F1 Driver Ratings: 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The 2023 season finally reached its end in Abu Dhabi with a lights-to-flag grand prix that ran without any retirements or Safety Car interventions.

In a weekend where half of the field missed out the opening practice session, there were some surprising gulfs in results between team mates through the grid at Yas Marina.

But there was little surprise who came out of the weekend victorious as F1’s most dominant season came to an end. Here are the RaceFans driver ratings for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen – 8/10

Qualified: Pole (+8 places ahead of team mate, -0.726s)
Start: Held position
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-H)
Finished: Winner (+3 places ahead of team mate)

• Sat out of first practice to allow Dennis to fulfil junior driver allocation
• Secured pole position by setting fastest time in all three qualifying phases
• Held off sustained attack from Leclerc on opening lap to hold the lead at the start
• Pitted for hard tyres on lap 16 and fell to seventh, passing Stroll and Sainz
• Regained the lead when Tsunoda pitted, then steadily grew lead over long middle stint
• Pitted for second set of hards on lap 43, emerging with lead of five seconds
• Set fastest lap and pulled away from Leclerc behind, winning by 16 seconds

A trademark Verstappen victory to complete the single most dominant season of grand prix racing any driver has enjoyed. There never felt like a realistic chance it would be anyone but Verstappen taking the 25 points once qualifying began. Leclerc got a better start than him but admitted afterwards there was no reason for him to put up a fight, and from there Verstappen was always in complete control. While the RB19 was the best car all season long, Verstappen’s consistency week after week was relentless and he demonstrated it for a final time in 2023 in Abu Dhabi.

Sergio Perez – 4/10

Qualified: 9th (-8 places behind team mate, +0.726s)
Start: -1 place
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-H)
Finished: 4th (-3 places behind team mate)

• Missed opening practice session to let Hadjar drive his car
• Qualified sixth but lost best Q3 lap time for track limits at turn one, dropping him to ninth
• Lost places to Gasly and Hamilton at the start but passed Hamilton for ninth
• Overtook Gasly, then pitted for hards, falling to 12th
• Passed Alonso and Piastri to move up to fifth, then extended middle stint
• Made second stop for hard tyres and emerged sixth, passing Tsunoda for fifth
• Caught Norris but collided while trying to pass, earning five second…