Max Verstappen walks away from the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season as a two-time World Champion, after a record-breaking season with fifteen wins and he made no mistake on the final race of the season, coming home with yet another win for the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.
Despite both world titles already being wrapped up, Verstappen had an almost perfect Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing pole position on Saturday and winning the race without a real challenge on Sunday. As it has been multiple times this season, the win was a comfortable one for Verstappen, finishing over eight seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc.
“It was incredible to win here again and to get 15 wins in total this season is unbelievable. It was a good race, the one stop really worked for me, and it was all about tyre management today. “
Verstappen admitted the team tried everything they could to try and secure Sergio Perez second in the standings, but it just didn’t happen for the Mexican driver in the final few laps round the Yas Marina Circuit.
“As a Team, we did everything we could to get Checo up there ahead of Charles, we had split strategies, but it didn’t work out today. Overall, we’ve achieved a lot this year as a Team and we can all be proud of that, it’s great motivation heading into next year.“
Verstappen paid tribute to the whole of the Red Bull family and claimed that he is looking forward to his break before we get back to racing in March.
“We’ve had an incredible season and I want to thank everyone in the Team out here in Abu Dhabi and back at the factory, this sport requires dedication, and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing has that, it’s clear to see.
“I’m really looking forward to a break now and I hope everyone has a good Winter and much needed time with family and friends.”
Sergio Perez – “The Team has had a tremendous year.“
Despite not securing second place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it was still a personal best season for Perez, who contributed heavily to Red Bull’s victory in the Constructors Championship and Verstappen’s title.
Perez has a difficult race and finished behind Leclerc after a switch in strategy. He closed up on the Ferrari driver in the final few laps but that wasn’t enough, mostly due to the Mexican having to race his way back through the field. The result meant that Perez lost out on second in the Championship by a small margin to Leclerc.
“I am pleased because I gave it my all today. In the end we just didn’t have enough, this is how the sport works, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
“It hurts to lose second place in the Championship by one second, there are things we could have done better but at the end of the day what matters is that you never give up in this sport and that is what I have done this season, on and off track, so I can go home happy.
Perez also spent a moment to honour the team and look back on a fantastic year.
“What really meant the most this season is that we gave everything, always, and we ended the final race doing just that. The Team has had a tremendous year so it is nice to finish the season well, we will regroup and look to another strong year in 2023.”
