Formula 1: 2023 Season in Review

Other than RedBull winning all but one race this entire season, there is a lot to sift through in these 23 races. And this season did not disappoint. When I watch and read about Formula 1, it reminds me a lot of a high school. Before you come for me, hear me out. You have cliques which are represented by each team. You have the cool kids (RedBull, Mercedes, Ferrari and Mclaren) who will be really nice to each other in person but have no problem ripping each other apart passive aggressively. Then you have the kids who aren’t quite cool enough but aren’t considered nerds (Aston Martin, Alpha Tauri and Alpine). Lastly, you have the socially awkward kiddos who the cool kids only hang out with so they can get help with their homework (HAAS, Alfa Romeo, and Williams). The dynamic of these relationships really is like watching a social experiment every race week/end. But I digress. Let’s get into this season:

Sector 1::

Bahrain:
1. Max Verstsappen (Red bull) (25)
2. Sergio Perez (Red bull) (18)
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (15)
- Notable actions: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc misses podium after retiring late in the race (Lap 39) due to an engine issue. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon had a race to forget after incurring a 5-second penalty for lining up on his grid spot incorrectly which was compounded with a 10-second penalty for serving the previous penalty incorrectly (yes you read that right) and then had another 5 seconds tacked on for speeding in the pit lane, he was finally put out of his misery and retired after 41 laps. Oscar Piastri who made his debut for Mclaren was retried early in his inaugural race (13 laps in) due to engine issues.
Saudi Arabia:
1. Sergio Perez (Red bull) (25)
2. Max Verstappen (Red bull) (19)
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (15)
- Notable Actions: Red Bull spread the love with a swapping of P1 and P2 from the previous race. While Alonso took the lead momentarily from Perez, he suffered a time penalty due to lining up in his grid spot incorrectly- to which he was penalized further when it was determined that his rear jack mechanic touched the car prior to his original penalty being served- which would have pushed him to P4 but the stewards ruled that his P3 finish would stand. Our retirements in this race were Williams’ Alex Albon (Lap 27) who suffered issues with his terminal break issues and Lance Stroll (Lap 16) who was going strong in the front before being told that he needed to stop his Aston Martin and could not continue early on.
Australia:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) (18)
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (15)
- Notable Actions: They say 3rd time is the charm and this race sure didn’t disappoint. Max Verstappen, while losing the lead to both Mercedes was victorious in the end thanks to several safety cars and a few red flags. We saw eight retirements in this race from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Lap 0) who crashed into Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in the first lap- Stroll would place P4 in the end. Williams’ Alex Albon was retired for his second race in a row after a crash out on lap 6. Mercedes George Russell was the third to retire early on (Lap 17) with engine failures. On lap 56, Pierre Gasly, in an attempt to avoid a collision, ended up crashing into his Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon forcing them both out of the race on the spot. Additionally, the other Williams’ driven by Logan Sargeant (Lap 56), Alpha Tauri’s Nyck De Vrys (Lap 56) and HAAS’s Kevin Magnussen (Lap 51) were all retired before the end of the race for multiple issues caused by collisions.
Azerbaijan:
1. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (25)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (18)
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) (15)
- Notable Actions: Perez had a perfect weekend with his P1 finishes in both the first sprint of the season and the GP. Ferrari saw it’s first podium of the season with a P3 finish after a late battle with Alonso’s Aston Martin. This race was not without drama- even from the start. HAAS’s Hulkenberg and Alpine’s Ocon were sent to the back of the grid due to changes made to their suspensions under parc ferme conditions which is a no-no. Due to track conditions, mandatory pit stops where in place which caused several drivers to lose places at the end of the race- strategy being that there would be more safety car action. We only had two retirements in this race: Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu (Lap 36) who had unspecified technical issues and Alpha Tauri’s Nyck De Vries (Lap 11) (for the second consecutive race) after he clipped the wall on turn 5 causing his car to stop just before turn 6.
