The 2022 Formula 1 season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix delivered an intriguing qualifying session, setting the stage for what promised to be a captivating race. In a year that saw Red Bull Racing achieve unprecedented dominance, securing both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships well before the final curtain, it was remarkable that their first front-row lockout of the season only materialized at the Yas Marina Circuit. This achievement underscored the team’s relentless pursuit of excellence and their determination to conclude an already historic campaign on the strongest possible note.
Max Verstappen, the reigning two-time world champion, claimed his seventh pole position of the season, a testament to his consistent speed and the superior package Red Bull provided. Joining him on the front row was his teammate, Sergio Perez, marking the first time two Red Bulls had occupied the top two grid slots since the 2018 Mexican Grand Prix. This rare feat highlighted not only Red Bull’s raw pace in Abu Dhabi but also a renewed focus on team synergy and strategic execution in qualifying.
Red Bull’s Dominant Display and Teamwork
Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal, naturally expressed immense satisfaction with the team’s qualifying performance. After a season filled with numerous victories and championship celebrations, securing a dominant front row for the final race was the perfect way to cap off their most successful year to date. “We are tremendously happy with the performance as it gives us an opportunity to end our most successful season in the best possible way,” Horner stated, radiating confidence. He emphasized, however, that while Saturday was exceptional, the focus immediately shifted to Sunday’s race: “We couldn’t have asked for a better Saturday, but there is still a lot to do. Now we must focus on converting this into the best possible result.”
Verstappen’s pole position was hardly a surprise, given his form throughout the season. The more noteworthy aspect was Sergio Perez’s ability to extract such impressive pace, beating both Ferraris and Mercedes. A crucial factor in Perez’s performance, as he later confirmed, was the strategic tow he received from Verstappen on the two main straights. This aerodynamic advantage allowed Perez to be the only driver to exceed 330 kph, a speed that undoubtedly contributed to his improved sector times and ultimately, his P2 grid slot. “Yeah, it certainly did,” Perez acknowledged regarding the tow. “I think we worked really well as a team today. And I could feel, especially sector two, it was working. What you gain, you lose a bit in sector three, but generally, I think certainly it was a positive thing.” This display of teamwork demonstrated Red Bull’s commitment to maximizing their potential on every lap, even when the championships were already decided.
Ferrari’s Quest for Race Pace and Strategic Gambles
Ferrari emerged as Red Bull’s closest competitors on Saturday, a significant turnaround from their initial struggles earlier in the weekend. Charles Leclerc qualified third, just half a tenth shy of Sergio Perez. His performance in the final corner suggested that, on raw single-lap pace, the F1-75 was not far off the Red Bulls. However, a difficult FP2 session with race simulations left Leclerc cautious about their long-run potential. “It’s difficult to know for now,” said Leclerc. “We had a difficult FP2. During the race simulations, it felt definitely quite a bit better this morning, but we had no reference. So it’s a bit of a question mark for now. I feel like we are in a better place compared to yesterday – whether this is enough to beat the Red Bulls tomorrow, I don’t know yet. But we’ll give it our all.”
The Yas Marina Circuit is often criticized for producing processionary races, yet Ferrari, facing potential tire degradation issues during their high-fuel runs on Friday, might consider an aggressive strategy. Unlike the preceding year’s race, which saw a relatively straightforward one-stopper complicated by late-race safety cars, Pirelli projected a two-stop strategy as optimal for the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to anticipated higher tire wear. This opens the door for Ferrari to potentially gamble on a divergent approach with either Leclerc or his teammate Carlos Sainz Jnr. “We’ll have to see once we are in the race and what are the opportunities at that moment,” Leclerc mused. “Obviously Carlos is starting right behind me and hopefully we can put a bit of pressure on Checo by doing different things.” The coordination between Leclerc and Sainz, potentially employing split strategies or team tactics, could be key to challenging Red Bull’s dominance and securing a strong finish for the Scuderia.
Mercedes’ Search for Lost Form and Race Pace Hopes
The recent resurgence of Mercedes, highlighted by George Russell’s victory in Brazil, seemed to hit a snag at Yas Marina. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell qualified fifth and sixth, respectively, a disappointing outcome compounded by an eight-tenths gap to pole position. Hamilton admitted, “We came here expecting this to be a difficult one for us but we didn’t expect a gap of eight tenths to pole position. I gave it everything, so it’s a bit of a surprising result and just being so far behind Red Bull and Ferrari.” Both Mercedes drivers struggled for pace on the long straights, losing valuable time to the Red Bulls and Ferraris. Hamilton, in particular, was on course to challenge Sainz for fourth until a mistake in Turn 14 likely cost him the position. Despite the qualifying deficit, Mercedes held onto hope for a stronger race performance. “Hopefully our race pace tomorrow will be better than our qualifying pace today,” Hamilton added, echoing the team’s traditional strength on Sundays.
