As motorsport comes to a close this year, we take a quick look at some of the highlights that have happened in 2023 around the world.
Formula 1
Verstappen’s record-breaking domination
Max Verstappen left everyone in no doubt as to who would take the most prestigious championship in motorsport. The statistics speak for themselves; 19 wins, runs of 10 and 7 consecutive wins, and more than double the points of his teammate in second at the end of the championship are just some of the numbers that demonstrate Verstappen’s remarkable season.
Behind the Red Bulls, the running order was unpredictable almost every weekend but it was Lewis Hamilton who used all his experience to finish third in the championship. Carlos Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race, but he ended the season down in seventh in the standings.
Indycar
Palou takes his crown back
Scott Dixon’s good run of form at the end of the year, winning three of the last four races, was not enough to deny his teammate Alex Palou from a dominant second championship victory. For the first time since 2007, the championship was clinched before the last round of the season as Palou won the penultimate race in Portland, his fifth win of the year.
However, his brilliant year did not include a win at the championship’s most prestigious race, the Indy 500. He took pole position, but red flags created a last lap shootout between Josef Newgarden and Marcus Ericsson. Newgarden would emerge victorious to take his first Indy 500 win and was visibly elated, climbing through a gap in the catch fencing after the race to celebrate with fans.
WEC
Ferrari win the Battle, Toyota win the War
Toyota once again dominated the championship, winning seven out of eight races and taking home the championship with the No. 8 car of Sebastian Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.
But the season will forever be remembered for Ferrari’s first win at Le Mans since 1965, as the No. 51 car of Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi withstood the pressure of the No. 8 car to take home an emotional win at the most prestigious endurance race of the year.
Formula 2
Third Time’s the Charm for theo Pourchaire
Theo Pourchaire got the job done to beat Frederik Vesti to the Formula 2 championship.The Frenchman’s solitary win at the first feature race in Bahrain was enough to beat his rival by just eleven points.
Elsewhere, Victor Martins and Oliver Bearman shared an intense battle for rookie of the year honours, which Martins eventually claimed with fifth place in the standings.
IMSA
Cadillac Emerge Victorious From 6-car Title Decider
Six cars from four manufacturers went into the final round at Road Atlanta with a mathematical chance of winning the championship, with the top three separated by just 5 points. In a championship where 350 points are awarded for a win, the Cadillac of Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims clinched the championship by just 21 points after securing sixth place at a chaotic and gruelling 10 hour race.
Third in the championship was the No. 60 Acura of Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun. They had won the prestigious season-opener, the 24 Hours of Daytona, but were penalised 200 points for a tire pressure violation.
WRC
Rovanpera makes it Two
After becoming the youngest WRC World Champion in 2022, Rovanpera became the youngest double World Champion in 2023 with a consistently quick season. Three wins saw him clinch the title with a rally to spare, but a part time 2024 campaign means that he will not defend his title next year.
However, the season was marred by the sad death of Craig Breen in testing before the Croatia Rally. It was a death that shocked the rallying world, who had suddenly lost a friend as well as an extremely talented competitor. He will be sorely missed.
DTM
Firsts For Preining and Porsche
The third season of DTM with the GT3 ruleset saw Porsche and Thomas Preining take their first titles in the championship. Preining sealed the championship in the final round at Hockenheim, beating Lamborghini driver Mirko Bortolotti by winning both races.
Formula E
jake Dennis Wins Title in Front of Home Crowd
Consistency was the key to Jake Dennis’ Formula E success, as he took 11 podiums from 16 rounds to claim the title in the first of London’s two races. Andretti would only finish third in the teams’ championship though, as Envision Racing beat the factory Jaguar team by just 12 points.
BTCC
Fantastic Fourth For Sutton
Ashley Sutton produced an imperious display to win his fourth BTCC title, equalling the record set by Andy Rouse and Colin Turkington. He did so with two races to spare at the final round in Brands Hatch, and won 12 out of 30 races to end the season with a championship lead of 46 points.
His newly rebadged Alliance Racing team took home the team's championship, while Josh Cook and One Motorsport dominated the Independents Championships.
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