Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari defeated Sergio Perez of Red Bull to finish second in points.
Leclerc, who earlier this year challenged Verstappen for the championship until Ferrari’s season collapsed under a barrage of mistakes and reliability issues, held off Perez on different tactics to finish in second place.
Sebastian Vettel complained what he felt was a bad strategy from Aston Martin as his final race ended in disappointment.
After Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes retired from fourth place with three laps remaining, Vettel earned the final point for tenth place.
Verstappen won the race, but the fight between Leclerc and Perez made for a dramatic finale.
Leclerc’s strategy was a one-stop strategy from Ferrari, similar to Verstappen’s from Red Bull, while Perez made two stops.
As a result, the Mexican had to overcome a 23-second disadvantage in the final 24 laps to defeat Leclerc in a battle that would be determined by the winner because they were tied for first place heading into the race.
For a while, Perez drew in on Leclerc at a second per lap and more, but he skillfully managed his tyres to finish second in the race and the championship, a finish that many would consider justifiable given that he had a worse vehicle than Perez for the majority of the year.
“We got it,” Leclerc said over the radio, obviously delighted. “Good job, guys.”