Maximum Effort Nets Max Verstappen Formula 1 Season Finale Win in Abu Dhabi

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool 

The entire 2020 Formula 1 season concluded with a final 305.47-kilometer run at the Yas Marina Circuit. This last race in what was a 17-race tour staged against the challenging circumstances of a global pandemic served as a victory overall as the top open-wheel racing team succeeded in providing a captivating distraction for motorsport fans starting in July. As teams arrived for the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the year contained a number of memorable moments. 

A modern, attractive track, the 5.554-kilometer Yas Marina Circuit used for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is notorious for being a course with limited passing opportunities. The 21-turn track’s reputation made it evermore important for drivers to gain positions at the start of the race. Taking a monumental pole that displaced the dominant Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team from the top grid position for the first time in 2020, the Honda-powered Red Bull RB16 piloted by Max Verstappen started strong granting him open road into the early laps of the 55-lap event. Unlike previous grand prix races, the field finished the opening laps without incident though there was also very little movement among the 20-car group. The top-eight starters completed the first lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the same position as they started. 

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/LAT Images/Pirelli

Starting second-to-last on the grid after receiving a replacement power unit for the event, Sakhir Grand Prix winner Sergio Perez began a fight towards the top-10 eventually climbing five positions. Unfortunately, the Mexican’s final outing with Racing Point was cut short on lap 10 due to the second power unit failure in the past three races. A virtual safety car was first issued to the competitors to aid the removal of the pink Formula 1 car but the Mercedes-AMG GT-R safety car would later gather the field under the full-course caution. Coming to a rest out of turn 19, the #11 Racing Point machine would be the only car not to cross be running at the chequered flag. Ending his seven-year long career at Racing Point (known as Force India from 2014 to 2018), Perez’s Formula 1 future is still not announced for 2021 or beyond.  

With Lance Stroll the sole remaining Racing Point in the event, the Canadian’s performance had to overcome the combined efforts of the two McLaren Racing entries driven by Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. In securing the team’s third-place spot in the season’s Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship. When a physical safety car was deployed as track workers needed to retrieve Perez’s car, the majority of the field took advantage of the occasion to make a pit stop on the race’s tenth lap. Race leader Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes-AMG drivers were among those that pitted for new tires. The two McLaren Racing machines and Stroll’s Racing Point race car also joined the parade towards team crews resulting in a minor conflict between the constructors. Norris and Sainz both pitted providing a challenge for the McLaren squad. While Norris’ #4 car came for tires first, the #55 vehicle of Sainz followed but travelled slower entering pit road ahead of #18 Racing Point of Lance Stroll. Both McLaren Racing cars beat Stroll out but the Racing Point team were critical of Carlos Sainz’s somewhat lethargic entrance to the pits potentially costing better track position for the Canadian. Race stewards would clear McLaren and Sainz for the incident that ultimately decided the constructors’ standings battle.

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/LAT Images/Pirelli

The 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a race most drivers completed with only a single pit stop. Most drivers taking a set of hard compound Pirelli tires on lap 10 but there would be a group of competitors that ran deeper into the 55-lap event. The top runner that stayed out past the safety car period was Daniel Ricciardo. Positioned in 11th place for the start, his Renault team placed the Australian on hard compound tires at the beginning of the race spending most the grand prix in fifth place until his eventual lap 39 tire stop. Ricciardo’s final race with the Renault factory team netted a seventh place result.

Scuderia Ferrari also attempted to extend their pit stop keeping both team drivers Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel out after the safety car. Starting the race on medium compound tires, the #16 car of Leclerc pitted for new rubber on lap 22. Vettel ran his opening stage of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on hard compound Pirelli tires and remained in the lower half of the top-10 through the mid-portion of the race but began to lose traction before his lap 35 pit stop. Neither Ferrari race cars finished in the points for the final grand prix for what has been a very disappointing season for the Italian outfit. 

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/LAT Images/Pirelli

While not suffering the same kind of mishap that occurred in the Sakhir Grand Prix, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team’s performance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was slightly sluggish compared to the pace set up Max Verstappen’s #33 Red Bull race car. Starting beside Verstappen on the grid, Valtteri Bottas was just slightly edged-out by the Dutch driver into the first corner. Bottas drove a largely flawless event in second place but watched the contender with Red Bull Racing slip away to a growing lead following the end of the race’s safety car period. The #77 Mercedes-AMG W11 F1 EQ Performance race car in the hands of the Finnish driver would itself pull out a steady gap over teammate Lewis Hamilton’s #44 machine. Hamilton returned to competition after a COVID-19 test returned negative prior to the Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi.

At the end of 55 laps, Max Verstappen captured his second victory in the 2020 Formula 1 in the most convincing fashion. Crossing the finish line 15.976 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas, Verstappen and his Honda-powered Red Bull race car accomplished the feat from pole while also setting the fastest lap in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The finish is the sixth consecutive occasion that a race on the Yas Marina Circuit was won from pole position. 

