F1 2023 awards: Max Verstappen away and clear as rivals fail to show up – The Guardian
Driver of the year
Impossible to ignore, relentless, all but flawless and intimidatingly quick, Max Verstappen was in a class of his own. The records he has achieved on the way to a third title speak for themselves. Nineteen wins from 22 races, 21 podium places, a 10-race consecutive win streak and becoming the first driver to lead for over 1,000 laps in a season. Yet they do not tell the whole story. In amassing them Verstappen demonstrated what a complete driver he is. The car was exceptional, but Verstappen has exploited it with consummate mastery and consistency. A glance at his teammate Sergio Pérez’s performance in the same machinery demonstrates how the 26-year old was operating on a different plane. There were superb drives, coming back from 15th to second in Saudi Arabia, from ninth to victory in Miami – a win that surely broke Pérez who had started from pole – from sixth in Spa and overcoming pressure and challenging conditions in a masterclass at Zandvoort. Verstappen’s dominance may have robbed the season of dramatic tension at the front but his performance cannot be faulted.
Team of the year
In the midfield there was a pleasing resurgence for initially Aston Martin and then McLaren, both teams delivering eye-catching seasons. Aston for their explosive start and not least for bringing a welcome joie de vivre to Fernando Alonso. McLaren’s journey from flailing in Bahrain to potential race winners in the second half of the season was equally gripping. Yet of course it is Red Bull that earn the plaudits. The RB19 was a magnificent car and the team backed it with an operational and strategic performance that was second to none. There is an ease that comes with knowing you have a definitive pace advantage but it cannot be allowed to turn to complacency. On many weekends they turned up to find the car was not at its best at certain tracks. Monaco was one where Verstappen was convinced in practice that he would crash. However, time and time again they worked through it and by race day it was indomitable once more. Verstappen of course won in Monaco and Red Bull are the benchmark now for every other team.
Race of the year
Singapore, the race where Red Bull’s run to an unbeaten season was finally ended by Carlos Sainz’s victory, was a standout. With Verstappen out of the running, Marina Bay threw up a grand battle that indicated how close the racing might be when Red Bull were not in the mix. It closed thrillingly with Sainz, Lando Norris, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton all vying for the win. However it was the rollercoaster ride of F1’s return to Las Vegas that hit the jackpot. Having opened with the debacle of practice being abandoned and then run behind closed doors after a loose drain cover struck Sainz’s car, the weekend could not have had a worse start. Yet it did turn around. The circuit, feared to be a dud, was mighty for racing with the cars two and three abreast and drivers genuinely able to compete with diving passes. It delivered beyond expectations and as F1 had hoped looked superb under the lights of the Strip. The sport surely now has its US showcase race of razzmatazz, showbiz and hoopla, which begs the question: where does that leave the Miami GP?
Comeback of the year
After the opening race in Bahrain, McLaren were staring at an awfully long season, with an awfully slow car. The team had already admitted they had failed to meet pre-season aerodynamic targets but Lando Norris managing only 17th in the race was still a body blow. Yet the new team principal, Andrea Stella, kept a remarkably cool head. The team were sixth in the constructors’ standings and 137 points behind Aston Martin before the Austrian GP when their much-anticipated upgrades arrived and transformed the car. Norris and Oscar Piastri were suddenly in the mix and a host of podium places followed, they passed Aston for fourth in the championship and on occasion were threatening Red Bull. It was gripping to watch and more is to come. The new wind tunnel and simulator are now online and their CEO, Zak Brown, predicted more for next season. “I would be disappointed if we’re not at the sharp end of the field challenging for race wins,” he said as the season closed.
Best overtake
The revitalised Fernando Alonso was a joy to watch, not least in some of his bravura passing moves. From the off he was scintillatingly decisive. At Bahrain he went wheel to wheel with Lewis Hamilton, trading places with the Briton before finally making it stick at turn 10. It was the first of a series of passes that proved he has lost none of his verve. However it was Charles Leclerc wrestling his recalcitrant Ferrari at every opportunity that stood out. He went round the outside of George Russell at turn one in Japan in a move that required bravery and inch-perfect precision. Then to cap it off the move that mattered was throwing himself up the inside of Pérez on the final lap at Las Vegas. Hurtling down the Strip at top speed, Leclerc had one final chance before the flag and with huge commitment he braked late and dived on to the inside line at turn 14 and was just able to control the car through turns 15 and 16 for the place. His determination and brio illuminated many moments long after Verstappen was cruising to the flag.