FORMULA 1

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How Honda and Red Bull’s partnership is taking shape

There were more than a few raised eyebrows when Honda and Red Bull decided to join forces. It was, after all, a gamble for both. Honda had been burnt by their McLaren partnership, but are teaming up with another big name just a year later. Red Bull had divorced the manufacturer they enjoyed all of their success with in favour of working with a company which was bottom of the engine pecking order. But as we near the end of the season and the debut of F1’s newest alliance, both sides have plenty of reasons to be encouraged…

Newly installed with Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso, Honda began this year with dreams of closing the gap to Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault both in terms of reliability and performance. The initial signs were good – Pierre Gasly finished a sensational fourth in Bahrain to give the Japanese manufacturer their best result since returning to F1 in 2015. It was clear that Honda were enjoying F1 again. You could see it in their faces. The tension that had drained them during three years with McLaren had disappeared.

Reliability was still a concern, though – the MGU-H once again giving Honda a headache. But they found a solution quickly and overall, it was better than the year before. All eyes were on their first in-season update. That was promptly delivered on time in Canada and delivered gains in both reliability and performance. Days later, it was confirmed that Red Bull would run Honda power from 2019, alongside junior team Toro Rosso. It was a big call. But Red Bull had grown tired of Renault’s failures and performance deficit.

The second Honda update of the season was introduced in Russia, but qualified and raced for the first time next time out in front of their home crowd at Suzuka. It was there that Toro Rosso got both cars into Q3, prompting Renault rival Carlos Sainz to describe their one-lap pace as “worrying”.

Insiders suggest it was a big improvement in terms of overall power, possibly their biggest since returning to F1. There remains work to do – but the overwhelming feeling is that Honda are now on par, if not ahead of Renault. Penalties have racked up over the course of the year, but most of them have been for tactical reasons.

“It was surprise at how good they were at the start of the year, given everything that we had seen in the press,” says Toro Rosso chief race engineer Jonathan Eddolls. “Through the year there have been two really big updates, the Spec 2 for Canada and then the Spec 3 fairly recently. The Spec 3 in particular saw a really big improvement in power, especially in qualifying, and that has really helped in some of the races.

“Reliability has actually been relatively good. I think if you look at the number of PU penalties we have taken, it’s very high, and it doesn’t look like Honda has had such good reliability. However, many of those we have elected to take ourselves just to get PUs in the pool when we have had a bad qualifying for instance. Reliability has come on a long way and power is now looking good.”

Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost reckons Honda “have exceeded expectations” with regards to reliability “because we thought we would have many more problems but we haven’t had any major issues, and also regarding the performance, with the new specification we are not far away from the top teams”.

And the man in charge of their new partnership is pretty chuffed, too. “Well, it’s obvious that progress – and good progress – is being made and that’s really encouraging for us,” said Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner. “Our focus is not on where our current position is. It’s where the lead position is. That’s the same goal that Honda share. In-roads are being made to reduce that gap to the benchmark in Formula 1. You need all elements to be performing to win in this sport, and of course the engine is a key element.”

Since the summer break, Red Bull and Honda have been meeting regularly to discuss next year’s car and engine package, with the final paperwork and contracts on the deal signed and sealed during a meeting at Suzuka during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. So far, the two sides appear to be getting on well and it helps that Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko and Honda motorsport boss Masashi Yamamoto, the duo who brokered the deal, know each other well and have a good working relationship.

Honda’s new management structure, introduced ahead of the season, has been a success so far, too. Yusuke Hasegawa left his role as head of the F1 project, with that position split into two. Toyoharu Tanabe stepped in to look after racing and testing operations at the circuit while Yasuaski Asaki focused on development back at base. There has been smooth communication between engineers and Tanabe, and Tanabe and the factory. From next year, Yamamoto told Formula1.com that two new roles will be created – one to look after trackside activities at Toro Rosso, the other doing the same role for Red Bull – and both will report into Tanabe. “Communication between them will be key,” added Yamamoto.

