The final two races of the 2023 Formula 1 season will take place
with a back-to-back between Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi. Even though
Max Verstappen and Red Bull have sealed the Drivers’ and
Constructors’ crown, there is still a number of other loose ends
that need to be tied up before we head into the winter break.
RacingNews365 takes a look a number of things to keep an eye on
over the next two weeks. The fight for second Sergio Perez is under
increased pressure to deliver a historic one-two for Red Bull in
the Drivers’ Championship, by sealing second ahead of Lewis
Hamilton. Even though the team has scored six titles, during their
dominant period with Sebastian Vettel they failed to finish second
with Mark Webber. The Mexican is on 258 points while Hamilton is
third on 226 points, with the Briton needing to be within at least
25 points after Vegas to keep his chances alive. Could we see a
straight battle between these two at the final race of the season?
The fight for second place The battle for second place among the
Constructors’ can also be decided between Ferrari and Mercedes. The
pair are currently separated by 20 points, with Mercedes leading on
382 versus Ferrari’s 362. The Silver Arrows must ensure that the
gap to Ferrari is increased to a minimum of 45 points before Abu
Dhabi to seal their place. Surprisingly only Ferrari has managed to
achieve a victory out of the pair, with Mercedes seemingly
conceding that it might be impossible in 2023 without a stroke of
luck. To finish second in the Constructors’ is perhaps the next
best thing. Millions up for grabs at the rear The most intriguing
battle is taking place at the rear of the field this season, with
four teams within a shot of taking seventh in the Constructors’
Championship. Williams, AlphaTauri, Alfa Romeo, and Haas enter the
final two races separated by 16 points, but much more is a stake
when it comes to prize money . AlphaTauri has managed to turn
around its fortunes with a late surge, while Williams look like the
most consistent team out of the four. The battle for the final
places in the Constructors’ Championship Sargeant’s seat There is
only one seat remaining on the grid for 2024, as Williams has yet
to commit to Logan Sargeant. Team Principal James Vowles has given
Sargeant the final races of 2023 to prove himself, with Las Vegas
looking like one of the best opportunities to impress. It will be
good for F1 if an American driver is still on the grid, but he will
no doubt need to bring some worth to the team after a tricky few
races this year. Vettel’s win record As it stands, Sebastian Vettel
is third on the all-time F1 win list with 53 victories, behind
Michael Schumacher (91) and Lewis Hamilton (103). If Max Verstappen
can conquer in Las Vegas he would be on par heading into Abu Dhabi,
having recently surpassed the record set by Alan Prost at 52 wins.
Surely that would cement him as one of the all-time greats of F1,
having taken his third titles in 2023.
Source: Read More