P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Who has made the list of Winners and Losers from the final qualifying session of 2023 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
The final qualifying statistics for 2023 show that Max Verstappen has secured 12 poles, followed by Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez, and Carlos Sainz with two poles each, and Lewis Hamilton with one pole. Verstappen’s impressive season continues as he starts from his fourth consecutive Yas Marina pole position, where the pole-sitter has won the last eight races. With three previous victories at this track, Verstappen is on track to secure his 19th win out of 22 races. He has truly displayed greatness throughout this season, making extraordinary performances appear routine. As the race in Abu Dhabi approaches, there is uncertainty whether Red Bull’s RB20 will have the same dominance as the previous RB19. This will be the last opportunity to witness one of the greatest drivers in perfect harmony with one of the greatest cars. On the other hand, Lando Norris was a shining example of how narrow the margins can be in elite sports. Despite being a contender for pole position, a slight mistake cost him and he ended up in fifth place. Oscar Piastri had a solid performance, earning him a third-place grid position, with McLaren hoping to keep Verstappen within reach. The struggles of Ferrari and Mercedes have made second place the minimum target for Piastri.
