Formula 1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Tips

The curtain comes down on the 2023 Formula One season this weekend as the teams head to Abu Dhabi for the now-traditional closing race of the year.

Max Verstappen is still hungry for yet more wins but, while the title has long since been wrapped up, there are still battles going on elsewhere in the standings.

As many as five drivers could be in with a chance of fourth in the World Drivers’ Championship, while a bigger share of the prize pot is up for grabs as Mercedes and Ferrari fight for second place and McLaren and Aston Martin tussle it out for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Tip 1 - Lando Norris to finish on the podium @ 4/5

McLaren endured a torrid time in Las Vegas last weekend as Lando Norris went into the barriers at full force early on but the Brit will be hoping to finish the 2023 season in positive fashion on Sunday.

Since bringing upgrades to the McLaren over the summer, Norris has been one of the standout drivers on the grid and still has the potential to finish fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.

He has stood on the podium in seven of the 12 races since Silverstone and has claimed a top-three finish in five of the last seven Grands Prix, while he also has a strong record around the Yas Marina Circuit.

The 24-year-old has finished in the points in all four of his Abu Dhabi Grands Prix and has beaten his teammate on all four occasions. He can sign off in style on Sunday.

Tip 2 - Esteban Ocon to finish in the points @ evens

Esteban Ocon’s season has been punctuated by a series of retirements but, among that disappointment, ability behind the wheel continues to shine through.

He took an impressive fourth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend to make it five top-10 finishes in his last six races and he has also finished in the points in five of his six Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, with his only failure to do so being yet another unfortunate retirement as he ran into engine issues.

In the races in which he actually finished, Ocon has only been outside the points in two of his 14 races this season

Tip 3 - Lewis Hamilton to beat George Russell at 3/5

Lewis Hamilton may have missed out on second place in the Drivers’ Championship but he has won the battle with his teammate George Russell by a large margin and that gap could increase in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton is the most successful driver in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with five wins and his seventh-place finish in Las Vegas last weekend means he has finished ahead of Russell on the track in 13 of the last 16 races.