Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix in photos: Max Verstappen wins 19th race of the season

THE WINNER TAKES ALL: Max Verstappen of Red Bull celebrates after winning the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023 at the Yas Marina Circuit on November 26, 2023. It was the Dutch driver’s 19th victory in the 23-race season.

THE PODIUM: Runner up Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (left), winner Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and P3 Mercedes’ George Russell (right) at the prize-giving ceremony of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26, 2023.

VICTORY JIG: Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen performs a doughnut after winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen’s fourth win in Abu Dhabi is his record-extending 19th of the season, and his 54th career victory took him past Sebastian Vettel to the third spot in F1 history.

AWAY THEY GO: Max Verstappen of Red Bull leads the pack at the start of the race. This is the 15th running of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. Verstappen won in the last three years.

FLYING START: An Etihad plane and UAE’s Al Fursan aerobatics team fly past before the start of the Grand Prix race. Behind Verstappen on the grid were Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. Hamilton started on the 11th spot.

FAN FRENZY: Racing fans turned out in droves to support Verstappen, Hamilton and other drivers at the Yas Marina. The 26-year-old Dutch Verstappen started at pole position on the grid.

Former British driver Jackie Stewart (centre), 84, winner of three Drivers' championships at the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26, 2023.Nicknamed the "Flying Scot", he competed between 1965 and 1973. He was the only British driver to win three titles until Lewis Hamilton in 2015.

YAS MARINA STAR: British driver Lewis Hamilton (second right) and other drivers ahead of the race Hamilton, 38, the most successful driver in Abu Dhabi with five wins, is chasing his first win since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

All the F1 drivers pose for the yearend photograph at the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26, 2023.

RACE FEVER: Racing fans soak in the atmosphere ahead of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26, 2023. Several celebrities including Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Ronaldo Nazario, former FI driver Carlos Sainz Sr, and several others were spotted among the spectators.

THE CHAMPION: Triple world champion Max Verstappen (right) of the Netherlands waves to spectators during the Driver's Parade at the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26, 2023. The Dutchman, who has already clinched the Drivers’ title, will race for his fourth title in Abu Dhabi.