Max Verstappen put in an assured drive to claim victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, bringing his record-breaking season to a close in a successful fashion.
The Red Bull driver made a strong start from pole and, despite Charles Leclerc looking to make a challenge in the opening laps, Verstappen ultimately held position en route to his 19th win of 2023.
READ MORE: Verstappen beats Leclerc to victory in Abu Dhabi to end record-breaking year on top
A fascinating final few laps saw Leclerc drop back in second to allow Sergio Perez – who had been handed a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with Lando Norris – to pass in order to bolster Ferrari’s chances of beating Mercedes in the constructors’ championship.
Though Perez crossed the line in P2, his penalty pushed him back to fourth, while Leclerc was second and George Russell claimed third, ultimately giving the Silver Arrows that runner-up spot in the constructors’ ahead of the Scuderia.
Norris and Oscar Piastri took fifth and sixth respectively for McLaren, with Fernando Alonso in seventh ahead of an impressive Yuki Tsunoda in eighth. Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll rounded out the top-10.
Click play on the video above to watch the highlights from the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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