Driver notes, best races, defences, rankings…

Like all big shows, the 2023 Formula 1 season has come to an end. This event left us with milestones that we will not see again on the track in this competition. Max Verstappen has always been the owner and lord, but this year has confirmed that the sport enjoys iron fitness.

Fernando Alonso returns to his regular podium finish with eight podium finishes this season. Carlos Sainz will always be remembered as the only man to break Red Bull’s dominance. Norris, Russell and Piastri continue to put forward candidacies to replace the sport’s older leaders such as Hamilton or Perez. The 2024 season looks exciting, but now it’s time to look back at what happened in 2023.

Best driver of the season

Max Verstappen has 19 wins in 23 races this season. It has the highest winning percentage in history. Incidentally, He ranks third in F1’s all-time standings with 54 wins. He has won three consecutive world championships. Looking at the numbers, this is not controversial. Special mention goes to Sainz, the only man capable of winning in Max’s last 18 wins.

Even so, Fernando Alonso deserves special mention this season as he has been his biggest rival, at times driving the fifth car. Asturias brings us back the scent of the 2012 season, with eight podiums and exhibition appearances every time AMR23 races. F1 needs a battle between these two monsters of motorsport. For “Marca”, Verstappen is the best player in the 2023 season.

Best preview of the season

Alonso returned to this game to give fans a Bahrain-like moment. When the traffic light turns green, any doubts about the new beginning are completely dispelled. His comeback and podium finish in the first race of 2023 was overshadowed by one of the best moves of his career. Not even the greatest magician could have imagined that the Asturian would overtake Hamilton at Turn 10 in Sakhir.

His best three overtakes at the start of the season were two against Hamilton (Canada and Bahrain) and one against Sainz (Azerbaijan). Considering the difficulty of overtaking without DRS in this F1 race, the “Wizard” came up with another trick to deal with his biggest rival. For Marca, there is no doubt that Alonso’s overtaking of Hamilton in Bahrain was the best of the year.

Best defense of the season

Alonso still reserved his best moments of the season for his favorite race in Brazil. Against one of the most dominant race cars in history. The speed difference is 11 kilometers per hour (Checo is 339 – Fernando is 328) After the “Eses de Senna”, on a track mainly used for overtaking and with two consecutive DRS areas. The Spaniard withstood Checo’s attack and climbed to the podium.

“The game against Michael in 2005 was easier because there was no DRS, which probably made it more complicated,” he said after the game. If the protagonists of both actions have their own judgment, there is nothing to argue about. For Marca, the best defense was Alonso’s against Perez at Interlagos.

Breakout pilot of the season

Just the current season always brings surprises.In this case, in “Marca” believes that Piastri and Albon are the highlights of this season. The McLaren driver arrived with the aura of greatness, but at the end of the season many saw him as a clear contender for future titles. He has little to envy for drivers like Russell, Leclerc, and Norris…

On another level, Alex Albon continues to establish himself as a great driver after his failed adventure at Milton Keynes, despite being much more difficult to score. The former Red Bull player has scored 27 points this season, while the “rookie” has only 1 point. The gap between the two this season is huge.

Disappointment for pilots this season

The Formula 1 season is like a coin, with two sides.In this case, for Marca has had one disappointing driver this season: Stroll.. The Canadian was beaten by Alonso after matching Vettel’s numbers for two consecutive seasons. The Asturian driver has already scored 200 points and has been on the podium eight times, while the Canadian has only scored 73 points and finished fifth, his best finish in the Grand Prix. Lance eventually pushed for physical therapy… and at least, he corrected his condition by season’s end.

Best game of the season

Many games this season are worth revisiting. But most importantly, Zandvoort will always be there. There was rain, red flags, reversals and epic overtakes at the Dutch Grand Prix. In addition, in this race, Verstappen tied F1’s best winning streak (9 races), although he later broke all records. Finally, with a podium finish, Alonso became the driver with the longest distance between his first and last podium in many years (20 years). The Netherlands never disappoints.

Best ranking of the season

There should be no doubt about this award. Monaco retains its aura of greatness on Saturday. At El Principado, Fernando has perhaps his best chance of starting from pole position this season. But Verstappen’s magical third segment hit two walls and ultimately snatched Asturias’ best result. Two legends of the sport engaged in a battle on the sport’s finest circuit.

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