With a runner-up finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas was able to hold on to second-place in the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship with a 9-point gap over Max Verstappen after 17 races. The second Mercedes-AMG driven by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completed what he described as “a hard race” in a post-race team transcript in third place. Hamilton’s 14th podium in the 2020 season came as the #23 Red Bull Racing car of Alexander Albon was drawing close in the late laps. A 1.572-second interval separated third and fourth place at the end of the grand prix. Although the team faced a tough battle from Red Bull Racing, the Mercedes-AMG factory Formula 1 celebrated after overall dominant season where they collected a total of 573 constructor points and 13 race wins.

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

A fifth-place finish for Lando Norris and sixth-place result for Carlos Sainz Jr. combined to give McLaren Racing third-place in the Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship standings. Scoring a total of 18 points and Lance Stroll fighting grip late in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to finish 10th gave McLaren a 7-point advantage over Racing Point. Set to be renamed Aston Martin next year, Racing Point still accomplished a lot in 2020 collecting 122 points more than 2019 despite there being four fewer events on this season’s improvised calendar.

Behind Daniel Ricciardo finishing in seventh place at the Yas Marina Circuit is a pair of Frenchmen. The Honda-powered AlphaTauri race car driven by Pierre Gasly took the chequered flag in eighth place ahead of the second factory Renault driver Esteban Ocon who grabbed the position from Stroll in the final lap of the race. 

With the completion of the 2020 Formula 1 season, drivers, teams and even the series itself were preparing for a new year that will hopefully be able to stretch across the world as it has in years prior.

2020 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Race Results

Max Verstappen Claims Pole For 2020 Formula 1 Finale in Abu Dhabi

Photo Credit: Kamran Jebreili / Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool 

Serving as the seventeenth and final event for Formula 1's 70th Anniversary tour, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the Yas Marina Circuit provides a closing to what has been a season like no other. The race on the 5.554-kilometer track follows a surreal outing in Bahrain where Sergio Perez took victory for Racing Point. 

Though Perez’s win Sakhir Grand Prix was a thrilling affair on the merits of the Mexican driver recovering brilliantly from an opening lap collision, the race is best remembered as a moment where the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team suffered a rare bumble as a result to a pit stop where the tires of the team cars were mixed up. Also missing the seven-time championship winning driving talents of Lewis Hamilton due to a positive COVID-19 test, the unusual event for Mercedes-AMG is one they want to set behind them as they prepare to finish another strong Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi. The pairing of Hamilton with teammate Valtteri Bottas was put back into place at the Mercedes factory team ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while last week’s replacement George Russell returns to his regular seat at Williams Racing.

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

For all 16 races in the 2020 Formula 1 season ahead of Abu Dhabi, the pole position was captured by a driver propelled by a Mercedes-Benz power unit (15 by the Mercedes-AMG factory team and 1 by a Racing Point driven by Lance Stroll). In the finale for the 17-race schedule, Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing were determined to disturb the German-based propulsion’s attempt to sweep the year with Honda power. Mounting a strong threat against the Mercedes-Benz factory team throughout the season, Verstappen and his #33 RB16 race car suffered several narrow defeats in qualifying in past 2020 grand prix events. With one more chance to claim the top spot in a qualifying session this season, the Red Bull Racing machine succeeded in beating the rival Mercedes-AMG outfit.

With the final times being set in Q3 on Saturday for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen scored the pole position over the Mercedes-AMG duo. Posting a 1-minute, 35.246-second lap time, Verstappen and his Red Bull Racing squad achieved their first pole since the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. 

Photo Credit: Kamran Jebreili / Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool 

Upon claiming the fastest time in qualifying, the Austrian-based race team broke the Mercedes-AMG team’s consecutive pole streak at the Yas Marina Circuit that ran since 2014. Just 0.025 seconds slower than Max Verstappen’s pole time, Valtteri Bottas grabbed his 14th front row start for the 2020 season. Holding a 16-point advantage over Verstappen for the second-place spot in the year-long Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship, Bottas can secure the position with a 5th place or better finish.

Returning to the race car after one race away, Lewis Hamilton swiftly regained his competitive poise standing at the top of the time sheet for Q1 and Q2 qualifying sessions. Hamilton fell short of setting the pole-winning time in the final session and will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in third place alongside the McLaren Racing race of Lando Norris who set the fourth fastest lap time. The second Red Bull Racing of Alexander Albon will roll off the grid in fifth place accompanied in the third row by Carlos Sainz Jr. making his final appearance in a McLaren race car as the Spaniard prepares to compete with Ferrari for the 2021 season. 

Starting seventh, Russian driver Daniil Kvyat out-qualified his Scuderia AlphaTauri teammate Pierre Gasly for the second consecutive Formula 1 event as he faces an uncertain immediate future in the sport. It’s strongly suggested Kvyat will not be racing for the team next year and is likely eyeing a reserve driver role in preparations for a possible return to competition in 2022. 

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/LAT Images/Pirelli

Canadian Lance Stroll starts at the highest position of the two Racing Point race cars for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Formula 1's newest and most recent grand prix winner Sergio Perez is relegated to a 19th place grid position as a penalty for receiving a new Mercedes-Benz power unit. Sunday’s race will be Perez’s final drive with Racing Point with no solid plans announced in regards to his future in racing.

