Bottas wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Performing celebratory spins around the track was about as emotional as it got for Valtteri Bottas, after he beat his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
Hamilton joined the straight-faced Finnish driver in performing spins — known in Formula One as donuts — having already sealed his fourth world title before the season’s finale. The race offered little excitement, but there wasn’t much to fight over as the serious stuff had already been pretty much decided.
Sebastian Vettel joined them on the podium, finishing third — and second overall — in an anti-climax to a season that had promised so much for Ferrari as it hoped to win its first drivers’ title since 2007.
As the three drivers soaked each other with celebratory bottles on the podium, Hamilton used his to douse Vettel as the German driver tried to turn and protect himself. It seemed a triumphant and fitting image, victor over vanquished.
Vettel was already thinking of drowning his sorrows, perhaps understandably considering how his title challenge collapsed spectacularly following the summer break.
“Probably find something to drink tonight and sober up tomorrow,” Vettel said. “Congratulations to Lewis on his season. He was the better man. I hate to say it but he deserved it.”
Starting from pole position for the second straight race Bottas secured the third win of his career — all since joining from Williams.
His 22nd career podium was his 13th with Mercedes.
“It is a really important win for me after having a pretty difficult start to the second half of the year,” said Bottas, who had a mid-season slump that damaged his confidence. “We Finns don’t show much emotion but it doesn’t mean we don’t have any. I am so happy.”
Bottas placed third overall, 12 points behind Vettel and 58 behind Hamilton.
“Hopefully better next year,” Bottas said.
He has only been given a one-year extension to his Mercedes contract, having joined this year as an emergency replacement for 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg.