OSCAR PIASTRI RISES TO THE CHALLENGE AND OTHER BEST MOMENTS FROM 2023 SEASON
This year’s FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX brings the 2023 season to a close and there’s been plenty of memorable moments from the 22 races so far.
Ahead of the season-finale showdown at Yas Marina Circuit, here are five highlights from the 2023 calendar.
- Aston Martin’s fast start to the season
Aston Martin was fast out of the blocks with a determined Fernando Alonso showcasing his brilliance to help the team to six podiums in eight races, including three consecutive third-place finishes in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia. Their early form put them in the mix for the fourth-place Constructors’ title battle.
- Oscar Piastri rises to the challenge
“For myself, it’s been, on the whole, a year I’ve been happy with. After not racing last year, I think I got up to speed as quickly as I could have hoped.”
Those words by Piastri in a recent interview sums why he’s on this list. The Australian rookie has had a remarkable campaign so far, taking his maiden F1 win in the Sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix followed by P2 in the Qatar Grand Prix – his second consecutive podium finish, having achieved a P3 in Japan. He is currently in 9th position in the F1 Drivers’ Championship standings going into Abu Dhabi.
- McLaren aero upgrades brought an uptick in fortunes
The team’s aero upgrades introduced in Austria brought extra performance to the car, with the team’s fortunes improving in the second half of the season. Since Spa, Lando Norris has achieved consecutive top-10 finishes with his Las Vegas retirement being the only exception, while his team-mate, Oscar Piastri has also been impressive.
- Liam Lawson scores first points for Alpha Tauri
Liam Lawson will certainly not forget the Singapore Grand Prix with the New Zealander, who had filled in temporarily for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, picking up two points following his P9 finish.
- Chaotic rain-hit Dutch Grand Prix
Max Verstappen equalled the all-time record of nine consecutive victories at his home race but the Dutch Grand Prix will be remembered for producing a fascinating rain-soaked race at Zandvoort. Fans were treated to a record 186 overtakes in the race, beating the previous record of 170 set at the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix.