The ninth fastest car on Saturday, the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc will actually start the race in 12th place. The opening lap incident at the Sakhir Grand Prix was scrutinized by the FIA after the race and ruled Leclerc at-fault that resulted with him colliding with Sergio Perez and contributed to Max Verstappen’s retirement. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly is promoted to ninth place for the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix joined by the Renault of Esteban Ocon.

For what will be the final 55 laps of the 2020 Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 5:10 P.M. local time at the Yas Marina Circuit (8:10 A.M. eastern time). 

2020 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Starting Grid

Final Pole for 2015 Formula 1 Season Captured by Rosberg in Abu Dhabi

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

A 19-race 2015 Formula 1 season has landed in its final destination as they arrive in the United Arab Emirates. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the 21-turn, 5.554-kilometer Yas Marina Circuit delivers a symbolic close to the season as a race where drivers and teams transition from daylight into night time. Saturday's qualifying in dusk-like conditions gave 20 drivers of the current Formula 1 one final moment to mount total driving efforts on a single lap. With almost the entire Formula 1 grid in place for the 2016 season even before the final race of 2015, a good deal of drivers are returning to their current rides. However, some drivers are confronted with a last chance to prove themselves in surroundings they have grown comfortable with after 18 races.

The last qualifying session of the season resulted in another battle between the Silver Arrows piloted by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Close in all three time trial sessions, Hamilton held the top spot through Q1 and Q2 holding a narrow 0.221-second advantage on Rosberg after the latter session. In the deciding Q3 session, Nico Rosberg once again showed his newly-recovered championship calibre performance. With each hot lap, Hamilton and Rosberg bettered each other on track. Setting the last lap was the Mercedes AMG race car driven by the German who took the pole position in last minute of qualifying. His final 1-minute, 40.237-second lap time was 0.377 seconds quicker than the best effort of teammate Lewis Hamilton.

On pole for the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg's sixth consecutive success in qualifying equals him in third-place overall in the Formula 1 record books with Nigel Mansell and Niki Lauda (Lauda is currently the Mercedes AMG non-executive chairman). Earlier this year, Lewis Hamilton set the mark of seven consecutive poles that was derailed by the Singapore Grand Prix.

Continuing with the ongoing tale for much of the 2015 season, Mercedes AMG has been operating in a league of their own in qualifying.  Almost half a second slower than Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen timed in third with his Ferrari. Teammate and three-time 2015 winner Sebastian Vettel will be capping off his first season with Ferrari deep down in the grid. Starting in 16th place, Vettel faulted a misjudgement in qualifying where another car was said to have interfered with his timed lap,

Photo Credit: Ferrari S.p.A.

Starting alongside Kimi Raikkonen, Sergio Perez is rounding out the 2015 Formula 1 season strong with Force India. Since gaining an updated race chassis for the British Grand Prix, Perez has missed out on scoring points on just 3 occasions over 10 races. At the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Perez is in striking distance of a second potential podium finish. The second Force India-Mercedes race car of Nico Hulkenberg will be positioned in the seventh place position. There may be a chance that this race could be the final one for the Force India team as we know it. Rumours indicate the race organization could be rebranded as under the Aston Martin umbrella.

Daniel Ricciardo will roll off the grid of the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in fifth place able to make full use of his Red Bull race car's updated Renault power unit gained in Brazil. Renault registered fairly well in qualifying at the Yas Marina Circuit with two other vehicles from the French automaker posting a top-10 effort in time trials (Daniil Kvyat's Red Bull in 9th and the Toro Rosso team driver Carlos Sainz Jr.in 10th spot). Ricciardo will start alongside Williams' Valtteri Bottas who is battling intensely for the fourth place in the overall world drivers' standings with Kimi Raikonen. Following an exclusion in the final results after the Brazilian Grand Prix due to a tire temperature, Felipe Massa will start his Williams-Mercedes in 8th place.

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Photo Credit: FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA

Deeper in the grid for the final Formula 1 race of 2015 is teams with ongoing struggles. McLaren Honda is reaching an end of an exceptionally difficult debut year for the Honda powerplant. Jenson Button will start in 12th place while Fernando Alonso is positioned in 17th. With questions whether or not their team will exist in any form for 2016, the Lotus F1 Team is also bidding goodbye to Romain Grosjean leaving for the new Haas F1 Team. In qualifying, Pastor Maldonado out-performed Grosjean posting a 13th place effort compared to the Frenchman's 15th.

With no grid penalties suffered by any drivers or teams, the starting line-up for Sunday's race is a mirror of qualifying at Abu Dhabi. A 55-lap event, the grand prix on the Yas Marina Circuit will start at 5:00 PM local time (8:00 AM in the eastern time zone).

