While Red Bull did not exactly secure the result they desired at the 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, they certainly finished the year off on an absolute high with Max Verstappen taking his record-breaking 15th victory of the season. The team was hoping to secure their first 1-2 championship finish this year, but Sergio Perez just about missed out on second by a three-point deficit to Charles Leclerc, who finished the Abu Dhabi GP ahead of the Mexican.
Red Bull dedicated their success to the late Dietrich Mateschitz, who passed away earlier this year. Team boss Christian Horner said:
“Last year took every ounce of energy out of every member of the team. This year has had highs and lows and issues to deal with. We have had to deal with the loss of our owner Dietrich Mateschitz. F1 was his passion. He gave so many drivers a chance, he gave us a chance. We have to dedicate this championship to him.”
Ferrari started off the season on a great note with a 1-2 finish in the season opener in Bahrain. The Scuderia, however, had a slow decline in performance and strategy over the course of the season, and only managed to finish off the year in second. While they were hoping to go back to their championship-winning days in 2022, their progress to the second this year is certainly worth noting.
Carlos Sainz described it as an overall “good season for the team”. In a post-race media interaction, the Spaniard said:
“I think it’s been, in the end, a good season for the team. You need to think where we were coming from the last two seasons. To be back fighting for wins, getting into the championship, I think is overall a good season .”
Mercedes finished the season in third after having significantly struggled at the start of the season. The Silver Arrows dominated F1 in the turbo-hybrid era, but could not keep up the same momentum with the introduction of the new regulations in 2022. They suffered major porpoising issues which cost them big points at the start of the year and only managed to win one race all season. They managed to achieve this goal last weekend at the Brazilian GP, where George Russell scored his first-ever F1 victory.
The 24-year-old admitted that a rather underwhelming fifth and retirement for Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi GP offered the team a “reality check”. Hey said:
“This weekend was important for us. We had highs in Brazil and Mexico but it is clear that our car only performs in a very narrow window. This was probably a reality check for us.”
Alpine finished the season ahead of McLaren. McLaren will be bidding farewell to Daniel Ricciardo, who will be replaced by F1 rookie Oscar Piastri, while the French outfit will welcome Pierre Gasly in 2023. Alpha Romeo and Aston Martin finished in sixth and seventh respectively, albeit on equal points, while Haas finished ahead of AlphaTauri in eighth. Williams finished yet another season, last in the championship. The team will officially welcome American racing driver Logan Sargeant next season.
Here are the 2022 F1 Constructors’ Standings after the Abu Dhabi GP
position | team | PTS |
1 | Red Bull Racing RBPT | 759 |
2 | Ferrari | 554 |
3 | Mercedes | 515 |
4 | Alpine Renault | 173 |
5 | McLarenMercedes | 159 |
6 | Alfa RomeoFerrari | 55 |
7 | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 55 |
8th | Haas Ferrari | 37 |
9 | AlphaTauri RBPT | 35 |
10 | Williams Mercedes | 8th |
quick links
More from Sportskeeda