newspaper2020

Max Verstappen Finishes 2023 Season With Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Pole Position

By Robert Haile

Qualifying for the final round of the 2023 Formula One season has end with Max Verstappen on pole position.

The three time world champion took pole position ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

George Russell, who had been showing pole setting pace in free practice, had to settle for fourth for Mercedes.

Pole sitter Verstappen said: “I have no clue how good we are going to be in the race, we are usually quite decent.

“It’s been a very special season and we’ve been enjoying it a lot. I’m very proud of what we have achieved so far this year.”

Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates – Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Lando Norris put his McLaren in fifth as Yuki Tsunoda took sixth in one of his best qualifying performances of the season for AlphaTauri.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is in seventh as Nico Hulkenberg pipped Sergio Perez for eighth as Pierre Gasly completed the top ten.

Another big name missed out on the top ten as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton dropped into eleventh as the final drivers finished.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was twelfth with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Williams Alex Albon and AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo in fifthteenth.

In the first session of qualifying Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was a shock elimination in sixteenth which could be seen as a knock on effect from his crash in free practice.

Haas’ Kevin Magnussen finished in seventeenth in front of both Alfa Romeo’s as Valtteri Bottas led Zhou Guanyu with Williams Logan Sargeant in twentieth.

The final Grand Prix of the season starts at 1 pm GMT (13:00) on Sunday, November 26.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying

  1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
  2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
  3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
  4. George Russell (Mercedes)
  5. Lando Norris (McLaren)
  6. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
  7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
  8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
  9. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
  10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
  11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
  12. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
  13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
  14. Alex Albon (Williams)
  15. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri)
  16. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
  17. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
  18. Vallteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
  19. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)
  20. Logan Sargeant (Williams)