2015 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Starting Line-up

Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine

1 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
3 7 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Ferrari
4 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes-Benz
5 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Renault
6 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Mercedes-Benz
7 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes-Benz
8 19 Felipe Massa Williams Mercedes-Benz
9 26 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull Renault
10 55 Carlos Sainz Jr Scuderia Toro Rosso Renault
11 33 Max Verstappen Scuderia Toro Rosso Renault
12 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda
13 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus Mercedes-Benz
14 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari
15 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus Mercedes-Benz
16 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Ferrari
17 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda
18 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari
19 28 Will Stevens Manor Marussia Ferrari
20 98 Roberto Merhi Manor Marussia Ferrari

Hamilton Triumphs Over Rosberg for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and 2014 Championship Victory

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

The last race of a 19-race tour started in mid-March in Australia, a 20-car field of advanced gasoline/electric hybrid Formula 1 race vehicles sat on the grid for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. During 18 races, the clean slate that drivers and teams entered 2014 filled up in the favour of Mercedes AMG. Winning 15 races before arriving in the United Arab Emirates, Lewis Hamilton's late-season roll has permitted him to stand 17 pounds ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg. With the championship on the line thanks to double points being awarded for the final grand prix of 2014, Rosberg charged to the pole on Saturday with no plans of letting the title slip away. Only 55 laps remained to decide which one of the Mercedes AMG teammates would be crowned the 2014 Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.

Right from the time the lights went out to start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton set out to do everything he needed to go to lock up the 2014 championship. Hamilton seize a poor start by the pole-sitting Mercedes AMG race car to gain the lead right off the bat. By the second lap, Hamilton held a 1.4-second advantage ahead of Rosberg.

Behind the Mercedes AMG cars, the final start of the 2014 Formula 1 season did not go without incident. Realistically driving for his job with McLaren in 2015, Kevin Magnussen made contact with both Nico Hulkenberg and Adrian Sutil on lap 1 of the race. By closer examination by the race stewards, it was ruled that Hulkenberg was at-fault for forcing Magnussen's McLaren off the track. Kevin Magnussen continued to the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but was unable to score points. Despite a five-second penalty levied against him, Nico Hulkenberg brought his Force India-Mercedes across the line in sixth place.




Photo credit: Pirelli Photo Service

A race starting late in the afternoon at the Yas Marina Circuit, natural light from a boiling sun lessened on the 5.554-kilometer track. With much of the field starting on Pirelli supersoft slick tires, pit stops came early for the Mercedes AMG cars with Hamilton in on lap 10 and Rosberg pitting on lap 11. Felipe Massa was able to lead the grand prix briefly until he pitted on lap 14. Lewis Hamilton regained the lead with a 2.3-second interval on Nico Rosberg as the two Mercedes AMG cars lapped at the top of the field.

While Lewis Hamilton appeared to be maintaining the upper hand on his teammate by the time the race was reaching half distance, the championship challenge attempt of Nico Rosberg lost momentum (literally). Around lap 24 of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Mercedes AMG race car of Rosberg was lapping the Yas Marina Circuit slower. Through telemetry, the team realized the lost pace on track was the result of the Energy Recovery System (ERS) failing. Typically resulting in over 150 horsepower from the integrated gasoline/electric powertrain of the Mercedes AMG W05 Hybrid race car, Rosberg quickly lost ground with Hamilton and was caught and passed by Felipe Massa on lap 27. Running slower than the pace of the leaders, Rosberg backslid through the field. Through the mechanical gremlins biting the car of Rosberg, the 2014 championship because Hamilton's. Showing the poise of a champion, Rosberg would heroically finish the race in his wounded race machine in 14th place.

Without having to even finish the race the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after Nico Rosberg dropped down the running order, Lewis Hamilton was by no means willing to quit. Maintaining the pace he showed all this season, Hamilton concluded the 2014 season crossing the finish line at the Yas Marina Circuit first. Collecting his 11th win for the year, the newly-crowned two-time Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton tied himself with the second-most in a season with Michael Schumacher in 2002 and Sebastian Vettel in 2011. When Hamilton won his first championship in 2008, he captured only five grand prix victories.

Driving for the modern Silver Arrows, Hamilton's win marks the first drivers' title for a full-fledged Mercedes-Benz factory Formula 1 driver since Juan Manuel Fangio's 1955 championship. Following the event, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG Dr. Dieter Zetsche said in a statement from the German automaker, “He has truly earned that title with a fantastic performance this year. At the same time, I would also like to congratulate his team-mate Nico Rosberg and all of our staff in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart on this fascinating and highly successful season.". On the Mercedes AMG team's website, Lewis Hamilton was recorded saying he felt ".. a bit lost for words really".



Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

Capturing two spots on the podium, the Williams Martini Racing organization finishes off what has been a productive 2014 season. A season-best grand prix result for Felipe Massa, he leapfrogged his teammate Valtteri Bottas early in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and stayed ahead for the checkered flag. Finishing within 2.5 seconds of the factory team, the customer Mercedes-Benz engine inside the Williams of Massa got close to Hamilton at the end. "It was good to be racing and pushing the Mercedes. I hope this is a strong building block to go on for next year. The team progressed so much throughout the year, which is why we were able to get podiums in the second half of the season; we will continue this forward movement into next year." said Felipe Massa in a team release. Posting more consistent results in 2014, Bottas claims a higher position in the overall drivers' standings after 19 races. In fourth place, Valtteri Bottas is the highest placed non-winner in the points launching over Sebastian Vettel thanks to the double points headed out at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

With six Mercedes-Benz powered cars finishing in the top-10 after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, many of customer teams performed well in the season finale. Besides the already-mentioned Williams team, Jenson Button took fifth place with a McLaren-Mercedes in what was the last race where the team and engine supplier will be together. With both cars finishing in the points, Force India posted a total of 28 points as Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth and Sergio Perez crossed the line in seventh.


