Verstappen beats Leclerc in period-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

F1 Grand Prix, GP Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit

A few-time entire world winner Max Verstappen finished the period in dominant manner, profitable the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Charles Leclerc and George Russell. F1Technical’s senior author Balázs Szabó studies on the period-closing race.

Verstappen experienced a wonderful getaway at the get started, but Charles Leclerc was adamant to overtake the Dutchman on the opening lap, trying numerous overtaking moves into Turns one, six and nine.

In the meantime, McLaren’s Lando Norris received previous George Russell on the initial lap, transferring up to P4. A few laps later on, the Briton billed his way previous his crew-mate Oscar Piastri and tried out to shut in on next-positioned Leclerc.

On Lap six, Kevin Magnussen boxed for new Challenging tyres, rejoining the monitor in P20.

A lap later on, Russell tried an overtaking go on Piastri into Convert nine, but the Australian fended off the assaults on the within line.

On the identical lap, AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo dived into the pits for his initial end right after he was knowledgeable by his race engineer that a visor tear-off received trapped in one particular of his brake ducts.

On Lap nine, Russell did the identical go on Piastri than two excursions previously, but he unsuccessful as soon as yet again. Even so, two laps later on, Piastri locked up into Convert six, and Russell managed to get previous the previous F2 winner.

Fernando Alonso was the initial driver in the leading 10 to box as he improved his mediums for hards.

The subsequent lap noticed Verstappen report some degradation to his entrance proper regardless of managing in no cost air. Pursuing the struggle involving Piastri and Russell, Yuki Tsunoda also shut in on the McLaren driver.

On Lap fourteen, Piastri opted for his tyre transform as he tried out to address Alonso’s undercut. McLaren managed to transform the Australian’s tyres with a two.7s end, and he rejoined the monitor proper in entrance of Alonso, but managed to protect on his amazing tyres.

The subsequent lap noticed Norris and Russell appear in for tyre transform. The McLaren driver experienced a sluggish end with a five.one-next tyre transform, which enabled the Mercedes racer to get previous his rival.

In the meantime, Hamilton and Pierre Gasly produced call as the Frenchman locked up into Convert six and the Englishman slid straight into the again of him.

Hamilton and Ocon pitted on Lap fifteen for clean Hards. The Briton’s entrance wing picked up problems, but Mercedes considered it small and did not transform it through the pit end.

Verstappen arrived in on Lap seventeen with his end long lasting two.9s. The Dutchman arrived again in seventh put powering the Ferrari of Sainz, who was but to pit.

The subsequent lap noticed Leclerc pit from the direct, leaving Yuki Tsunoda in the direct. The Monegasque experienced an avarage end of two.8s, but he only rejoined the monitor forward of Russell, who confirmed how highly effective his undercut tactic was.

On the identical lap, Verstappen breezed previous Sainz with only Tsunoda and Stroll possessing been in entrance of the Dutchman. Even so, the 3-time entire world winner picked off Stroll with Tsunoda coming in for clean tyres on Lap 23.

Verstappen identified himself again at the entrance of the area as Mercedes Staff Principal Toto Wolff tried out to inspire his driver Lewis Hamilton, boasting that the Briton was the next-quickest on the monitor.

On lap 28, Perez ongoing his demand by way of the area and received previous Piastri right after possessing just overtaken Fernando Alonso.

At the identical time, Sainz also labored his way by way of the area right after his late pit end. Lap thirty noticed Bottas pit with the Finn possessing develop into the very last driver to box for new tyres.

On lap 33, Norris boxed for new hards with McLaren servicing him in just two.3s.

Russell needed to dedicate himself to a one particular-end tactic, but his race engineer Riccardo Musconi questioned him to dive into the pits for new tyres. McLaren’s and Mercedes’ pit end urged Ferrari to react, and serviced Leclerc’s auto in just two.6s.

On Lap 39, Leclerc picked off the one particular-halting Tsunoda as Alonso received again previous Hamilton. Whilst the stewards investigated the two-time entire world winner for driving erratically through his struggle with Hamilton, the Spaniard prevented a penalty.

Perez arrived in into the pits on Lap forty three. The Mexican arrived again powering Tsunoda, but he picked off the Japanese driver conveniently.

On Lap forty seven, Alonso managed to get previous Sainz, who started off to battle on his previous hards. On the subsequent lap, Perez shut into the again of Norris, and dived down the within into Convert six. The pair touched, and Perez experienced to give the posture again as he went off the monitor.

The Mexican driver was handed a 5-next penalty for leading to a collision. Even so, Perez managed to go previous Norris and started off to hunt down Russell.

On Lap fifty four, Perez received previous Russell into Convert nine, and tried to pull out 5 seconds on the Mercedes driver.

In the meantime, Alonso picked off Tsunoda for seventh as Sainz ultimately dived into the pits to finish his required tyre transform.

With Ferrari hoping to seal P2 in the Constructors’ Championship, Leclerc allow Perez go previous in the hope that the Mexican could pull out the important 5 seconds on Russell.

In the meantime, Hamilton shut in on Tsunoda, and overtook the AlphaTauri driver into Convert nine, but slid broad which enabled the Japanese driver to battle again.

At the entrance, Verstappen cruised to victory with Leclerc and Russell finishing the podium. Perez dropped again to P4 because of to his penalty with Norris and Piastri ending in P5 and P6. Aston Martin’s Alonso finished the period with a P7 end at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Tsunoda fought for his crew in the very last race, but it was not ample for AlphaTauri to snatch P7 in the Constructors’ Championship absent from Williams. Even so, it was a awesome stop to the period for Tsunoda with a P8 in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton confirmed flashes of powerful rate in the race, but he was not reliable ample and experienced to settle for P9 in the stop with Stroll bringing up the rear of the leading 10.