Back at the factory, Honda have made gains regarding correlation, an area they have struggled with in the past. “We confirmed that the performance at the track is very similar to the gain on the dyno,” Tanabe told Formula1.com. Meanwhile, they have taken a big step in making public a collaboration with IHI – a company that specialises in rotating machinery technology in the shipbuilding and steam turbine business – that will be enhanced from next year. IHI will develop and supply parts relating to the turbocharger in Honda’s F1 engine with the aim of “accelerating engine development”. Honda chief officer of brand and communication operations Katsuhide Moriyama expects “this partnership to produce a notable step up in performance”.

For next year, Honda also have the benefit of evolving their current concept, rather than making dramatic changes, which brings its challenges, as they did last winter. “We need to improve our performance and reliability with the current concept,” says Tanabe. “We feel our current concept has potential to improve both reliability and performance for next year and 2020 as well.”

Honda and Red Bull will also have the benefit of a fuel and lubricant supplier focused purely on them. ExxonMobil started working with Red Bull at the start of last season, but with Renault using an alternative supplier in BP, dyno time was split and essentially everything took longer. That limited the impact a supplier could have.

Now, Honda and ExxonMobil are exclusive partners and they’ve spent the year working with Toro Rosso, so have had a headstart in preparing. The advantages are already being felt. “We had six fuels to be looked at on a Monday,” ExxonMobil Global Motorsport Technology Manager David Tsurusaki told Formula1.com. “Honda said ‘OK we’ll get to those as soon as we can’. Five days later, we went over the data. That gives you an idea about the timing and their focus on getting things done. It’s impressive. To give you a comparison, [with Renault] we were working in months, rather than days.”

And there are potential long-term benefits, too. Honda’s young driver programme is very important to the company. They are keen to make F1 and motorsport more popular in Japan and therefore having an F1 driver is key to achieving that.

As part of their partnership with Red Bull, who have their own successful junior programme that has yielded the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo but is currently looking a bit thin, Honda is looking at how they can work together to achieve a common goal. “I am talking to Dr Marko about a young drivers’ programme,” says Yamamoto. “We have a programme, they have their programme, and we are looking at how we can integrate and collaborate.”

Plenty, then, to be buoyant about from both Red Bull and Honda’s perspective. But the proof will be in the RB15’s lap time when it hits the track for the first time in pre-season testing next February…

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NEW SCHUMI VIDEO: I RESPECT HAKKINEN MOST OF ALL

Michael Schumacher’s family have released a series of never before heard recordings featuring the Formula 1 legend answering ten questions in an interview about the sport in 2013.

Although unconfirmed, this may well be the last interview with the sport’s most successful driver who suffered a near-death accident while skiing with his son Mick in the Alps on 29 December 2013.

Schumacher has been hospitalised, or under medical care, ever since, well hidden from the public and media with occasional blasts from the past, such as this one, released by the family.

Here is the transcript of the Q&A session with the seven times Formula 1 World Champion, aired for the first time today:

What was your most emotional world title: the first ever, 1994, or the first with Ferrari in 2000?
Michael Schumacher: The most emotional one definitely Suzuka 2000 with Ferrari, 21 no championship for Ferrari, four years for myself failing to achieve it and finally 2000 Suzuka winning the race, an exceptional race and win a great championship.

In more than 20 years in Formula 1, which opponent you respected the most?
MS: The most respected guy in all those years definitely was Mika Hakkinen, great fights but stable private relationship.

How physically demanding Formula 1 is really?
MS: Formula 1 is very tough, it used to be a lot harder with no power brakes or power steering in the past days compared to nowadays, but anyway it is one of the toughest sports that you can do so lots of preparation is needed.

Did you have a Formula 1 idol as a child?
MS: In the young days of karting I was looking around and yes I saw Ayrton Senna, I saw Vincenzo Sospiri who I admired a lot as a go-kart. But my great idol was Toni Schumacher because he was a great soccer player.

Have you always known that you would set racing records, or did you ever doubt your abilities?
MS: Records is one thing, doubts I think is very important to not be too overconfident, to be sceptical, to look for improvements, to look for the next step and uh.. I always felt I was not good enough, I had to work on myself and I guess that was one of the recipes that made me what I became.

You’ve always said that success is a team effort, but isn’t the Formula One a one-man act?
MS: Success in any situation of life or in most I know anyway is about teamwork, yourself you do what you do as a team you will be much stronger and Formula 1 is about teamwork and definitely not a one-man show.

