Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen ended the season in style as he cruised to a record-extending 19th victory of 2023 with yet another dominant display at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The three-time world champion, who has been far and away the best driver on the grid and has led for more than 1,000 laps during the 2023 season, started from the pole position and was never under any real pressure as he secured a third-straight win at Yas Marina Circuit.
Teammate Sergio Pérez also produced a sublime drive as he crossed the finish line in second, though he was pushed back to fourth due to a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Lando Norris.
Max Verstappen, Driver, Red Bull Racing
It’s been an unforgettable season. It was emotional on the in-lap driving the RB19 for the last time. This car and Team have given me so much. I must say a big thank you to everyone at Red Bull; we’ve had an incredible year. It will be hard to replicate a year like this, but we always want to improve and improve, so let’s see what we can do next year. In the meantime, I think the whole Team and everyone in the paddock need to rest and spend time with friends and family. It’s been a simply lovely year.
Sergio Pérez, Driver, Red Bull Racing:
Overall, we had a good race today. I could have maybe stretched it to a one-stop. It’s something to look at and review. It probably would have been possible, but we will never know! My honest opinion is it was just a racing incident with Lando. Still, unfortunately, the stewards disagreed with that, and I got the penalty and lost second place in the season’s final race. I have learned never to give up this season. We have had some tough times, ups and downs, but it only matters where you finish when the season ends here. I am happy with the whole Team; they have done a tremendous job, and we deserve a lot more today and, at times, this season. We have had the best season in our history, and so much credit goes to Max; he has been outstanding. Next year, we have another chance, and we will go for it.
CHRISTIAN HORNER – CEO and Team Principal, Red Bull Racing
That brings the curtain down on a year that can only be described as incredible. This car is going to go down in the history books as a very, very special car. To have won 21 races out of the 22 is an achievement we never thought possible. What a year, not just for those you see week in and week out at the track, but more than anything, all the people behind the scenes back in the factory across the whole business. All the support staff made this happen and played their role in creating, delivering, and operating this car. I think everybody can take considerable pride in what they’ve achieved because this Team has an incredible winning spirit. Their determination through it all is solid.
Adding to this, Max and Checo. An extraordinary Team in themselves. Their hard work and commitment delivered our first ever P1 and P2 finish. Throughout the season, Max has been as close to faultless as you can get, every week bettering his last performance and turning in his best year yet. Checo, by comparison, has equally had his best year and finish in the Championship. It was not an easy road for him, but he turned it up when he needed to and secured second place.
Finally, I would like to thank our partners and fans, who equally played their part in this historic season. Their commitment to the Team has been steadfast throughout the season, and we are incredibly grateful for their support. Hopefully, we will take these lessons out of this car and apply them to our 20th car. It will be another memorable year for us in our 20th year as we continue to build to try and defend these two titles. Preparation has already begun. We will enjoy the break while we have it, but we look forward to seeing what’s to come in the 2024 season.
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