United States (Miami):
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (18)
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (15)
- Notable Actions: Verstappen had one of the best drives of the season thus far. Starting out the race in P9, he hustled his way through the field of eight in front of him and came to rest behind his teammate Perez before he got a fresh set of tires on with 10 laps left. He was able to comfortably take over the lead from Perez and held it until the checkered flag was waved. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz who finished P5 was the only one to receive a 5-second penalty this race due to speeding in the pit lane. We had no retirements in this race.
Emilia Romagna: Cancelled due to inclement weather
Monaco:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (18)
3. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) (15)
- Notable Actions: Estie Besties Rejoice! Monaco did not disappoint. It had it all. Mother Nature decided to add some fun to the race with an unexpected storm causing chaos as teams scrambled to get intermediate tires on their vehicles which threw many one-stop strategies into the fire. Max Verstappen and Red Bull made the crucial decision to switch to intermediate tires as soon as the rain began to fall which helped him keep his lead throughout the race. Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin made a slight error in switching to medium tires as the rain began but quickly had to re-pit for intermediate tires when the rain started to come down harder. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon kept the momentum from his impressive qualifying- giving Alpine their best finish of the season with P3. We had two retirements in this race: HAAS’s Kevin Magnussen retired late on in the race (Lap 70) after they wet-tire gamble failed. Lance Stroll brought up the back of the pack with his second retirement of the season (Lap 53) after he incurred various run ins with other drivers and barriers.

Sector 2:

Spain:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) (18)
3. George Russell (Mercedes) (15)
- Notable Actions: It has become extremely apparent that Red Bull and more specifically, Max Verstappen will be the team to beat this season. Mercedes had their best race of the season, finishing with a double podium behind Red Bull. Mercedes George Russell arguably had the best race of the day after starting the race in P12. The biggest shock of this race was prior to its start when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was relegated to the pit lane to start due to having his entire back end replaced under parc ferme conditions- Logan Sargeant of WIlliams Racing was also sent to the pit lane with suspension set up and brake cooling adjustments. No drivers retired during this race.
Canada:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (18)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) (15)
-Notable Actions: Max Verstappen continued Red Bull’s reign this weekend with a lights-to-flag win. Giving Red Bull their 100th team win. Fernando Alonso regained his spot on the podium with a P2 finish for Aston Martin. Followed by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in P3. These two battled it out for P2 with Alonso besting Hamilton with differing strategies. Hamilton’s teammate George Russell missed out on a possible podium finish after he hopped a curb and crashed into the wall early in the race. While repairs were made and he went back out, he would eventually retire (Lap 53) with too much damage being done to the car. Williams’ Logan Sargeant was another casualty and was told by his pit wall to stop his car immediately due to a “critical message”- leading to a safety car. Penalties in this race went to Mclaren’s Lando Norris for unsportsmanlike conduct during a safety car (which cost him his points finish).
Austria:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) (18)
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (15)
- Notable Actions: Red Bull was again triumphant- and at their home track no less. Verstappen made a clean sweep of pole positions and race wins in both the sprint race and grand prix. What was most notable for this race was the sheer number of time penalties handed out during and post race due to a protest lodged by Aston Martin. Which had an impact on who ended up where in the final standings. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was the hardest hit with a post race 10-second penalty for track limit violations which saw him drop form P4 to P6. Also caught up in the complaint, Williams’ Logan Sargeant and both Alpha Tauri’s Nyck De Vries and Yuki Tsunoda were handed 5-second penalties. Nyck De Vries along with Mercedes Lewis Hamilton, Williams’ Alex Albon and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly were handed 10-second penalties. But the most penalized racer was Alpine’s Esteban Ocon who received two 5-second and two 10-second penalties. Our only retirement of the race was HAAS’s Nico Hulkenburg whose car lost power causing him to park on the side of the track.