You led the Benetton and Ferrari teams to world championship titles, and you helped shape the lead-up for Mercedes – are these periods comparable in any way?
MS: If you go back to the various teams I have been driving for, the missions with Benetton after kind of four to five years, building it up, winning the championship, the same for Ferrari, we tried the same with Mercedes in lesser time and uh… is there one thing in common? And I Have to say yes there is: Ross Brawn. Think about it…

As part of your ongoing efforts to improve, do you analyze all the other drivers or only the best ones?
MS: To develop yourself to find other steps, you not only look at the car, you look at yourself, you look at other drivers and you not only looking at your front drivers, you looking at everybody, so I did because everybody has something special that I wanted to know.

You’ve always said that kart racing is the best training ground for all subsequent classes of racing. Why is that?
MS: Karting is good preparation for future motorsports because it gives you a lot of facilities that you can develop yourself, a lot of skills that you can develop, and the fighting, the wheel-to-wheel racing that’s one of the big learning you get from karting.

Is it possible to reach the top on talent alone?
MS: Talent in motorsport, like in any sport, is important but that’s not all, you need really to develop lots of different skills that… karting is a good base to prove your talent but even to find out about the other ‘needs’ you need as a race driver.

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RICCIARDO: CHANGE IS F*CKING TERRIFYING

When Daniel Ricciardo climbs out of his Red Bull in parc ferme after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, an era will end for the Australian as he bids a fond farewell to the organisation that has nurtured him from his early single-seater days through to Formula 1 and to the top step of the podium on seven occasions.

Ahead of his final race for the team, Ricciardo has penned a piece for The Players Tribune about his Formula 1 career thus far, revealing intriguing insights into a fantastic chapter of his life which ends when the lights are switched off at Yas Marina on Sunday night.

For the next chapter, the #3 will transfer over to the yellow and black of Renault where Ricciardo has banked his future for the next two years.

The Honey Badger had plenty to say:

Alrighty … I’ve not done one of these before, but this one is for anyone who has ever been at a crossroads with a big decision to make….

After the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July, I flew to Los Angeles. I wanted to get away. I needed space. I needed a nine-hour flight, free of WiFi and distractions. I needed to make a decision.

After 10 years with Red Bull, the team had drawn up a new F1 contract offer for me. I’ve spent my whole professional racing career with Red Bull, but Renault had also offered me a deal. They both wanted me to drive for them, and they both wanted an answer soon.

Looking back now, the decision about my future in F1 had been all-consuming for some time, and it took its toll on me more than I had realized. It sounds a bit dramatic, but this was one of the biggest decisions of my life. Just as big as deciding to leave my friends and family as a teenager and go to Europe to pursue my dream of becoming an F1 driver.

I know in terms of life decisions, people have to make far harder ones, but to me, this decision would be life changing. And I have worked damn hard to get to where I am today.

So I got on a plane. And about halfway through the flight, some 40,000 feet above the east coast of the United States, I turned off the movie I was watching, grabbed a glass of wine and had a real good think about my future.

I closed my eyes and just listened to the hum of the engines. I always hear people talk about “a moment of clarity,” so I was like, Alright, clarity, where ya at?

And then, I sort of just thought about it all. Like, seriously, everything. I went back, way back to when it all started for me.

You see, I’ve always been Daniel. I’ve always had the same attitude. I like to be cheeky, I like to laugh, and I like to have fun in anything I do.

When I was a boy, I had this big poster of Michael Jordan on my bedroom wall in our home in Perth. It was the famous photo of him at the dunk contest in ’88. He’s mid-flight, just freaking soaring. I looked at that every day before school, like, O.K., you gonna be MJ today? In hindsight, I wasn’t MJ back then — I didn’t have that killer instinct. I mean, I was just a kid.

Racing ran in my blood. My dad’s from Italy and had done some racing in his day. I remember being in my mum’s arms when I was maybe two or three year’s old and watching Dad race around the track up in Wanneroo, not far from Perth.

A few years later I was in a kart for the first time, and my dad was the one watching. When I showed up for my first race, I was assigned the number 3 for my kart.