Team Principal Toto Wolff drew parallels to the previous year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Red Bull had the qualifying advantage, but Mercedes showed superior race pace. He succinctly summarized their challenge: “It’s top speed versus tyre saving. So we shall see tomorrow if we can really gain an advantage and be happier with the tyres.” This tactical dilemma encapsulates Mercedes’ approach – sacrificing some outright qualifying speed for better tire management and sustained performance over a race distance. Their ability to manage tire degradation could determine whether they can challenge Ferrari and potentially even Red Bull on Sunday, turning a disappointing Saturday into a more positive Sunday.
Crucial Battles in the Midfield: Constructors’ Championship Stakes
Beyond the fight for victory at the front, two significant battles for Constructors’ Championship positions were poised for a thrilling conclusion on Sunday. These battles, though not as high-profile as the drivers’ championship, carried substantial financial and prestige implications for the teams involved.
McLaren vs. Alpine: The Fight for Fourth
McLaren entered the final race with a slim chance of overtaking Alpine for fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Their prospects were bolstered by Lando Norris’s strong qualifying performance, outpacing Esteban Ocon, while Fernando Alonso failed to reach the top ten. Norris recognized the team had done all they could on Saturday: “This has probably been our best weekend for quite a while in terms of pace against them. So we’ve given ourselves as many opportunities going to tomorrow that we can. The rest is not down to us, the rest is down to misfortune or fortune either way. But we’re in a really good position to score some good points tomorrow so we’ll do that and hope the rest just goes our way.” The pressure was on for McLaren to convert their grid advantage into significant points. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso, known for his cunning racecraft and strategic prowess, hinted at a different approach for Alpine. “We are one of the few teams that has two hard tyre [sets],” Alonso explained, suggesting a strategic gambit that could play to his advantage over the 58-lap race. His ability to manage tires and execute alternative strategies has often seen him climb through the field, and this final race with Alpine presented another opportunity for such a display.
Alfa Romeo vs. Aston Martin: The Battle for Sixth and Vettel’s Farewell
Alfa Romeo faced a tense Sunday, needing to avoid being out-scored by more than five points to cling onto sixth position in the Constructors’ Championship. Their qualifying session, however, presented a significant challenge. Valtteri Bottas suffered a surprising Q1 exit, struggling to get his tires into the optimal operating window. He claimed, “It was a strange feeling, we just couldn’t get the tyres to work in our out-lap and, as a result, our sector one pace suffered. It’s frustrating, of course, but now we need to prepare in the best possible way for tomorrow’s race.” His teammate, Zhou Guanyu, also struggled, being knocked out in 15th in Q2. In stark contrast, Sebastian Vettel delivered a brilliant performance, securing a solid ninth place on the grid for Aston Martin. This placed immense pressure on Alfa Romeo, making the final 58 laps of the season incredibly nervous for them.
For Sebastian Vettel, this race held immense personal significance. In what was widely expected to be his final Grand Prix start, the retiring Aston Martin driver was determined to conclude his illustrious career on a high note. A strong points finish could gift his team a crucial extra position in the Constructors’ Championship, a fitting legacy at a circuit where he had enjoyed considerable success over the years. “Absolutely, we’ll try to do that,” Vettel affirmed, embodying his competitive spirit one last time. “We’ll see what happens. I feel we have the right tyres with us and it should be a good race.” His motivation, combined with Aston Martin’s strategy, made him a driver to watch closely as he aimed to leave Formula 1 with a memorable performance.