Great Britain:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (18)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) (15)
- Notable Actions: It was a good day for the home town kids Hamilton and Norris who both ended on the podium behind yet another Red Bull and Max Verstappen win. Mclaren and Mercedes did incredibly well finishing P2-P5 (P2: Norris, P3: Hamilton, P4: Piastri, P5: Russell). Williams’ saw their best finishes of the season with Logan Sergeant finishing P11 which is a personal best and Alex Albon finishing P8. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finished P14 after receiving a penalty for his collision with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly causing him to retire later on (Lap 46). This just compounded Alpine’s bad luck as Esteban Ocon was forced to pit early on (Lap 9) due to technical issues. HAAS’ Kevin Magnussen was also forced to retire (Lap 33) after his car started smoking.
Hungary:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (18)
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (15)
- Notable Actions: Max and Checo kept Red Bull’s winning 100% win streak in tact this weekend with help from a struggling Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes. Unable to convert his 104th pole position into a 104th win, Mercedes’ Hamilton would end up settling for P4. In the first lap, Alfa Romero’s Zhou Guanyu attempted to make up some speed after taking it slow inside turn 2 but ended up hitting Alpha Tauri’s Daniel Riccardo who then ricocheted into Alpine’s Ocon and Gasly causing them both to retire, for the second consecutive weekend, with significant damage to both vehicles. Williams’ Logan Sargeant was the third retirement (Lap 69) after spinning out.
Belgium:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (18)
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) (15)
- Notable Actions: Verstappen started the race P6 after receiving a gear box penalty post qualifying but it did nothing to stop him from winning his 10th victory this season and Red Bull’s 12th consecutive. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was originally able to hold his pole position when the lights went out but it would not last against the relentlessness of the Red Bull team. While Ferrari would end up on the podium, their luck would take a turn after Sainz would get into a tangle with Mclaren’s Oscar Piastri causing the rookie to clip the wall and stop on the side of the track and retire due to damage. Sainz would also retire later (Lap 23) from damage.
Netherlands:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (19)
3. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) (15)
- Notable Actions: The hometown kid brought it home again. As been the theme of the season, Max Verstappen was once again dominant no matter what Mother Nature threw at him but it was not without its challenges. With rain making an appearance late in the race, and a red flag after Zhou Guanyu’s Alfa Romeo crashed, the Dutchman’s win was much closer than he and Red Bull probably would have liked. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was back on the podium for the first time since Canada (also gaining the Fastest Lap point). Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who technically crossed the finish line 4th, was promoted to the podium in 3rd place after Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was issued a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. We had three retirements in this race: Williams Logan Sargeant (Lap 14), Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Lap 41- floor damage from crash) and as stated earlier, Zhou Guanyu (Lap 62).
Italy:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (18)
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) (15)
- Notable Actions: The streak continues for Red Bull Racing with a 1-2 finish from Verstappen and Perez. Ferrari came in next with a 3-4 finish and a long fight between it’s drivers for that third podium spot. Sainz would eventually come out on too in the last milliseconds of the race due to an unfortunate lock-up by his team mate in the final lap. Mercedes would follow up Red Bull and Ferrari with their own 5-6 finish between Russell and Hamilton respectively- both serving five second time penalties. Russell for leaving the track and gaining an advantage and Hamilton for crashing into Mclaren’s Oscar Piastri. We had one retirement this race from Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (Lap 39) due to a technical issue. The other notable action was the non-start of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda who didn’t make it to the start of the race after an engine failure during the formation lap sidelined him.

Sector 3:

Singapore:
1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) (25)
2. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (18)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) (16)
- Notable Actions: “That’s on purpose.”! In a shocking turn of events, Red Bull, the racing powerhouse’s winning streak has come to an end. Carlos Sainz had arguably one of the best races of his career and if you listened to the team radio, Sainz wasn’t just racing for himself, he was doing his level best to get former teammate Lando Norris on that podium next to him with a little DRS help in the final laps. Red Bull’s Verstappen had his worst race to date, finishing 5th and being overtaken by the race leaders for the first time this year. Four drivers did not cross the finish line in the race, Mercedes George Russell (Lap 61), while fighting for a podium spot, ran into the barrier in the last lap. Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda saw his race end early for the second race in a row after he sustained a puncture on the opening lap. Additionally, Alfa Romeo’s Valteri Bottas (Lap 51) had to retire due to hydraulics issues and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (Lap 42) was retired after stopping on the track due to a gear box issue.