With qualifying times excluded due to a rules infraction on their Red Bull-Renault race cars, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel ended the 55-lap distance inside the top-10. In fact, Ricciardo finished in fourth place, 8.3 seconds behind third place. Vettel finished in eighth place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix driving his Red Bull-Renault. Finishing 2014 fifth overall in the drivers' standings for 2014, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing ends the season much differentially than 2013. Already announced as leaving Red Bull Racing after capturing four world drivers' championships in a row with the outfit, Vettel's new home in Formula 1 should be confirmed soon. Strongest rumours indicate the German will be driving a Ferrari next season.




Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

The Red Bull Racing cars existed as the only Renault-powered competitors to score points at Abu Dhabi. Jean-Eric Vergne driving for Toro Rosso finished 12th while Lotus F1 Team driver Romain Grosjean crossed the line 13th, one lap down. The Caterham car driven by Will Stevens in his first-ever Formula 1 race went the whole distance of the event to finish 17th but the teammate driver of Kamui Kobayashi retired due to a bad vibration. Renault's showing in the final race was also embarrassed by a reported electronic problem on the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat and a fiery eruption of the powerplant on the Lotus of Pastor Maldonado.

In the final two point-paying positions, the red Ferrari race cars with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen allowed the Italian team to capture fourth in the constructors' points. Along with Vettel, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the final race that Fernando Alonso would run with Ferrari. Finishing 2nd overall on three occasions, Alonso's time at Ferrari was fruitful but concluded without the ultimate goal the driver/team pairing had wanted.

After 19 races, the 2014 Formula 1 season concludes with a fantastic show of dominance by the Mercedes AMG team and another championship for Lewis Hamilton. With the 2015 season four months away, the victors will possibly spare themselves a little time to celebrate their success this season before turning attention to next year.



2014 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Race Results

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Team	Engine
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
2	19	Felipe Massa	Williams	Mercedes-Benz
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	Williams F1	Renault
4	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull	Renault
5	22	Jenson Button	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
6	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
7	11	Sergio Perez	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
8	1	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull	Renault
9	14	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Ferrari
10	7	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	Ferrari
11	22	Kevin Magnussen	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
12	25	Jean-Eric Vergne	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Renault
13	8	Romain Grosjean	Lotus	Renault
14	6	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
15	21	Esteban Gutierrez	Sauber	Ferrari
16	99	Adrian Sutil	Sauber	Ferrari
17	46	Will Stevens	Caterham	Renault
18	10	Kamui Kobayashi	Caterham	Renault
19	13	Pastor Maldonado	Lotus	Renault
20	26	Daniil Kvyat	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Renault

Rosberg Takes Pole Ahead of Championship Deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

After 18 races, all that remains in the 2014 Formula 1 season is one last event. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contains the final 55 laps for that will complete a season where Mercedes AMG launched themselves into a season where they have won all but three races and locked up the 2014 Constructors' title. Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg suit up this weekend knowing one of them will be the season's champion. Hamilton holds a 17-point edge over Rosberg preparing for competition at the Yas Marina Circuit.

In Saturday's qualifying for the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton immediately made no secret that he wanted to be in prime position to capture his second world champion driving title. After the first two rounds of qualifying, Hamilton's Mercedes AMG race machine was at the top of the time sheet in lapping the 21-turn, 5.554-kilometer track. However, in the final Q3 session, it was Nico Rosberg who prevailed in capturing the pole. Rosberg's Mercedes AMG car completed a lap at 1-minute, 40.480 seconds to claim the top spot for Sunday's race. Outrunning his teammate by 0.386 seconds, the Rosberg will start with his championship rival on the front row.

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

With a gap of 17 points existing between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg plus double points being awarded with the results of the final grand prix round of 2014, Hamilton wins the championship if he finishes ahead of Rosberg. If the Mercedes AMG drivers remain in their starting positions after the 55 laps of the Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton will be crowned champion by a three-point gap. Rosberg can be crowned the 2014 Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship if Hamilton finishes in third place or lower provided the German wins the race.

As a familiar trend in 2014, the second-best group in qualifying was the Williams Martini Racing team. Both Williams-Mercedes cars occupy the two row of the starting grid at Abu Dhabi. Valtteri Bottas was almost a tenth of a second quicker than Felipe Massa. Winless this season, the Williams team's performance has been far improved over 2013. Obtaining just 5 manufacturer points last season, the 2014 season has resulted in the Williams organization being placed in third among teams.

