As Verstappen raced to his 15th victory from 22 rounds in 2022, Hamilton’s Mercedes gearbox expired with three laps remaining as he recorded the worst championship finishing position of his career.
Hamilton’s demise – from fourth place – dropped him to sixth in the final standings, 214 points adrift of runaway world champion Verstappen.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was runner-up ahead of the Dutchman’s team-mate Sergio Perez, who he also edged out for second in the championship. ‘We got it,’ Leclerc said over the radio, obviously delighted. ‘Good job, guys.’
Seven-time world champion Hamilton also lost his record of winning in every season of his career – a streak stretching back to his debut campaign for McLaren in 2007.
‘I am very pleased it is over and done with,’ said the Briton. ‘I gave it everything, but ultimately the last race was like my whole season. It summed up my year.’ Hamilton departed Abu Dhabi last year pondering if he’d return to F1, so aggrieved was he by Michael Masi’s officiating of the decider which cost him a record eighth crown.
The 37-year-old decided against retirement, but enters this season’s winter break having finished lower than fifth in the championship for the first time. ‘This year is probably up there with the top-three worst seasons, but in terms of how the team stayed united, there have been lots of plusses,’ Hamilton added. ‘It would have been nice to have taken a win, but one win is not really enough is it?’
A week ago, his Mercedes team-mate, 24-year-old compatriot George Russell, ended the Silver Arrows’ winning drought with the first victory of his career at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Russell’s fourth-place finish in the desert meant he finished his debut Mercedes season two places ahead of his more established team-mate.
‘If you told me at the start of the season I’d finish 35 points clear of Lewis, I’d have been incredibly proud and happy,’ said Russell. ‘Nine times out of ten, if you finish ahead of Lewis you’re probably going to be world champion.’
MORE : Sebastian Vettel bids emotional goodbye to F1 as Max Verstappen wins Abu Dhabi finale
MORE : Max Verstappen row continues but Red Bull accept his reasoning
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