Japan:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (18)
3. Oscar Piastri (Mclaren) (15)
- Notable Actions: With Verstappen returning to the top of the podium this weekend, Red Bull secured the Constructor’s Championship for the 2023 season after fending off both Mclarens who have seen a turn in their season. This race was dramatic from the start with Williams’ Logan Sargeant being sent to the pit lane to start since it was determined that Williams had essentially built a new car after his qualifying crash. Once the lights went out, even more drama ensued when Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, swrving to avoid a run in with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz sent Mercedes Lewis Hamilton onto the grass. At the same time, the back of the pack experienced a chain reaction started by Williams’ Logan Sargeant that saw his teammate Alex Albon go airborne and also involved both Alfa Romeos and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon. All four were sent to the pits for repairs and Sargeant was called in to serve his time penalty. His day wouldn’t get any better though when he ran into the back of Alfa Romeo’s Valteri Bottas- causing him to retire (Lap 7)- and giving the Williams rookie another time penalty before retiring in lap 22 due to damage. Bottas and Sargeant were eventually joined on the sideline by three other drivers, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (Lap 15) because of damage sustained from his run in with the Mercedes in Lap 1 and a later incident with the HAAS of Kevin Magnussen, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (Lap 20) becaue of a rear wing issue and the other Williams’ driver Alex Albon (Lap 26) due to damage he sustained in the lap 1 collision.
Qatar:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Oscar Piastri (Mclaren) (18)
3. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (15)
- Notable Actions: This was by far one of if not the toughest race of the season and brought into question the driver’s safety in conditions like these. First and foremost, this race is a prime example of why Formula 1 is considered an elite sport. The heat alone was a struggle as multiple drivers either retired due to becoming sick and even passing out during and after the race. Nonetheless, Red Bull pulled out in front and maintained for yet another P1 finish. However, the heat aside, the main talking point was the crash between Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at the very start of the race when the former made an attempt to pass his teammate and Verstappen- causing the 7-time World Champion to retire then and there and set the challenge for his teammate after having to pit for front wing repairs. He would still make an impressive finish in fourth behind the team of Mclarens. Ferrari did their best with their only driver in the race, Leclerc finishing 5th- his teammate Sainz did not get to race after fuel system issues could not be resolved in time. The only other driver to retire was Williams Logan Sargeant (Lap 40) who became so sick that he could not continue and required assistance getting out of his vehicle and to medical personnel for evaluation.
United States (Austin):
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)- DSQ
3. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (18)
- Notable Actions: I would say that Max Verstappen, who started 6th on the grid (his second lowest start this season) looked like a lion stalking his prey. He would hunt down the other drivers one by one to eventually come out on top- but it was a hard fought race by all drivers involved. The big notes for this race was the post race disqualifications of P2 finisher Lewis Hamilton if Mercedes and P5 finisher Charles Leclerc of Ferrari after post race inspections deemed the wooden floor of their vehicles to not be within regulations. That would move Mclaren’s Lando Norris into second place and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz into 3rd. We had three drivers not cross the finish line in this race: Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (Lap 49) due to a rear suspension failure, Mclaren’s Oscar Piastri (Lap 10) and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (Lap 6) both having to retire after they collided with each other earlier in the game.
