Edge of disaster, pole position and mayhem: Our standout moments from the 2023 season

In terms of the World Championship, the 2023 season was not a lotto write home about. Max Verstappen pretty much had it sown up fromthe Miami Grand Prix onwards, but there will still a season ofthrills and shocks behind him. The RacingNews365 team has come upwith their best and standout moments from the 2023 season. Makesure to let us know yours in the comments below! Team members whovoted: Jake Nichol, Rory Mitchell and Fergal Walsh. Jake Nichol -Monaco Q3 24 Grands Prix were planned for the 2023 season, but onlyone offers the challenge of the Monaco Grand Prix. Sunday in Monacois usually a poor race, with little overtaking, but, for me atleast, I'm prepared to accept a dud of a Grand Prix (even if wedidn't get that this year!), for the spectacle of qualifying.Monaco qualifying is always one of the highlights of the season -and Q3 this year was a stunning demonstration of threading abucking, 1000bhp beast trying to throw you in the wall around F1'smost famous streets. After the first runs, Fernando Alonso was0.396s up on Max Verstappen with the Ferraris sandwiching the twoWorld Champions. Verstappen then climbed back to provisional pole,but out of nowhere, Esteban Ocon popped the Alpine P1 beforeCharles Leclerc snatched it away. But there was a twist to come.Alonso, chasing his first F1 pole since the 2012 German Grand Prixwent 0.022s faster than the home favourite, leaving Verstappen0.205s to find to take pole. Exiting Sector 2, Verstappen was0.204s down on Alonso, but his final sector was breathtaking -reminiscent of Ayrton Senna all those years ago. The speed hecarried through the exit of the Swimming Pool was incredible, theRB19 teetering on the edge of disaster. But Verstappen dancedthrough Rascasse and Anthony Noghes - even hitting the pit-wall ashe floored it to the line. The end result? Pole position by 0.084s.Rory Mitchell - Lewis Hamilton taking pole at Hungary WatchingLewis Hamilton take his first pole since the 2021 Saudi ArabianGrand Prix felt like closing a chapter. His 2022 still had thatcontroversial end to the 2021 title race overhanging, and it'scrazy when you consider his last race win was at the same race thatyear. The atmosphere from the fans in the stands was electric, asit was somewhat unexpected after Mercedes' run of races prior toHungary. For what it's worth, I thought Lando Norris would snatchpole from Max Verstappen. But the McLaren driver was just 0.085s,with the Dutchman just 0.003s off. Fine margins, but it did givesome glimmer of hope to Mercedes fans over a potential win at acircuit notorious for its overtaking difficulty. It's a shame theGrand Prix did not follow through with this excitement, afterVerstappen pulled off a move into Turn 1 and raced into his seventhstraight victory of 2023. Fergal Walsh - Melbourne Mania Thisyear’s Australian Grand Prix set a new record for the most redflags in a single race at three. The event began and ended in manicfashion, forging one of the most memorable Grands Prix in sometime. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc made contact with Lance Stroll onthe opening lap and was eliminated from contention. Soon after, hewas joined on the sidelines when Alex Albon hit the barrier anddeployed debris over the track, resulting in a red flag. A briefVirtual Safety Car was deployed when George Russell’s engine gaveway but there were few other talking points in the race until KevinMagnussen hit the wall at Turn 2, resulting in a second red flag.With so much at stake with just two racing laps left, the race wasrestarted in a standing formation - and the result was anunyielding effort that resulted in disaster. At the back of thefield, Logan Sargeant speared into the rear of fellow rookie Nyckde Vries before they even reached the first corner. Sergio Perezfound himself being demoted to the rear of the field when he ranout of space on the exit of the first corner, while in a scrap forthird place, Carlos Sainz tipped the rear of Fernando Alonso,sending the two-time World Champion into a spin. A wide moment forPierre Gasly saw him rejoin the track alongside team-mate EstebanOcon through Turn 2 and the duo made contact, resulting in terminaldamage for both cars. Into Turn 3, Lance Stroll out-braked himselfand ran wide into the gravel just as Race Control deployed a thirdred flag - the race ultimately ended under the Safety Car via arolling formation, with the order taken from the previous restartminus those who were eliminated in the chaos.