to get shut sufficient to enter Leclerc’s DRS vary on the ultimate lap.

Verstappen received by over 8s from Leclerc and Perez, with Sainz a distant fourth, forward of Russell, Norris, Ocon, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) and Vettel – who took a degree in his remaining race because of Hamilton’s retirement.

Mick Schumacher (Haas) and Nicholas Latifi (Williams) collided at Flip 5 however each rejoined with out inflicting a security automobile. Schumacher was penalized 5s for inflicting the collision.

Alonso retired from his alpine F1 profession on lap 28 with a water leak.

2022 Method 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix quickest laps

2022 Method 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix laps led