HONOUR, NOT GLORY, AT STAKE FOR HAMILTON AND RIVALS

Despite the two World Championships being wrapped up, all racers are looking to end the year on a high note with an eye on Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

While there is inevitably less tension in the air here in Abu Dhabi because the two world championships – for drivers and for constructors – have been decided, there is still honour at stake. And there is no shortage of drivers seeking one last shot at redemption.

Valtteri Bottas is desperate for the 2018 victory that has thus far eluded him at Mercedes, when team-mate Lewis Hamilton won not only the drivers’ crown but half of the 20 races run thus far.

Sebastian Vettel wants his first win since Belgium in August, and to atone for some of the errors that have proved so costly this year, but defence for the German came from team principal Maurizio Arrivabene in the day’s press conference when he got into a spat with BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson who pushed to know how Arrivabene would achieve the results in 2019 that proved so elusive this season.

“I give you an answer, having said that what you said is not correct because we started the season in very good shape and then as Sebastian said Thursday, he made mistakes, then from Monza onwards we were not there with the car and this is a fact, too, if you’re talking about facts,” the Italian said disingenuously. “I don’t want to point the finger at the team or on the driver. If we are losing, we are losing together. If we are winning, we are winning together. And that’s it.”

Well, not quite, but never mind. They’ll either get it right, or they won’t. Daniel Ricciardo wants to sign off his successful Red Bull career, which has yielded all six of his wins, with a final one to round out a bitterly disappointing year of retirements.

“I want to end this year strong,” he admitted. “It’s not going to be easy, mentally. I know that. Each lap I turn in the car will mean one lap closer to my last in a Red Bull racesuit. And when I get out for the final time, I think I’m going to have a right good cry. Maybe a few.”

Max Verstappen wants the win that got away last time out in Brazil, and Kimi Raikkonen liked the feeling he got on the top step of the podium in Austin recently, and wants to feel it again before his Ferrari career finally ends. Typically, the down-to-earth Finn had a less emotional approach to valediction.

“Obviously I had this leaving them once already so it’s not a new thing. I’m not sad because I don’t see why we need to be sad. We will stay as friends.”

This will be Fernando Alonso’s last grand prix for the foreseeable future, and Thursday the Spaniard admitted that he would feel differently to the way he did when he arrived in Abu Dhabi.

“So far I think it’s a normal weekend,” he said before stepping into his McLaren for the few last times. As a tribute, the team have decorated it with the blue, red and yellow Asturian colours of his Kimoa clothing company.

“I think on Sunday it’s going to be different, when it gets a little bit more emotions,” he added. “I’ve been racing last weekend in Shanghai and I’m not probably into the mood yet of this final race. It feels okay right now. But it’s going to be special, emotional, and hopefully a good one.” THE INDEPENDENT