Mexico:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) (19)
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) (15)
- Notable Actions: AHHHH! This race was heartbreaking in so many ways. With Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, the home town great was expected to end on the podium, if not the very top step. But in the opening seconds of this race, in the first turn, pole position driver Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was doing his best to fend off Max Verstappen when he collided into Perez’s advancing Red Bull. Sending the home town hero into the barriers and out of the race. Mclaren’s Lando Norris had the best drive of the day by far, finishing P6 after starting 17th on the grid. Joining Perez on the DNF list were four other drivers; Williams’ Logan Sargeant (Lap 70) because of fuel pump issues, Aston Martin’s teammates Lance Stroll (Lap 66) and Fernando Alonso (Lap 47) due to a collision with Alfa’s Bottas and speed issues respectively, and HAAS’s Kevin Magnussen (Lap 31) crashing into the barrier and the back catching fire.
Brazil:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Lando Norris (Mclaren) (19)
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) (15)
- Notable Actions: Ferrari’s season long struggles continued when Charles Leclerc went out on the formation lap after losing hydraulics- causing the Monegasque to retire before the race even began. Once the race started, red flags were almost immediately waved after a big collision between Williams’ Alex Albon and HAAS’s Kevin Magnussen-causing both to be retired from the race. Red Bull continued their dominance with a sweep of the weekend from Max Verstappen who held off Mclaren’s Lando Norris- taking 2nd place. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso added to his impressive season by besting Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to secure the final podium spot. At the end of the race, only 14 drivers crossed the finish line with retirements from Mercedes George Russell (Lap 57) with oil temperature issues and the Alfa Romeo team of Zhou Guanyu (Lap 22) and Valteri Bottas (Lap 39) who experienced similar technical problems.
United States (Las Vegas):
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (25)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) (18)
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) (15)
- Notable Actions: In it’s debut on the F1 circuit, this race brought the drama that Vegas is known for. Starting off, we had the qualifying session cut short after Carlos Sainz Ferrari hit a lose man hole cover, destroying the floor of his car and subsequently receiving a ten position grid penalty for the needed repairs- even as a Mercedes fan, I now that that is just not fair. Any who, I digress. This race, despite it’s pre-start challenges was spectacular. we saw the teams really have to work their tire strategies on new track that is arguably the coldest one they have encountered all season. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had one of if not the best race he’s had all season- consistently fighting it out with both Red Bull’s for the lead spot but ultimately, Max Verstappen came out on top. The real notable action though was the overtake that Leclerc performed over that of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez on the last lap to claim the second place podium finish. Our retirements for this race came from Mclaren’s Lando Norris whose car locked up, sending him spinning into the barrier on the second lap, HAAS’s Niko Hulkenburg (Lap 45) and Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda (Lap 46) both had to move themselves off the track with technical issues.
Abu Dhabi:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (26)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) (18)
3. George Russell (Mercedes) (15)
- Notable Actions: And with that, the 2023 season comes to an end. But when I tell you that Ferrari is doing a disservice to Charles when he, while racing can be more of a strategist than his entire race wall, I mean it. Now, whether or not Red Bull won, it wouldn’t have mattered. By this time, they had already secured the Constructors championship as well as the 1-2 spots in the Drivers Championship. This race was the decider for 2nd and 3rd in the Constructor’s Championship between Mercedes and Ferrari. Coming down to the final laps of the race, Ferrari’s Leclerc requested an update on his team’s placement in the championship and what he could do to assist, he came up with a strategy- knowing that Mercedes George Russell would have to serve a time penalty from an earlier incident- to try and create a time gap between Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and the Mercedes in order to give them the advantage when it was determined they would not be able to catch them. In the end though, Sergio Perez, who crossed the line after his teammate would be given a time penalty- essentially negating Charles brilliant strategy. Ferrari would also be hampered by the DNF status of Carlos Sainz whose late pit stop strategy left him well out of the points. This means that Mercedes was able to keep their second place Constructors Championship place and Ferrari came in third.

We now have just about three months until the 2024 season gets underway- which will be the longest season to date with an additional race being added to make it a total of 24 races. All of the teams have some work to do to get their best cars out on the track.