HAMILTON WRAPS UP ANOTHER TITLE YEAR IN STYLE WITH ABU DHABI WIN |
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LEWIS Hamilton ended his fifth title-winning season in style yesterday when the Mercedes driver topped the concluding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole for a Formula One record points haul over the year.
Hamilton claimed a personal record-tying 11th season success and 73rd overall ahead of Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the day-to-night race which saw Nico Hulkenberg escape a big crash unhurt early on.
Former two-time world champion Fernando Alonso completed his 311th and final Formula One race in a 17-year career just outside the points in 11th place for McLaren.
Having already secured the title with two races to spare, Hamilton finished the season with a record 408 points from 21 races. Vettel had 320 and Kimi Raikkonen remained third on 251 although his last race for Ferrari ended early.
“I am so happy right now,” Hamilton said. after together with Vettel forming a guard of honour for Alonso, with plenty of doughnuts from the three men who share 11 world titles between them.
“Fernando is a true legend. It’s been a real privilege to race in the same era as him,” Hamilton said, with Vettel adding “we will miss him.”
Alonso said: “It has been pleasure racing with these champions and I feel privileged.”
Hamilton handily won the start from pole ahead of Bottas but the safety car came out in lap two after Hulkenberg’s Renault flipped over several times and landed upside down in the barriers after clipping the Haas of Romain Grosjean.
Hulkenberg thankfully got out unharmed once the car was turned around again and some flames at the back had been quickly extinguished.
Hamilton was also untroubled in the fifth-lap restart, only for a virtual safety car phase to follow two laps later when Raikkonen’s race ended in a loss of power on the home straight.
Hamilton was among only three to pit for fresh rubber as he returned in fifth place in a split strategy for Mercedes, with Bottas staying out and leading.
The champion was back up to second once all others apart from Ricciardo had pitted while Ferrari in vain tried an undercut to get Vettel past Bottas because the German had a slow stop for fresh rubbers.
A few drops of rain changed nothing and Hamilton was back in the lead when Ricciardo finally pitted in the 33rd lap, returning in fifth place but with by far the best tyres among the top drivers in his last race for Red Bull ahead of a move to Renault.
Bottas then lost ground with some mistakes and was passed by Vettel, Verstappen in quite a rough duel with the cars touching, and Ricciardo, ending his dream of stealing third overall from Raikkonen for which he would have needed a top-three finish. | DPA