I didn’t pick it — it picked me. Our house address was number 3, Dale Earnhardt drove the 3 car, so it seemed pretty legit.

Living in Australia, I had to wake up early to watch F1 and NASCAR races, but you best believe I was used to it. I swear, I had this internal clock that would wake me up for every Formula One race when I was a kid.

I’d set my alarm for 3 a.m., and for real, at 2:55 I’d just wake up — I knew. I’d run to my parents’ room, turn on the TV and sit on the edge of the bed and watch. I’d be a pretty tired school kid come Monday, but it was always worth it.

I eventually graduated from the local championships to some more serious ones. And, the story I’m about to tell you next, is the Honey Badger origin story.

There’s one weekend in particular that I always think back to.

My dad and I had driven a couple of hours to get to the circuit. The race was one of the more important ones of the season so it had a practice session on Friday. Dad missed work to get us there. I hadn’t been driving too well leading up to the weekend; I knew I needed to be better.

During practice, two of my rivals were right in front of me, sort of battling and learning the track together. They were pushing each other and I just sat in behind them and watched. I essentially wasted an entire session because I was afraid to make a move during practice.

Dad was upset. I understood why. It hadn’t been easy for him to get time off work. And he’d just had to watch his kid — who’s told him over and over again about how he wants to be a driver like Senna and Dale Sr. — waste an entire day of because he was too timid during practice.

I watched as he packed up the kart in silence. We barely spoke a word on the drive back. I got home and called a friend of mine who raced, too. I told him I thought I was never going to race again.

If I had never driven again, I would have understood. My dad knew about the racing world.… He knew that for a happy-go-lucky kid from Perth to make it, he was going to have to find another gear. (I will not apologize for the pun.)

So, a few weeks later, and after some serious discussions with Dad, I got some help from a driver coach. He taught me a lot of techniques that were useful, but it was the mental side that he really helped me with.

At my first race after that practice session, I was on the grid with my coach when we saw one of my rivals about 30 feet away getting ready to hop in his kart. My coach says, “Daniel, walk over there and wish him luck.”

I said, “I … he doesn’t even like me. I don’t like him. Why would I do that? You’ll mess with his head. Just do it.” Bear in mind, we were only 13 years old or something.

I was hesitant, but the coach literally pushed me across the asphalt toward him. I walked over, looked the kid in the eye, shook his hand and wished him luck. His handshake was soft, and he looked like he had seen a ghost.

I beat him that day. It wasn’t even close. Michael Jordan would’ve been proud.

So, if people ask you why that lad driving the Red Bull has a honey badger on his helmet, tell them it’s because I’ve been cultivating my inner-badger for a long, long time. It was born on the go-kart circuits of Western Australia.

And from that weekend on, I followed the badger. I’ve been cultivating my inner-badger for a long, long time.

In 2007, I was in Estoril, Portugal, for the Red Bull junior test. I met Helmut Marko that day, which would change the path of my career.

Luckily, I had driven well so I was in his good graces, but man was he an intimidating cat — a bad look from him will send shivers down your spine. But I could tell, more than anything, the dude just loves racing, and he really cares about his team. I could feel that passion.

That’s the thing about the Red Bull program. Yeah, it can be brutal, but it’s like that for a good reason. Racing at the highest level is brutal. You need to be ready for the ups and downs. It prepares you so when that call comes, you’re ready.

I thought I was ready. Then the call came. And I wasn’t ready. I was in my kitchen in Milton Keynes, U.K., with my parents on a rainy June day in 2011. My phone buzzed on the table. It was Helmut.

“Daniel,” he said, “you’re driving for HRT next week at the British Grand Prix.”

I nearly dropped the bloody phone. I walked back into the living room and my parents knew something was up. I told them I was going to be racing an F1 car in eight days. I wasn’t going to have to set an alarm for this race, I knew that.

That whole weekend was a blur. I sat beside Rubens Barrichello in the press conference. I had scruffy hair hanging out from under my hat — I looked like an idiot (haha). The media were asking Rubens to give me some advice. I was like, I’ve watched this guy my entire life, and he’s probably never even heard of me.

Lewis Hamilton pulled me aside after it was over, “You’re going to be fine. Just … look around every once and a while and enjoy it. One day you’re going to write an article about this and you’re going to want to remember the details.”

