Alonso heroics and McLaren disaster: Five things you may have missed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Alonso en Norris op grid voor race op Lusail — Photo: © LAT Images

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Alonso heroics and McLaren disaster: Five things you may have missed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

GPFans were across all the narratives on track during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Shay Rogers

Monday 27 November 2023 09:12

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Although Max Verstappen cruised to a record-breaking 19th victory at the Yas Marina circuit, there was plenty of minor action up and down the field that you may have missed.

And here at GPFans, we were keeping an eye on the best moments that might not have got the full credit they deserve.

Here are five things you may have missed from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

1. Late move bumped Alonso TWO places in championship

Fernando Alonso left it late to secure fourth place in the drivers' championship

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A last gasp move on Yuki Tsunoda helped Fernando Alonso secure seventh place – and the two extra points required to remain ahead of both Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship.

You may not have realised, but had the Spaniard lifted off a little more during the finale, then he would have found himself finishing in sixth place in the drivers’ standings after a stellar season.

Aston Martin’s dramatic fall off needs to be investigated over the winter, but if 2023 was evidence of one thing, it was that F1 needs Fernando Alonso fighting for wins at the front.

He brings that special x-factor and even better – he's leading the Aston Martin project in their quest for their first win and title.

If Dan Fallows cooks again this winter, even Lance Stroll might win a race next year!

2. Tsunoda seconds short of unlikely constructors’ triumph

Yuki Tsunoda delivered one the best performances of his career at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Yuki Tsunoda performed so admirably this weekend, qualifying sixth on Saturday, before a heroic effort in the race saw him just 11 seconds from the position AlphaTauri needed to gain seventh in the constructors’ championship.

If he was on the same two-stop strategy that much of the field was on, it’s easy to argue that the Japanese driver would have been able to fight further up the top ten towards the end of the race.

His team-mate was nowhere in comparison, and if the newly named Faenza outfit can produce a better car next year, then Tsunoda is within a real shot of getting his first F1 podium.

Funnily enough, his best F1 result also came at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, when he managed to finish fourth. On the plus side, AlphaTauri will now have a larger CFD wind tunnel allocation, allowing them a better shot at developing their 2024 challenger.

3. Williams struggle when it matters

Logan Sargeant has closed the gap to Alex Albon across the season

Throughout large periods of the season, Williams excited with their surprising pace and stunning straight-line speed.

That certainly wasn’t the case in Abu Dhabi, with an estimated $10m on the line for beating AlphaTauri to seventh in the constructors’ championship.

Alex Albon finished 14th and Logan Sargeant 16th, well over a minute behind race winner Max Verstappen and 20 seconds off a points finish.

Luckily, they were able to cling on courtesy of prior performances in 2023.

They are still very early in their development under James Vowles, but there should be even more to come in 2024 from both their car and Logan Sargeant...if he stays.

4. Perez had the pace to compete

Sergio Perez showed more rapid race pace during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

When in free air, Sergio Perez was supremely rapid during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

If it wasn’t for some needless contact with Lando Norris, he would’ve helped Red Bull secure their seventh 1-2 of the season and further cemented his place in the team.

With ageing tyres around the lap 40 mark, he was matching team-mate Max Verstappen’s pace at the front of the field.

Taking the five-second penalty out of consideration, he finished 16 seconds behind Verstappen after finishing lap one in tenth place.

A mighty effort which might have otherwise resulted in a race win if he had managed to set a proper lap in Q3 on Saturday.

5. Norris loses shot at podium in pitstop

Lando Norris was left to rue his team's poor pitstop which cost him a shot at third place

McLaren didn’t quite have the pace that many hoped to see from them during the grand prix.

It was a bit messy all weekend from them actually, with a slide costing Lando Norris a front-row start on Saturday.

On Sunday, it was a slow pitstop that halted their charge, as the five seconds lost ultimately cost them a shot at the podium late on.

Norris would have been third if you take five seconds off his race time, without considering the battling that inevitably would have commenced between himself and George Russell.

It may also have been the move that quietly helped Mercedes to secure second place in the constructors’ championship, having gained an extra two points at least from the affair.