The 2023 F1 season has reached its conclusion. Sunday’s twilight Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will officially wrap up a season in which we saw the most dominant season ever as Max Verstappen cruised to his third straight world drivers championship.
It is also the first time Red Bull finishes 1-2 in the world drivers standings as Sergio Perez is assured of second place. Both drivers’ and constructors’ titles were decided more than two months ago. That’s some dominance.
Still in play this weekend are battles for second, third, fourth and fifth in the constructors’ standings, fourth, fifth and six in the drivers’ standings and a heated intra-team competition at Alpine.
Here’s what to know ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix TV schedule
All times Eastern
Friday
4:25-5:30 a.m.: Free practice 1 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
7:55-9 a.m.: Free practice 2 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
Saturday
5:25-6:30 a.m.: Free practice 3 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
8:55-10 a.m.: Qualifying (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
Sunday
6:30-7:55 a.m.: Pre-race show (ESPN, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
7:55-10 a.m.: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (ESPN, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix details
Track: Yas Marina Circuit, 16-turn, 3.28-mile, counterclockwise permanent racing facility in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Race length: 58 laps
Tire compounds: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft)
Lap record: 1:26.103 (Max Verstappen, Red Bull-Honda, 2021)
2022 winner: Max Verstappen, Red Bull-RBPT
Top drivers and best bets for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Max Verstappen has won 18 of 21 races so far this season – including the last six in a row – and the last three races in Abu Dhabi so he is understandably the overwhelming favorite for the race win according to BetMGM.
Best odds to win
• Max Verstappen -350
• Lando Norris +1200
• Lewis Hamilton +1400
• Sergio Perez +1400
2023 F1 drivers’ standings
1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 549*
2. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT – 273
3. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes – 232
4. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari – 200
5. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 200
6. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes – 195
7. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari – 188
8. George Russell (63), Mercedes – 160
9. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes – 89
10. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes – 73
11. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault – 62
12. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault – 58
13. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes – 27
14. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 13
15. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 10
16. Nico Hülkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari – 9
17. Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 6
18. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari – 6
19. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari – 3
20. Liam Lawson (40), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 2
21. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes – 1
22. Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT – 0
* — Clinched world championship
F1 constructors’ standings
1. Red Bull RBPT — 822^
2. Mercedes — 392
3. Ferrari — 388
4. McLaren-Mercedes — 284
5. Aston Martin-Mercedes — 273
6. Alpine-Renault — 120
7. Williams-Mercedes — 28
8. AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT — 21
9. Alfa Romeo-Ferrari — 16
10. Haas Ferrari — 12
^Clinched constructors championship
Young drivers in FP1 at Abu Dhabi
Due to F1’s rookie mandate – whereby each team has to make two free practice sessions per season available to drivers who have completed fewer than two grands prix – there will be 10 unfamiliar faces on track early Friday:
• Jack Dennis: The 2023 Formula E champion and Red Bull simulator driver will pilot one of the RB19s in his first live experience in an F1 car.
• Isack Hadjar: Hadjar is currently 14th in the F2 standings and previously drove an AlphaTauri in FP1 during this year’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
• Robert Shwartzman: Ferrari’s reserve driver will hop into Charles Leclerc’s car after having run FP1 during this season’s Dutch Grand Prix weekend in Carlos Sainz’s machinery.
• Frederik Vesti: Sitting in second in the F2 standings, Vesti has a busy weekend ahead of him between possibly winning a championship and driving Lewis Hamilton’s W14 after having driven George Russell’s car in Mexico City.
• Jack Doohan: Driving Esteban Ocon’s Alpine this time around, Doohan will be making his fourth appearance in an F1 car after the 2022 and 2023 Mexico City events and last year in Abu Dhabi.
• Pato O’Ward: A standout for Arrow McLaren in the NTT IndyCar Series, O’Ward is making his second F1 practice session appearance after driving in Abu Dhabi last year.
• Oliver Bearman: The 18-year-old Brit was the fastest of five rookies in Mexico City last month and will pilot Nico Hülkenberg’s Haas this time out.
• Theo Pourchaire: The current F2 points leader will hope to actually turn a flying lap this time out as his first outing for Alfa Romeo in Mexico City was halted by a technical failure in the car.
• Felipe Drugovich: Aston Martin’s reserve driver hops into Fernando Alonso’s car for the second time in 2023 after driving the opening session at Monza.
• Zak O’Sullivan: The 2023 Formula E runner-up will make his F1 on-track debut driving Alexander Albon’s Williams in the opening practice session.
Weather for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
While they’re trading one desert in late November for another, conditions should be much more hospitable in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Daytime highs are forecast for the mid-80s, but given that the bulk of on-track running is in twilight or full darkness, ambient and track temperatures should be much more optimal than Las Vegas, where teams struggled to get tires into their operating window.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
