The 2022 F1 season comes to a close this weekend in Abu Dhabi. The championship battles have been sealed, but interestingly, the intrigue remains every weekend.
Some of it has to do with the off-track antics of Red Bull (and its lead driver) and some of it is due to their on-track antics as well. Max Verstappen defying team orders in Sao Paulo is one of the hot stories of Formula 1 right now, with everyone looking forward to what the Red Bull driver has to say this weekend.
The race in Brazil was one of the worst weekends for Max Verstappen this season as he not only had an accident at the start of the race with Lewis Hamilton, but also faced criticism after defying orders from Red Bull to let Sergio Perez through.
Heading into the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, while the championship is all but wrapped up, there are still other key battles that the drivers are fighting for. In the last race of the season, there are drivers that would be desperate for a strong result to secure bragging rights heading into the 2023 F1 season. Who are these drivers? Let’s find out.
#1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
On the surface, since we don’t know what Max Verstappen’s reasons were, it’s safe to say that the whole fiasco in Brazil was unnecessary.
The Dutch driver has already sealed the World Drivers’ Championship title. He was fighting for P6 in the race, and at that moment even if he cedes a position to Sergio Perez, it’s not going to affect Verstappen in the long run.
One has to think that whatever reasons Max had, they were strong enough not to incur the wrath of the team. The F1 Brazilian GP was the first race of the season for Verstappen where he wasn’t his usual self.
The collision with Lewis Hamilton (even though it should have been a racing incident) could have been avoided and he might have had a better chance of fighting against the Mercedes drivers that way.
Brazil was a return to Verstappen in the old days where he can be a bit temperamental and his talent is not enough to overcome whatever obstructions he creates for himself. The two-time world champion has been extremely consistent and dominant all season and has picked up the record for the most wins in a season.
Heading to F1 Abu Dhabi GP, the Red Bull driver will be looking to make a statement and end the season on a winning note.
#2 Esteban Ocon (Alpine F1)
Esteban Ocon was under the firing line for defending aggressively against his teammate Fernando Alonso during the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP Sprint. The French driver received a stern team radio during the main race on Sunday as well.
The race in Sau Paulo worked in favor of Fernando Alonso as the late race Safety Car brought him back into contention.
Team work makes the dream work!! @AlpineF1Team Mega recovery and result from the team today
Obrigado Brasil!Teamwork makes the dream work!! @AlpineF1Team Mega recovery and result from the team today 
Obrigado Brasil! https://t.co/mfHYrHCyAD
What it also did was close the gap between Alonso (81 points) and Ocon (86 points) in the championship to just 5 points. The French driver is aiming to make history at Alpine this season. In Fernando Alonso’s illustrious career that spans over two decades, there has only been one driver in Jenson Button who has outscored the Spaniard in the same team.
If Esteban Ocon is able to prevent Alonso from outscoring him by more than 5 points, it would make him just the second driver in history to do that. For a driver that does get attacked relentlessly on social media by other driver fans, this is going to be a very impressive accomplishment.
#3 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
If there is one word that Charles Leclerc has often used this season, it is “Pain.” After a fairytale start to the season where he picked up wins in 2 of the first 3 races, it has been a season of heartbreak for the Ferrari driver. After hopes of challenging for the title, he has seen himself fall further and further behind in the championship battle.
From into the wall to 4th.
See you in Abu Dhabi 
From into the wall to 4th. See you in Abu Dhabi
https://t.co/3PfxTfzcoq
The situation has been so bad that Leclerc is now fighting against Sergio Perez to finish in P2 in the drivers’ championship. While P2 might not mean much, for a young driver like Leclerc, this will be a very big achievement. Even if the season has been poor from the team’s side, the upward trajectory of the team and his own career is undeniable.
Heading into the 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP, Charles Leclerc is level on points with Sergio Perez and the Ferrari driver will be desperate to finish in front of the Mexican to secure P2 in the championship.
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