(O.K., he didn’t say that last part, but still …)

For a world champ to take time out of his home grand prix to talk to me actually calmed me down a lot. I got lapped like four times on Sunday, and the day was a total mess … but, sh*t, it was awesome. I learned that one-lap pace is just a small, small part of what makes a driver so good.

I learned that there’s exactly 1 million buttons on a steering wheel. And I learned that driving an F1 car is the most fun you can possibly have. That last point is super important. It always has to be fun. That’s why I race.

And nobody has more fun than Red Bull. I learned that when I got called up from Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing in 2014. The atmosphere was calm, easy. There was no pressure on me. I mean, nobody was expecting anything of me with Seb in the same garage.

He’d just won his fourth straight world title. Going into the season, I knew that if I could beat him a few times, it would look real good for me. I was watching some of his onboards from the year before like, Man, I think I can do that … right?

I remember that thought. That jolt of confidence. And then the next thing I knew, Montreal happened in 2014 — my first F1 race win at the Canadian Grand Prix. And to tell that story, I need to start it with 22 laps to go.

I was in fourth behind Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, both driving for Mercedes, and Sergio Perez in a Force India. We had nearly finished the lap, and I saw Lewis limping his car back to the pits — he was out of the race with a brake issue.

I’m thinking, alright, alright, alright, that’s a podium.

I hadn’t seen the Mercs all day. They were mega-quick that weekend. Then, after a couple more laps, a few turns ahead of Sergio … there he was … Nico. I could see Rosberg, the race leader, for the first time that afternoon. I knew he must be having the same issue Lewis had.

I hadn’t won a race in Formula 1 yet. I had been close … but not yet. This was my chance, but I was going to have to get past Sergio. The problem was that his Force India was quick in a straight line, and there are a lot of straights in Montreal.

Lap after lap, I would get close but not close enough. I was running out of time and Vettel, who was running fourth, was right behind me, closing in.

With six laps to go I could see Sergio was braking a bit earlier into corners — he was nursing a problem. We crossed the start-finish line one more time, and I was just like, f*cking hell, I’m sending it here.

I went around the outside into Turn 1. I knew that even if I spun, or couldn’t pull it off, I had to go for it.… I had to try. For an instant, I thought I had gone too deep. I dipped two tires on the grass, nearly lost it, but brought it back and made it stick! P2.

I knew that even if I spun, or couldn’t pull it off, I had to go for it.… I had to try. Nico was next.

His issue was getting worse and worse, and with two laps to go, I caught him and passed him down the back straight. And that’s when it hit me: Holy sh*t, you’re in the lead.

I just wanted my hands to keep working. I was trying so hard to stay calm and remember how to shift, how to brake, how to drive an F1 car. I was begging my body to keep it together — just for a few more lefts and a few more rights.

And finally, I crossed the line one last time, looked up to my left and saw the checkered flag. It was the prettiest flag I’d ever seen. I saw Felipe Massa and Sergio had crashed the lap before at Turn 1, so I radioed to my team to make sure those two were O.K. before I celebrated.

I was relieved to hear my race engineer, Simon, say, “Looks like they’re alright, Daniel.” And then it sunk in. Formula One race-winner, Daniel Ricciardo. Boy, that was a sweet moment.

I won’t forget that day, and that move on Sergio will stick in my mind forever. Because there was a time, back when I was teenager, when I wouldn’t have had the courage to do that. There was a time when the honey badger — my spirit animal, my alter-ego — didn’t exist.

As I sat on the plane reliving that first win, so many other memories popped up in my head. And one in particular stands out — Monaco. This year.

My old teammate Seb was the first thing I thought of, and saw, when I lost a chunk of horsepower on Lap 28 of the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s one thing if a problem like that comes up with a few miles to go, but with 50 laps to go, and THAT man on my tail? C’mon. What did I do to deserve such bad luck around Monaco.

I thought of my second-place finish two years ago in Monaco. I thought of Nico nursing his car in Montreal when I passed him. I thought of that go-kart practice session where I was too timid.

I needed everything I had to win in Monaco this year. I re-learned my braking points and my gear changes on the fly. I knew I would be almost impossible to pass in the corners so I had to extend my lead through there to keep Seb behind on the straights. It was 50 of the most testing laps of my life.

