Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc stole the limelight by finishing P2 at Abu Dhabi as well as in the WDC. The Monegasque split the two Red Bulls and earned a much-needed runners-up position for himself and Ferrari. However, Carlos Sainz also overtook Lewis Hamilton in the driver’s championship to end a decent campaign in P5.

The Spaniard finished the race in an impressive P4 position whereas Lewis Hamilton suffered Mercedes’ first mechanical DNF of the season. Therefore, Lewis finished outside the top 5 of the constructor’s championship and marked the end of an underwhelming campaign.

However, Lewis started the race brilliantly and overtook the Ferrari driver in the first corner. The Briton was, however, forced wide by Sainz later on the same lap. The Spaniard’s move made Hamilton cut the chicane and gain an unfair advantage. Naturally, the Brit was told by the stewards to give Sainz the place back. And he did so, but in a cheeky manner.

The Spaniard spoke to the media after the race and gave his thoughts on his tussle with the Mercedes man. Sainz said, “Very tough first few laps battling with the Mercedes. They put us under a lot of pressure and obviously the issue with Hamilton at the start.”

He added, “He jumped a corner, and he gave me the position back very cheekily to then pass me back.”

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Sainz will hope to improve on his P5 finish next year. Meanwhile, Hamilton will look to avenge his 2021 season and come back fighting against the double-world champion Max Verstappen.

Lewis Hamilton finishes the season with a DNF and looks forward to the 2023 season

This season, Mercedes were usually very reliable and did not suffer many DNFs. But the 2022 Abu Dhabi was different. Hamilton failed to cross the checkered flag for the first due to reliability issues. As a result, he also lost his place to Carlos Sainz in the driver’s championship.

When asked if the Abu Dhabi GP was an apt summary of his season, Hamilton said, “Yeah, it really was.” But he added, “Ultimately, I think we started with a car that we didn’t want and we finished with a car that we didn’t want but we were basically stuck with it.”

He further stated, “It’s been more of a team-building exercise this year and I’m very, very proud of everybody… Whilst we’re not celebrating a World Championship, we’ll be celebrating them still for their hard work and efforts. I hope that the struggles this year really provide us with the tools and the strength to fight for many more championships moving forward.”

The Silver Arrows star also explained how the bump in the opening laps caused huge damage to his car. After a disappointing season, the 7-time champion is looking forward to spending time with his family.

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By Mercedes’ high standards, this season was a failed one. They will be looking to come back stronger next season and challenge Red Bull and Ferrari for the WCC. Can Lewis Hamilton and co find their way back to the top in 2023?