F1's goodbye to the GOAT: Up and down in Abu Dhabi

F1

The greatest has left us – how will Formula 1 even go on?

2022 Williams driver Nicholas Latifi at the Abu Dhabi GP

Farewell to the greatest – how will we live without him?

Williams

Author

James Elson

A season which promised to be the ultimate Michelin-starred experience and eventually turned into a forgotten ready meal at the back of the freezer (speaking strictly in historic terms) has finally come to a merciful close, reminding everyone that a great way to separate the field and ruin things for everyone is presenting an opportunity for one team to get ahead – Red Bull seized its chance having coincidentally spent more money than everyone else.

Still, overspend or no overspend, Max Verstappen hammered home the point that Milton Keynes really does rule over all in Abu Dhabi, quite simply crushing the opposition.

The rest behind seemed an irrelevance, everyone willing Sergio Perez to put up a fight to Charles Leclerc before he limply fell short.

F1 said a tearful goodbye to a true legend of the sport, a man whose influence on the championship will forever be felt and remembered appropriately.

But that’s enough about Nicholas Latifi, as F1 also bid auf wiedersehen to Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher.

 

Goin’ Up

See ya Seb

2022 Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel at the Abu Dhabi GP

Domenicali really doesn’t seem kitted out for this one

Grand Prix Photo

Sebastian Vettel, the driver who everyone used to hate and now so many semi-inexplicably love for expressing some mild opinions which most sane people would hold, now says goodbye to F1.

The championship’s ‘Grid Luvvies’ almost went into overdrive in their tributes to the former ‘Weltmeister’, who spent five seasons at the very top in F1 and then a few others bit further down, but his father Norbert hanging his first race suit in the Aston garage was a nice touch.

If this is what happens for Vettel, you feel the F1 world might collapse in on itself when Lewis Hamilton finally calls it a day to pursue his true calling as an Extreme E team manager.

 

Don’t question the question

2022 Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc at the Abu Dhabi GP

Yes! Ferrari back to its rightful place, a bumbling second

Ferrari

A big congratulations to the ragazzi on the Ferrari pit wall – they actually got a call right! Leaving its Monégasque out on Pirelli C3s which represented old slabs of granite actually worked, as Perez laboured to catch up and Leclerc clinched the ‘First of the Losers’ prize.

Shame it’s all a bit too little late for the ‘Question Crew’, but it’s enough to get the Tifosi’s hopes up before disappointing everyone again next year.

 

Abu Dhabi

Unbelievably, Yas Marina actually provided some good racing, aided in part by the changes which were made to the track last year.

All very much DRS assisted too of course but out there in the desert, F1 fans can’t be choosers.

 

Palmed off by Pep

Poor Martin hasn’t had much luck with celebs on the grid this year, but after the latest snub, this time by Manchester City footballing svengali Pep Guardiola, Sky’s lead commentator naturally had a fine riposte up his sleeve.

 

Going down

Do not donut

Poor Mick – Haas doesn’t even want his donuts:

 

Paltry Perez offering

2022 Red Bull driver Sergio Perez at the Abu Dhabi GP

“Hope you’re ready for a few more years of this”

Grand Prix Photo

Following all the uproar about Verstappen helping his team-mate, Perez provided an anti-climatic end to the season by losing out to Leclerc all on his own anyway.

Hope he’s looking forward to at least two more years of bringing up the Red Bull rear.

 

Mercedes falls at the final hurdle

After Mercedes went the entire season up to this point without a mechanical failure, Lewis suffers one at the very last race. Can the Silver Arrows really make a comeback next season?

 

Going out with a whimper

2022 Alpine driver Fernando Alonso at the Abu Dhabi GP

The boys have a good laugh about the idea of ‘Cheeky ‘Nando’ actually having a clean weekend

Grand Prix Photo

What has been going on with Fernando Alonso’s No14 Alpine this season?

Yet another breakdown, as his team-mate Ocon sails unhindered to the finish once more.

At least he’ll be paid 007 times more for a similar privilege at Aston Martin next year.

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