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Ratings | Verstappen ends season with perfect score, Perez disappoints

Ratings | Verstappen ends season with perfect score, Perez disappoints

21-11-2022 08:31
1

GPblog.com

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is over, and with it the 2022 season. Max Verstappen won the last race in dominant fashion, while Ferrari finally chose the right strategy. GPblog hands out marks to the winners and losers at Yas Marina for the last time this year.

Max Verstappen: 10

Verstappen showed in the final race of the season why he won the world title for the second time in a row this year. The Dutchman managed to win the Grand Prix in dominant fashion, staying ahead of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez. It is a good reflection of Verstappen's 2022 season, who further extends his record with 15 wins in a single season.

Charles Leclerc: 9

After a disappointing season with many strategic errors, Ferrari, fortunately, managed to make the right choices in Abu Dhabi. Although the Ferrari car did not have the pace to keep up with two-time world champion Verstappen, with the one-stop Leclerc managed to keep his tyres under control under the pressure of Perez. With the deserved P2 in the championship, the Monegasque takes home a nice bonus from Ferrari and will hope to return stronger with his team in 2023.

Lando Norris: 8.5

Norris proved again in Abu Dhabi that he was 'best of the rest' this season. He will face a new challenge in 2023 in the form of Oscar Piastri. Who knows, maybe Ricciardo's compatriot can ensure Norris is challenged more within McLaren's team.

Sebastian Vettel: 8

Vettel could have had a better result in Abu Dhabi if Aston Martin had put him on the right strategy, but the German gave everything until the end. He may have had to take advantage of Hamilton's retirement to finish in the points, but Vettel proved in the closing stages of the 2022 season that he is still a strong driver. The four-time world champion certainly deserved a better result in his final F1 race.

Esteban Ocon: 7.5

In Abu Dhabi, Ocon was the faster Alpine and managed to finish in the points again with seventh place. This enabled the team to secure fourth place in the constructors' championship.

Carlos Sainz: 7

Sainz did what he needed to do to beat Lewis Hamilton for fifth place in the drivers' championship, but the Spaniard again could not match Leclerc's pace. Sainz wants to fight for the title again in 2023, but he will have to take a good look at himself over the winter break if he wants to perform at the same level as his teammate.

Fernando Alonso: 7

There is little to say about Alonso's race. The Spaniard drove for a long time behind the battling cars of Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Ocon, but eventually dropped out due to a water leak. After the race, the Alpine driver quickly left for his new home, Aston Martin's motorhome.

Lewis Hamilton: 7

It was also a weekend to forget for Hamilton. The Briton retired from the race with an issue for the first time since Austria 2018. It is perhaps an appropriate end to his season without a win or pole position. The Brit cannot wait to say goodbye to the W13.

George Russell: 7

With a big gap towards the leader, Russell crossed the finish line in fifth place in Abu Dhabi. The Brit was beaten by Hamilton in qualifying and in the race too he would probably have finished behind his teammate had the seven-time world champion not retired with a technical problem. It was a fine but forgettable weekend for Russell.

Daniel Ricciardo: 7

Ricciardo managed to finish ninth in his (for now) last F1 race after a slow recovery from P13. Without a grid penalty, the Australian might have finished closer to his teammate, but that is his own fault due to the stupid mistake in Brazil.

Lance Stroll: 7

Stroll was slower than Vettel all weekend, but he made the most of Aston Martin's two-stopper, allowing him to overtake his teammate after all. The Canadian completes the team's double points finish, although it was just not enough to beat Alfa Romeo in the constructors' championship.

Sergio Perez: 7

Although Perez could count on help from his teammate, the Mexican was on his own in Abu Dhabi. He could not keep up with Verstappen's pace and managing the tyres did not go well for him either. After precious lost time battling Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, Perez failed to secure second place in the drivers' championship. It is a disappointing end to the season for the Red Bull Racing driver.

Yuki Tsunoda: 6.5

Tsunoda did what he could with the AlphaTauri car in Abu Dhabi, but unfortunately, the driver narrowly missed out on the top ten. In the closing stages of the race, he tried to put pressure on Sebastian Vettel with the soft tyres but ultimately failed to take home a point. However, he did manage to finish ahead of teammate Pierre Gasly.

Guanyu Zhou: 6.5

A points finish was never on the cards for Zhou in Alfa Romeo's poor car, but the young driver managed to prove himself again against the experienced Bottas in both qualifying and the race. Zhou leaves Abu Dhabi with the well-deserved Rookie of the Season award, although he did not have much competition.

Alexander Albon: 6.5

A P13 in the Williams was the best Albon could do in the final race of the season. Hopefully, the driver will get a better car next year to prove himself a true team leader alongside Logan Sargeant.

Mick Schumacher: 6

Schumacher might have hoped for a better result in Abu Dhabi after his Q2 performance in qualifying, but there was no more in it than a 16th place. He did manage to finish ahead of his teammate.

Kevin Magnussen: 5.5

Magnussen crossed the finish line seventeenth behind teammate Mick Schumacher, while the German was also spun after contact with Nicholas Latifi. However strong the Dane started the season, he was far from the top ten in Abu Dhabi.

Pierre Gasly: 5

Gasly will soon want to look ahead to next season with Alpine, as the Frenchman was also beaten by Yuki Tsunoda in the last race. After a disappointing season, Gasly will leave for his new team.

Valtteri Bottas: 5

Bottas crashed out in Q1 of qualifying and the Finn could not improve in the race either. He fell backwards at the start and was again beaten by his rookie teammate Guanyu Zhou.

Nicholas Latifi: 5

A failure for Latifi in his last Formula 1 race. After an incident with Mick Schumacher, the Canadian's race was over, but even without the contact he would not have performed much better.