Photo Credit: Andrew Hone Photographer/ Pirelli Photo Service

After qualifying, the fifth and sixth place vehicles belonging to Red Bull Racing came to attention of race stewards. Front wing pieces on the Red Bull-Renault race cars of Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel were found to have violated rules on flexible bodywork. As a penalty, both drivers will be starting the final race of the year from the back of the grid. Typically, the Red Bull-Renault race cars race pace has been better than their qualifying speeds in 2014 allowing the team to claim second in the constructors' standings.

Penalization of the Red Bull Racing team promotes all the remaining teams and drivers up two positions for the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. First to benefit is the Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat who will be joining the Red Bull squad next season. With uncertain plans for 2015, Jenson Button is start sixth for McLaren. With Button's teammate Kevin Magnussen is starting ninth, Sunday's event will mark McLaren's last race with Mercedes-Benz engine power after 20 consecutive seasons together.

For Mercedes-Benz, Rosberg's pole allows the automaker to lock-up a rare honour of powering every pole winner in qualifying for a Formula 1 season. At but one of those times it was accomplished by the Mercedes AMG group. The Mercedes-Benz hybrid powerplant setup's dominance in 2014 will clearly lead to concerns from the established Renault and Ferrari operations heading into the off-season. The engine performance wildcard is Honda's re-entry in the sport for next year with McLaren.

Facing its first winless Formula 1 season since 1993, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso will start on the fourth row of the grid. Leading into this weekend, Ferrari confirmed that Alonso is not to be part of the 2015 team driver line-up. It is widely speculated that Sebastian Vettel is to be announced as the new Ferrari pilot when this season ends. A Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne will start on the 10th spot for the start of the main event on the Yas Marina Circuit.

Photo Credit: Andrew Hone Photographer/ Pirelli Photo Service

The starting field of the final 2014 Formula 1 race has grown to 20 cars thanks to the return of Caterham F1 Team. Through an online crowdfunding effort, the race team was able to field two cars for Kamui Kobayashi and rookie driver Will Stevens. Stevens make his Formula 1 debut through Caterham after winning the World Series by Renault 3.5 championship in 2014.

The final Formula 1 race of the 2014 season is slated to begin at 5 PM local time (8 AM Eastern time).

 

2014 Formula 1

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Starting Grid

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Team	Engine
1	6	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	Williams F1	Renault
4	19	Felipe Massa	Williams	Mercedes-Benz
5	26	Daniil Kvyat	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Renault
6	22	Jenson Button	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
7	7	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	Ferrari
8	14	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Ferrari
9	22	Kevin Magnussen	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
10	25	Jean-Eric Vergne	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Renault
11	11	Sergio Perez	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
12	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
13	99	Adrian Sutil	Sauber	Ferrari
14	21	Esteban Gutierrez	Sauber	Ferrari
15	13	Pastor Maldonado	Lotus	Renault
16	10	Kamui Kobayashi	Caterham	Renault
17	46	Will Stevens	Caterham	Renault
18	8	Romain Grosjean	Lotus	Renault
19	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull	Renault
20	1	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull	Renault

Crowd Sends Caterham Packing for Abu Dhabi F1 Finale

Photo Credit: Caterham F1 Team/ Charles Coates/LAT Photographic

While the likelihood of success for some of the habitually slower cars winning a grand prix race is slim, a deep Formula 1 field makes for a better spectacle. Through the recent visit to the Americas for the United States Grand Prix and Brazilian Grand Prix, there were two fewer teams part of the trek. Caterham F1 Team and Marussia F1 lost what was a struggle to keep their cars on the track for the full 19-race 2014 Formula 1 season. With the subtraction of 4 cars, events at the Circuit of the Americas and Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace consisted of  just 18 cars. Those two races had the fewest starters since the bizarre 2005 US Grand Prix at Indianapolis where only six cars started due to problems with tires supplied by Michelin. For what will be the final event of the 2014 season occurring November 21st to 23rd, one of the wayward Formula 1 teams will rejoin the grid.

The green machines fielded by Caterham F1 will be part of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix thanks in large part to fan reaction to a crowdsourced financing method. Operated under the social media hashtag #RefuelCaterhamF1, Leafield stationed race team raised enough money for their symbolic single race effort by canvassing for online donations through Crowdcube. The current administrator of Caterham Sports Limited Finbarr O'Connell responded to the achievement saying, “We set ourselves a major challenge, but it’s definitely been worth it! In only a week the fans have made the impossible, possible. We knew that the best way to keep this team alive and attract possible buyers was to show that it’s still a racing team and be in Abu Dhabi for the finale, and there aren’t enough words to say how grateful we are to all the fans that have made this possible."

During the past week, financial contributors provided money to the team's crowdfunding campaign with an engaging twist. In exchange for the certain high-value pledges, Caterham F1 Team has provided a wide range of gifts. A rare chance to acquire race-used items and to have individuals place their names on a Formula 1 car enticed a large crowd. Race car components such as front nose sections along with brake discs were available from the start while driving suits belonging to past Caterham F1 pilots Giedo van der Garde and Charles Pic were added later.

