As the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary this weekend, all eyes will be on Red Bull's star driver Max Verstappen as he aims for a fourth successive win in the UAE.
Verstappen enters the final stretch of the season on the back of last weekend’s triumph at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix - a record-extending 18th victory of the season.
It was the 53rd win of the triple world champion's career, and sixth in a row.
While Lewis Hamilton holds the record at the Yas Marina Circuit for most wins - five - Verstappen is the only driver to have won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix three times in a row, and is clearly the man to beat.
“Nobody can dismiss Max Verstappen,” Saif Al Noaimi, chief executive officer of Ethara, the event management company behind the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, told The National when asked to share his thoughts on the final race of the season.
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Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, presents the trophy to the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen of Red Bull last year. Photo: Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court -
Max Verstappen celebrates victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 20, 2022. All pictures Victor Besa / The National -
Max Verstappen on the podium with Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez -
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez of Mercedes finished first and third -
Sebastian Vettel says goodbye and thank you to fans after his last race -
Fans celebrate Verstappen's victory -
Max Verstappen of Red Bull on his way to victory -
The start of the race at Yas Marina Circuit -
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action before he was forced to retire -
F1 champion and race winner Max Verstappen dominated in Abu Dhabi, as he has for most of the season -
The Al Fursan aerial display team above Yas Marina Circuit before the start of the race
“He is currently in a league of his own. He’s outperformed his teammates and all of the other teams by a big margin. If you had to choose based on the statistics of the last 2022 (Abu Dhabi) Grand Prix, it’s likely to be Max.”
The championship for both the drivers and the constructors may have already been decided, but Al Noaimi insists the final race of the year will be exciting.
“The drivers have a point to prove; they want to finish ahead of their competitors,” he said.
“Many will also look to out-perform their teammates. The second place in the constructor’s championship is still alive and it will very likely be decided in Abu Dhabi.
“The financial rewards are based on where they place in the championship. So, there is still a lot at stake in the final Grand Prix of the year.
“Wheel-to-wheel racing is expected to continue with the changes we made to the track in 2021. We see an amazing number of overtakes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and expect to see more this year.”
