The hidden joy in Verstappen's 1000 F1 laps led record

OPINION: Max Verstappen ended the 2023 Formula 1 season with a staggering list of records and achievements. But one secured in the Abu Dhabi season finale was a rare example of Verstappen showing he even cares for such accolades. Ultimately, that’s good for the championship and its fans

There was a rather different atmosphere pervading throughout the Formula 1 paddock at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After 22 races – and one aborted trip to Italy most paddock personnel at least partially embarked upon back in May – the usual end-of-term air ran all around.

At the same time, for many people who had crossed the globe on the 8200-mile journey (as the crow flies, at least) from Las Vegas, exhaustion reigned supreme.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.