Falling short of their goal of £2,350,000 through the #RefuelCaterhamF1 crowdfunding campaign, the Caterham F1 announced their participation at the 2014 Formula 1 season finale anyways on Friday. Raising more than £1,000,000 by Monday, the Crowdcube campaign slowed during the week. Still, the #RefuelCaterhamF1 effort reached 53-percent of the financial goal by Wednesday. Since confirming they are competing at the Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates, Caterham F1 Team extended their Crowdcube campaign to the date of the 2014 Formula 1 season ending race. The opportunity still remains to contribute to the team. As of the morning of November 16th, Caterham F1 has reached 81-percent of their financial goal. Formula 1 fans continue to have the chance to acquire unique memorabilia.

Webber Outruns Vettel in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying

Photo Credit: Infiniti

For Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel, the 2013 season has already been successful. Following victory at last week's Indian Grand Prix, Vettel has become a four-time Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion and awarded his team enough points to secure a fourth manufacturer's crown. The acclaimed 2013 Formula 1 champion, Vettel and the #1 car attends the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with more relaxation than the 21 other cars. With contentious point fights still in play (including a tight second place constructors' championship battle between Mercedes AMG and Ferrari), the Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates will provide some tense on-track action.

Sealing his fourth consecutive drivers' title, anyone expecting the German driver to relax his pace for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying would be sorely misguided. In Q3, Sebastian Vettel posted a 1 minute, 40.075 second lap around the 5.554-kilometer track. An impressive time that eclipses his 2009 lap record, Vettel would not be the polesitter for Sunday's main event. Cracking around the Yas Marina Circuit in 1 minute, 39.957 seconds, the Red Bull-Renault of Mark Webber is receiving the preferential first place spot. After a pole drought for much of the 2013 season, the Australian Webber is ending his tenure at Red Bull Racing with two poles in the last three races.

Behind the all-Red Bull Racing front row starting the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Mercedes AMG team has filled the second row. By more than 8/100th of a second, Nico Rosberg claimed the advantage over Lewis Hamilton. Having speed through late spring to summer of this season, the factory German race team has been scrambling to regain their once dominating qualifying pace. Only four points ahead of Scuderia Ferrari heading into this weekend's event, Mercedes AMG has shown a stronger hand in qualifying. Felipe Massa posted a time on Saturday equating to a seventh place starting effort for Sunday. Fernando Alonso just missed making the 10-car pack in Q3. 

The fifth place starting spot of the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix underwent a post-race change with the exclusion of a well-known figure. Reigning winner of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Kimi Raikkonen will be forced to the rear after his Lotus-Renault E21 car failed a floor deflection test. The failure was caused when a part broke on-track causing the floor to flex more than allowed by Formula 1 rules. Lotus F1 Team principal Eric Boullier commented on the race team's website saying, “No advantage was sought or gained in the incident and the relevant part has been replaced". Raikkonen will have to start 22rd Sunday. Lotus F1 Team's second car driven by the recently hot Romain Grosjean will be promoted to sixth behind Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg's fifth place effort in qualifying with a Suaber-Ferrari race car is also consistent with a meaningful late season effort on the Formula 1 tour.       
Racing for 55 laps Sunday around the Yas Marina Circuit, the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix operates later in the day than most Formula 1 races. Starting at 5pm local time, the result is an 8am race in the Eastern time zone.



2013 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Starting Grid

1 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Renault
2 1 Sebastian Vettel  Red Bull Renault
3 9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
4 10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
5 11 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber Ferrari
6 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus Renault
7 4 Felipe Massa Ferrari Ferrari
8 6 Sergio Perez McLaren Mercedes-Benz
9 19 Daniel Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
10 3 Fernando Alonso Ferrari Ferrari
11 14 Paul di Resta Force India Mercedes-Benz
12 5 Jenson Button McLaren Mercedes-Benz
13 18 Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
14 16 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1 Renault
15 17 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Renault
16 12 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber Ferrari
17 15 Adrian Sutil Force India Mercedes-Benz
18 21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham Renault
19 20 Charles Pic Caterham Renault
20 23 Max Chilton Marussia Cosworth
21 22 Jules Bianchi Marussia Cosworth
22 7 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus Renault

Iceman Beats the Heat: Raikkonen Takes Lotus to Abu Dhabi GP Win

Andrew Ferraro/LAT Photographic

Somewhat fitting with a race running into dusk, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the third-to-last event on the 2012 Formula 1 schedule. For 24 drivers in the series, 55 laps on the 5.554-kilometer Yas Marina Circuit is one of the last remaining moments to take honours in what has been a Formula 1 season that already presented some surprises.

Among several late-season story lines is a driver's championship that still hangs in the balance. In Saturday qualifying, points leader Sebastian Vettel was handed a massive setback when his times were excluded as a result of a low fuel load that violated FIA rules requiring a one-liter sample in post-qualifying technical inspection. Starting from the pit lane Sunday, rival Fernando Alonso sat in 6th place on the starting grid eager to make sure the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix could be the solution to regain his advantage on the Red Bull Racing driver.