Qualifying Times in Full
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Q1 time | Q2 time (vs Q1) | Q3 time (vs Q2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1’24.754 | 1’24.622 (-0.132s) | 1’23.824 (-0.798s) |
| 2 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1’24.820 | 1’24.419 (-0.401s) | 1’24.052 (-0.367s) |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’25.211 | 1’24.517 (-0.694s) | 1’24.092 (-0.425s) |
| 4 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’25.090 | 1’24.521 (-0.569s) | 1’24.242 (-0.279s) |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’25.594 | 1’24.774 (-0.820s) | 1’24.508 (-0.266s) |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’25.545 | 1’24.940 (-0.605s) | 1’24.511 (-0.429s) |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’25.387 | 1’24.903 (-0.484s) | 1’24.769 (-0.134s) |
| 8 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’25.735 | 1’25.007 (-0.728s) | 1’24.830 (-0.177s) |
| 9 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’25.523 | 1’24.974 (-0.549s) | 1’24.961 (-0.013s) |
| 10 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | 1’25.782 | 1’25.096 (-0.686s) | |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | 1’25.630 | 1’25.219 (-0.411s) | Missed by 0.151s |
| 12 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | 1’25.711 | 1’25.225 (-0.486s) | Missed by 0.157s |
| 13 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’25.766 | 1’25.068 (-0.698s) | Missed by 0.000s |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’25.741 | 1’25.359 (-0.382s) | Missed by 0.291s |
| 15 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’25.594 | 1’25.408 (-0.186s) | Missed by 0.340s |
| 16 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’25.834 | Missed by 0.052s | |
| 17 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | 1’25.859 | Missed by 0.077s | |
| 18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’25.892 | Missed by 0.110s | |
| 19 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1’26.028 | Missed by 0.246s | |
| 20 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | 1’26.054 | Missed by 0.272s |
Sector Times
| Position | Number | Driver | Sector one | Sector two | Sector three | Ultimate lap | Deficit to ultimate lap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | 17.287 (3) | 36.056 (2) | 30.481 (2) | 1’23.824 | – | |
| 2 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | 17.273 (2) | 36.128 (3) | 30.646 (4) | 1’24.047 | 0.195 | |
| 3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | 17.343 (6) | 35.993 (1) | 30.716 (5) | 1’24.052 | – | |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | 17.298 (4) | 36.318 (4) | 30.476 (1) | 1’24.092 | – | |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | 17.22 (1) | 36.471 (6) | 30.742 (6) | 1’24.433 | 0.075 | |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | 17.39 (8) | 36.436 (5) | 30.611 (3) | 1’24.437 | 0.074 | |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | 17.389 (7) | 36.484 (7) | 30.85 (8) | 1’24.723 | 0.046 | |
| 8 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | 17.391 (9) | 36.511 (9) | 30.827 (7) | 1’24.729 | 0.232 | |
| 9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | 17.468 (11) | 36.49 (8) | 30.872 (9) | 1’24.830 | – | |
| 10 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | 17.485 (12) | 36.542 (12) | 30.894 (10) | 1’24.921 | 0.147 | |
| 11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | 17.321 (5) | 36.722 (17) | 31.053 (11) | 1’25.096 | – | |
| 12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | 17.466 (10) | 36.593 (13) | 31.114 (12) | 1’25.173 | 0.046 |
| 13 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | 17.536 (15) | 36.513 (10) | 31.176 (16) | 1’25.225 | – |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 17.486 (13) | 36.729 (18) | 31.144 (14) | 1’25.359 | – |
| 15 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 17.58 (18) | 36.711 (16) | 31.117 (13) | 1’25.408 | – |
| 16 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | 17.559 (16) | 36.699 (14) | 31.446 (18) | 1’25.704 | 0.155 |
| 17 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 17.637 (19) | 36.876 (19) | 31.321 (17) | 1’25.834 | – |
| 18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 17.808 (20) | 36.913 (20) | 31.171 (15) | 1’25.892 | – |
| 19 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | 17.535 (14) | 36.54 (11) | 31.93 (20) | 1’26.005 | 0.049 |
| 20 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 17.561 (17) | 36.708 (15) | 31.759 (19) | 1’26.028 | – |
Speed Trap
| Position | Number | Driver | Car | Engine | Model | Max kph (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | Mercedes | FW44 | 334.2 (207.7) |
| 2 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | Red Bull | RB18 | 331.5 (206.0) |
| 3 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | Mercedes | FW44 | 330.8 (205.5) |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Red Bull | RB18 | 329.9 (205.0) |
| 5 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | Red Bull | AT03 | 328.7 (204.2) |
| 6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | Renault | A522 | 327.6 (203.6) |
| 7 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | Red Bull | AT03 | 326.8 (203.1) |
| 8 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | Ferrari | F1-75 | 325.7 (202.4) |
| 9 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | Ferrari | F1-75 | 325.3 (202.1) |
| 10 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | Ferrari | VF-22 | 325.2 (202.1) |
| 11 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | Ferrari | VF-22 | 325 (201.9) |
| 12 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | Renault | A522 | 324 (201.3) |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | Mercedes | W13 | 323.1 (200.8) |
| 14 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | Ferrari | C42 | 322.1 (200.1) |
| 15 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | Mercedes | MCL36 | 322.1 (200.1) |
| 16 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | Mercedes | W13 | 321.2 (199.6) |
| 17 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | Ferrari | C42 | 321 (199.5) |
| 18 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | Mercedes | AMR22 | 319.7 (198.7) |
| 19 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | Mercedes | MCL36 | 318.7 (198.0) |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | Mercedes | AMR22 | 314.6 (195.5) |
Over to You: Predictions for the Finale
As the sun sets on the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promised thrilling action. With Red Bull locking out the front row, Ferrari eyeing strategic gambles, and Mercedes hoping for a turnaround in race pace, the battle for victory was far from a foregone conclusion. Furthermore, the intense midfield duels for crucial championship positions – McLaren against Alpine for fourth, and Alfa Romeo fending off Aston Martin for sixth – added layers of excitement and unpredictability. How would these fascinating narratives unfold? Would Red Bull complete their dominant season with a one-two finish, or could their rivals mount a challenge? And which teams would emerge victorious in the highly contested midfield battles?
Share your views on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and its implications for the 2022 season in the comments below.
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