Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Abu Dhabi

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc beat the Dutchman's team-mate Sergio Perez to secure second in the championship.

Leclerc, who was Verstappen's title rival earlier this year before Ferrari's season imploded in a flood of errors and reliability failures, held off Perez on divergent strategies to take second place.

Sebastian Vettel's final race ended in disappointment, the four-time champion bemoaning when he felt was a poor strategy from Aston Martin.

Vettel took the final point for 10th place after Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes retired from fourth place with three laps to go.

Read the full report here

Image source, Getty Images

And that, my friends, is the 2022 season done and dusted.

Congratulations to Max Verstappen and Red Bull on a dominant campaign filled with race victories and title celebrations.

Good luck to Daniel Ricciardo, Mick Schumacher and Nicholas Latifi for the next chapters of your racing careers. Will we see any of them return to the grid in the near future? Stay tuned.

A final farewell to Sebastian Vettel. Hard to believe we won't see the four-time world champion in the paddock or out on track next season but hopefully, fingers crossed, he comes back for a pundit stint so we get his insights into the wonderful world of Formula 1. Oh, and bring your dad Norbert along too.

Thank you so much folks for all your thumbs, comments and input to BBC Sport's coverage during the year. How about we all meet up again in 105 days' time for pre-season testing?

Have a great Christmas and see you next year!

Lando Norris on the influence Sebastian Vettel has had on him: "I think the important thing is nowadays it's not just what you do on track but off track too, the influence you can have.

"I'm a bit more shy than what Seb is like but I will learn to speak the truth and my opinions. I guess people criticise because F1 should be about racing. But I am lucky to race alongside one of the greatest in F1. It's been a privilege and I've learnt from him.

"And off track as well, to learn from Seb and learn my voice and what I can talk about, mainly mental health, which I have been doing. I thank Seb for all of that."

Last fastest lap of the season goes to Lando Norris. Speedy.

Before Seb leaves the track for the final time, somebody ask him what he named his son, who was born in 2019. Driving me mad that we never found out.

Red Bull finish with 759, Ferrari stay in second and Mercedes end a difficult season in third place.

Alpine can now celebrate that fourth spot, despite Fernando Alonso's retirement, after winning their mini battle with McLaren, who stay in fifth. Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin finish level, while Haas beat Alpha Tauri by two points.

Image source, Getty Images

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff talking to Sky Sports: "That was really not good. All the mistakes you can make. The car was not at the pace it should've been. One breaking down, one running out on tyres.

"I think we cooked the tyres in the first few laps. The car was good but then the front gave out. We knew Abu Dhabi was going to be a difficult one. Brazil was spectacular with a good start and finish. It was a tick.

"First of all, we're going to put the cars in the factory reception so every single day when we come in we know how difficult it can be.

"Thank you everyone watching in the factories. Its a character building season. You kept pushing hard, the engine came well. The good moments were spectacular, it made us feel how good it can be. It's raw, it's bad and its ok to feel like this but next year we will be back."

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

I would very much like to see a six-way fight for the title next year.

Mercedes will want to bounce back next year. Mercedes will not like the fact that Red Bull have dominated this year.

They will have more wind tunnel time, so will Ferrari. They will try to use that to their advantage.

Image source, Getty Images

Four-time championship winner Sebastian Vettel: "You know how it is. I wish I could have got a couple more points. I enjoyed the race. Bit of a different warm up to get to the race but when the lights went off, it was just the race. We could have turned the constructors around.

"It's a big day, a big thank you to everyone. Lots of smiley faces which is nice. I'm sure I will miss it more than I feel right now.

"Once the tyres were getting older, we were going backwards. The slower start was not a good feeling when you're in the car, going backwards. It was nice with Daniel to battle with him in the last lap.

"I feel a bit empty, its been a big weekend. The last two years have been disappointing but there are more important things in life. It's a huge privilege to be in the position I'm in. I hope I can pass this on to the other drivers, the responsibility. There's things far bigger and more important than racing in circles.

"Thank you for the support, messages and letters. I will miss that and its been an absolute joy throughout my career. Thank you."

Two-time world champion Max Verstappen ends his dominate campaign with 454 points, 15 race victories and seven pole positions.

Charles Leclerc takes that second spot with 308 points, three more than Red Bull rival Sergio Perez. George Russell, who celebrated his maiden grand prix win last weekend in Brazil, is fourth and Carlos Sainz jumps above the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton to finish in fifth.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Red Bull's Sergio Perez on finishing third, missing out on second place in the championship to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc: "It is how it is sometimes. Everything can be really close. At the end of the day I have got to be happy. I gave it all, as a team we gave it all through the season and I am sure we will come back stronger next year.

"We had great moments, great battling. I struggled a bit with managing the tyres this year in the races. Hopefully that will be something we can improve for next year and generally just be a bit stronger."

Image source, Reuters

Charles Leclerc who finished second in Abu Dhabi and in the Driver’s Championship: "Yeah it felt good, I was 100 percent sure we could do it. We had a perfect race for us. I knew the only way to beat Checo was with tyre management and strategy we had a one stop and it really worked.

On finishing second in the championship: "Yeah thank you. I really hope next year we can do a step forward in the championship. Compared to last season we're there.

"We will push on in the winter break to catch Red Bull."

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's F1 champion Max Verstappen on a record 15th race win: "It was a good race. It was all about tyre management. I think we looked after the mediums quite well and then on the hard tyres managing until the end.

"Incredible to win again here. A 15th win of the season is unbelievable.

"It's been really enjoyable to work with the hole team and to be able to achieve something like this.

"I know it is going to be hard to replicate something like this but it is also very good motivation to try and do well again next year."

The Sebastian Vettel leaving party is in full swing now in Abu Dhabi, so let's have a look what the top three drivers had to say...

Jack Nicholls
BBC Radio 5 Live F1 commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Difficult to think of many mistakes this year for Max Verstappen. There have been a couple, but the dominance up to the end of the year has been unbelievable.

Austria was the only race this year he got properly beaten.

It's just been pretty flawless.

Not only did Charles Leclerc secure that second spot in the standings for Ferrari, but Carlos Sainz's fourth place, coupled with Lewis Hamilton's car issues, means the Spaniard finishes above the seven-time world champion in the championship. Sainz moves up to fifth on 246 points, Hamilton ends the year in sixth with 240 points.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

Sebastian Vettel has been hugely important for his fellow drivers. He has been actively involved in the drivers' association. He has helped evolve safety. He has been an inspiration to other drivers coming up. Let's remember he won four world championships. He is clearly involved in environmentalism. He is an activist in all kinds of things aimed at improving the planet we live on. He is an inspiration to the younger generation and it has been a pleasure watching him over his career.

Max Verstappen isn't getting the warmest of receptions from the Abu Dhabi crowd. Nevertheless, the Dutchman is out on to the podium to receive his 15th winner's trophy of the 2022 campaign.