Taking pole, Lewis Hamilton driving his McLaren-Mercedes was in prime position to take an early lead in the Abu Dhabi race. Hamilton is also aided by a poor start performed by the front row-mate Red Bull-Renault of Mark Webber. Webber's slow wind-up was so poor that Kimi Raikkonen in a Lotus-Renault and Pastor Maldonado driving for Williams F1 gained track position early.

Spoiled for victory at the Singapore Grand Prix by a mechanical issue, Lewis Hamilton's chance at victory would once again end with a gremlin biting his McLaren-Mercedes. On lap 19, Hamilton slowed for was discovered to be an electrical problem. McLaren F1's race weekend at Abu Dhabi would be salvaged by teammate Jenson Button who finished 4th at the Yas Marina Circuit.

With Lewis Hamilton's retirement, the lead of the race was turned over to 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen. Missing the 2010 and 2011 season, Raikkonen's return with the Lotus F1 Team was a curious move at the beginning of the 2012 season. Third in points late into the 2012 Formula 1 series calender, Raikkonen revealed terrific consistency on the race track with the Lotus-Renault race car. Despite some great runs, the Finnish driver had been denied victory. Leading the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen would once again fall under attack by the best opponents looking to keep him from the top of the podium.

Photo source: Pirelli Photo Service

Besides the exit of the pole-sitting McLaren-Mercedes from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the race also claimed several other front runners over the course of 55 laps. Nico Hulkenberg's Force India-Mercedes was an early race victim when he collided with Bruno Senna's Williams Renault. The Mercedes GP car of Nico Rosberg also departed from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix early with a frightening impact between him and the HRT-Cosworth driven by Narain Karthikeyan. Both drivers escaped major injury by ended their race after just 7 laps. The incident brought out the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG safety car as efforts took place to clean up the wrecked race cars. Nico Rosberg spoke about the "Narain told me that his steering broke and he needed to brake which I didn’t expect in that high-speed corner. There was no time for me to react, and I’m very thankful that we are both fine. I went to the medical centre for a precautionary check but everything is good. I will look forward now and hope for a better two races to end the season."

Lap 37 into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the safety car would once again be called onto the Yas Marina Circuit when a Sergio Perez pass on Romain Grosjean went wrong. Occurring in turn 13, Mark Webber's Red Bull-Renault was also involved in the mayhem. Grosjean and Webber retired from the race while Sergio Perez brought his damaged Sauber-Ferrari to the pits for repairs.

In the final laps, the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso hunted the Lotus-Renault and was within DRS range. Despite the fight from his former race team's current lead driver, Kimi Raikkonen held off the challenge from Alonso crossing the finish line by just eight-tenths of a second earlier than the Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen's win is his first Formula 1 victory since the 2009 Belgium Grand Prix. "I’m very happy for the team – and myself – but mainly for the all the crew here and everyone at Enstone. It’s been a hard season and I feel this win is well deserved for everyone and just what we need. It’s also something great for all the fans who have continued to support me and the team." said Raikkonen in post-race comment. For the Lotus name, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was even longer coming since the brand returned to the Formula 1 grid in 2010. The last time a Lotus driver stood at the top of a grand prix podium was in 1987 when Ayrton Senna won on the streets of Detroit.

The win for Lotus F1 Team also comes after what has been months of a rumours on the state of Lotus Group. The ousting of Dany Bahar and hints that their anticipated production car line-up was in peril has also enveloped the support of the Formula 1 team beyond the 2012 season. Lotus' commitment to the sport had been solidified prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory.




Steven Tee/LAT Photographic

Finishing in second place, Fernando Alonso managed to advance himself in the points against Sebastian Vettel for the first time since the Italian Grand Prix. However, Two safety cars and a valiant drive by the German Red Bull Racing driver minimized the gain. Vettel finished in third place equating to only a three-point loss in the driver's standings after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel is now 10 points ahead of Fernando Alonso with just two races to go.

Behind Jenson Button in fourth place, Pastor Maldonado captured fifth place, his second-best result in the 2012 Formula 1 season, for Williams F1. Kamui Kobayashi climbed from 15th place to finish  sixth with his Sauber-Ferrari narrowly pursued by Felipe Massa, Bruno Senna and Paul di Resta for. Daniel Ricciardo driving for Toro Rosso took the final point in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix crossing the line just sixth-tenths of a second ahead of Michael Schumacher.

Honourable mentions in the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix goes to the Caterham-Renault of Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock piloting a Marussia-Cosworth.



2012 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Race Results

Pos #	Car #/ Driver/ Constructor
1	9 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault
2	5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
3	1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
4	3 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
5	18 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault
6	14 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari
7	6 Felipe Massa Ferrari
8	19 Bruno Senna Williams-Renault
9	11 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes
10	16 Daniel Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari
11	7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
12	17 Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari
13	20 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault
14	24 Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth
15	15 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari
16	21 Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault
17	22 Pedro de la Rosa HRT F1
18	25 Charlie Pic Marussia-Cosworth
19	10 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault
20	2 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
21	4 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
22	23 Narain Karthikeyan HRT F1
23	8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
24	12 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes