2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina, 23-25 November

[Notebook]

Summary
Qualifying under way - Vettel top in Q1
Toro Rossos and Williams out in Q1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/45191017

Summary
Hamilton on pole, Bottas 2nd, Vettel 3rd

 

[Notebook]

Summary
Hamilton leads, Hulkenberg lands upside down in crash
German trapped in cockpit, car momentarily catches fire
Hulkenberg, Raikkonen out

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/45191023

 

[Notebook]

Lewis Hamilton won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to end the season in which he clinched his fifth world championship on a high.
It was the 11th victory of the year for Hamilton, who dominated the race with a controlled drive.
Hamilton performed 'doughnuts' after crossing the line, before himself and former title rival Sebastian Vettel flanked the retiring two-time world champion Fernando Alonso - before all three performed more doughnuts on the start-finish straight.
The three drivers hold 11 of some of the most recent world championships won in a golden era for driving talent in the sport.
Vettel took second after Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas faded to fifth, which means the Finn ends the season without a victory.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo took third and fourth.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/46336162


So, Alonso goes, and...maybe not?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/gossip

 

[ADSWNJ]

On the race - nothing much to see, apart from the first lap, the crash, and the cooldown celebration donuts.

First lap - Max had an engine problem, leaving himself a challenge to get back up the field (which he did).Both Mercs got away cleanly.

The crash - Nico's fault for not giving enough room, but he was launched (his rear to the Grosjean's front tire). The incident caused a barrel roll for the Renault, with it landing diagonally and upside down suspended on a safety barrier. The driver was fine, and after a small fire was quickly put out, and the medics checked him out upside down, the marshals flipped the car over to get him out. Really - the halo was added safety in that flip, and did not cause any issues.

Rest of race - Kimi's Ferrari failed, Danny Ric tried to go long, Lewis took a Lap 7 change to the hardest compound (the red supersofts), and was still able to go the rest of the race with no issues. Seb had a good race for 2nd, but could not get close to Lewis. Bottas screwed it up a few times (and/or had a tire issue maybe), so he dropped away. Max took third.

The cooldown - some of the coolest stuff ever. Synchro donuts by Seb and Lewis, then Alonso (in his final GP) came along and drove in formation with Seb and Lewis back to the start/finish straight, where the three world champions did more synchro-donuts, before doing a joint interview that was just very good all round.

Then the half-striptease on the winners podium for Lewis, to be sprayed in fizzy rose water!

So long 2018 F1. A good season, with the top 3 teams pretty competitive. The drivers made the difference, in my view, with Lewis being Mr Consistent for the whole season, versus Max having a poor start but a strong finish, and Seb really competing until the mid-season break, but then having way too many self-inflicted errors in the second half.

Looking forward to the 2019 spec cars now, in 110 days time. Cleaner wing aero, more ground effect, so hopefully we will have better close racing & overtaking next season.