Our 5 lessons from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Alonso is cursed

All year long, the Spaniard never stopped proclaiming his misfortune, which sometimes even bordered on conspiracy when he was annoyed that the problems ofAlpine only affected his car or almost. In Abu Dhabi, for his last in blue, the Asturian concluded his story with Alpine by abandonment, like his season. The cause was a suspicion of a hydraulic leak. Before the start of the weekend, Nando considered having lost 70 points due to mechanical problems. As is often the case in life, he probably exaggerates a little, but we can still count around fifty! No hard feelings, however, with the French team. Alpine finished 4th in the Manufacturers' Championship, his goal of the year. This Monday morning, at the stroke of noon in the Emirati paddock, Alonso passed by hospitality for the first time Alpine without stopping there, but making a heart with his fingers to his former partners and saying: “Save me a place for lunch!” ".

Consolation for Leclerc

It was ultimately the last real individual sporting challenge of this final Grand Prix of the year. Who Charles Leclerc or would Sergio Pérez end up in the honorary position of vice-champion? Faster in qualifying for 40 thousandths, the Mexican thought he had done the hardest part, especially knowing the frantic pace of his Red Bull on Sunday, and the drop in performance, generally, of the Ferrari race. It did not happen. Leclerc, very comfortable and fast, stretched his first stint on the mediums, which then allowed him on the hard to have fresher tires than Pérez. At Red Bull, we quickly understood that the situation was beyond their control. We brought Checo back into the pits to pass him over two stops hoping to overtake Leclerc on the last lap. He ended up missing two or three. On the Ferrari side, the Monegasque was satisfied to have had a trouble-free and perfectly executed weekend. He logically finishes runner-up to Max Verstappen. Deserved.

Everyone will miss Vettel

He was the star of the weekend. On and off the track. Acclaimed from all sides, the German offered a moving farewell throughout these four days in Abu Dhabi. There was the restaurant between drivers on Thursday evening, the numerous tributes from his peers, the Saturday evening jogging on the circuit with the whole paddock, and this brilliant communion on Sunday, between pre-race guards of honor and post-race donuts. race. The four-time world champion will go down as one of the greatest drivers in the history of F1, which he will have marked as much by his driving skills as by his immense humanity, which will make him a regretted character. Weighed down by a bad strategy on the part of his team, Hag left the premier category as he had discovered it in 2007 in Indianapolis, by scoring a small point, which however says nothing of the attacking race that he offered himself, with beautiful battles and nice maneuvers. Danke Seb for these fifteen years!

Definitely a difficult year for Hamilton

Perhaps there was some symbolism to be seen Lewis Hamilton finish the season in his garage, in the anonymity of abandonment. The Briton was deprived of the end-of-race show, where he dreamed of being able to accompany his old friend Sebastian Vettel to say goodbye. For the first time in his career, which began in 2007, the native of Stevenage finished a season without the slightest victory. Worse, he was beaten by a teammate for the first time since 2016, when he was defeated by Nico Rosberg in the title race. In the mixed zone after the race, when AUTOhebdo asked him if he was at least a little optimistic for 2023 and a possible return to the top of the bill, he only wanted to think about his vacations, about the time he would spend with family, with his nephews and nieces. The campaign was grueling for Hamilton, who placed it in his Top 3 worst of his career.

Verstappen will still be the man to beat in 2023

The disappointment of Brazil and the strong comeback of Mercedes had been able to make believe in a return to the past, in 2021, with Red Bull and the brand with the star neck and neck for victories and championships. But the Milton Keynes team set the record straight in Abu Dhabi, with a double in qualifying, a race victory, the 15th of the year for the Dutchman (a record!) and a new podium for Sergio Pérez, when George Russell finished 5th with difficulty. The faster nature of the Yas Marina track did not help the German team, which had been advantaged by the absence of fast corners and long straights in Austin, Mexico and Sao Paulo. For its part, at Red Bull, we also messed up with the settings, with only one free practice session on the program. Mercedes is aiming for a return to the top in 2023, Ferrari also intends to make up for its shortcomings and come back stronger, but it will be the Red Bull-Verstappen duo that will be the scarecrow!

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