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The 2023 F1 Abu Dhabi GP ended with Max Verstappen on pole position for the 12th time this season. The Red Bull driver showed very early in qualifying that he just had some pace in reserve that others couldn't keep up with.
He will be joined in the front row by Charles Leclerc as the Ferrari driver put together a stunner of a lap to surprise everyone. The duo will have George Russell and Oscar Piastri for company in the second row as Lando Norris could only manage P5.
With the last qualifying session of the season coming to a close, let's take a look at what we learned.
2023 F1 Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying: What did we learn?
#1 Red Bull found the sweet spot in qualifying
One of the biggest takeaways of the very first lap that Max Verstappen did in qualifying was that Red Bull found the sweet spot of the car. The team has struggled a lot in FP3, with Verstappen losing as much as half a second to George Russell in the third sector.
As soon as the F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying rolled on, we had the Red Bull in the right window as the Dutchman didn't look back and secured pole position.
#2 Lando Norris might be the only challenger for Max Verstappen
Lando Norris will be kicking himself for messing up his final lap in the F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying as it dropped him to P5. Looking at the performance levels of all teams and drivers, Lando might just be the one closest to Max Verstappen to challenge him in some ways possible.
#3 Charles Leclerc's lap is a bit deceiving
That final lap from Charles Leclerc in the F1 Abu Dhabi GP is nothing more than a deceiving picture because the Ferrari just did not have the pace to qualify in the front row. While Leclerc is arguably the best qualifier in F1 right now, it's hard to see what he can do in the car, which is already notorious for being less competitive in races.
#4 AlphaTauri might be the team to keep an eye on
AlphaTauri brought a new floor to the F1 Abu Dhabi GP and it seems that it's paying dividends. The car seems to be working perfectly and with Yuki Tsunoda starting the race in P6, there are signs to be optimistic about.
The 7-point gap to Williams might seem daunting at first but don't count the team out just yet.
#5 Nico Hulkenberg is doing something brilliant in that Haas
Sunday will come and everyone will forget that Nico Hulkenberg dragged that Haas to Q3. Quite often this season, the car's characteristics have been put down to as one which is great in Qualifying but poor in the race.
There is certainly credence to it, but only when you look at Hulkenberg's results. You look at his teammate and you might develop a completely different perception. The F1 Abu Dhabi GP qualifying is not the first that Hulkenberg is in Q3 while Kevin Magnussen is out in Q1.
It's more than just the car. It's a pure talent that's driving these results and it should be recognized more than it has been this season.