And in the end … I made it. We made it. I barely remember the hours that followed, it was exhausting. I got home around 1 a.m., and I wanted to keep celebrating but I just had nothing left in me. I was dead.

I walked to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and laid down in bed. It was possibly the best beer of my life. Helps it was one from my brewery too, lol. Monaco F1 winner, Daniel Ricciardo. Now that’s what it’s all about.

At this point on the flight, we were almost descending into LA. I was close to my answer. I had gone through so many happy memories…. The thoughts were coming thick and fast now because I was in the present. My mind was right where it needed to be: the halfway point of this year.

At times, this season has been incredibly difficult. I’ve talked about rolling with the punches … but man, even I get sore after a while. I’m human. But I really want you all to hear this: I hope everyone understands that Red Bull is so much more than a brand.

It’s a family, it’s a statement of what’s possible. If a team can do all this; win football leagues, build the fastest cars, sign the best gamers, run air races, what are we all capable of? Red Bull just does rad sh*t, and I have loved being a part of it.

I feel incredibly privileged to have driven for Red Bull Racing and been part of the Red Bull family for 10 years. They gave me my break, and without Dr. Marko spotting me all those years ago, I don’t think I would have been able to make my way to F1, to my dream job.

I will remember this team, these great people, this family, forever.

And that thought, right there, is when I found clarity. I’ve done so much with Red Bull.… I’ve become who I’ve always wanted to be, right by their side. And I know, I know, that I can leave having given them my everything and having received the same in return.

But I needed to listen to my heart, I needed to go it alone and make my own decision. Change is scary, it’s f*cking terrifying. And I know the next part of my journey won’t always be easy, but I had to take this step to try to be the best version of me. That’s all it was. It was the next step, the next leap, a new challenge.

I’m going to Renault next year, and I’m going with an open mind and a full heart. Nobody has a crystal ball, or can predict the future or the results of my decision, but nonetheless a decision was made.

But for now I want to end this year strong. 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 race suit. And when I get out for the final time in Abu Dhabi.… I think I’m going to have a right good cry. Maybe a few of ’em. Then winter will come, I’ll go meet my new Renault friends, and I’ll start anew.

So I got off the plane, hoping my next adventure would be as fun as the first. Because when I’m old and gray, and I’m scrolling through my Wikipedia page trying to feel young again, I want it to say a couple of things.

First of all, I want it to say that I won at least one Formula One championship. I need one, right?

Second, there should be a section about the honey badger. I feel like it deserves that.

And third, I hope it says that I changed the sport somehow, that I had fun, that I drove hard and fair — that I left my mark. I hope there are kids around the world watching every weekend that know you can have fun, that you can be a badass, and still be really good at what you do.

And if I could give just one piece of advice to those kids, it’s this: No matter what you do, be true to yourself.

And when that doesn’t work — lick the stamp and send it.

—Daniel

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KUBICA TO WILLIAMS A DONE DEAL?

Reports claiming that Robert Kubica has signed a deal to race for Williams next year are doing the rounds, with MN the first British media to join the chorus, writing that the deal is done and an announcement imminent.

For the past week, media in German and Poland reported that the 33-year-old is poised for a remarkable return to Formula 1 eight years after escaping death in a horrific rallying accident.

But in a show of relentless commitment and guts, Kubica looks set to resume a F1 career that was cut cruelly short when he was on the verge of superstardom.

Williams have opted for the youthful talents of George Russell next season and with regards to the second driver deputy team chief Claire Williams said last month, “We have a shortlist and Robert is on it, as are several other talented drivers.”

“Robert did a great job for the team this year, and he would be a fantastic teammate for George. But we are not yet ready to make a final decision,” she explained.

But at the same time it was made known that money would determine who got the garage bay next to Russell.

Since then Kubica has supposedly garnered support in his homeland to the tune of between $12-million and $15-million from PKN Orlen, a major Polish oil refiner and petrol retailer.

Meanwhile, Williams announced that Kubica will make his final FP1 outing of the season in Abu Dhabi for the team on Friday.

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NIELSEN: MICK IS WELL EDUCATED, NOT LIKE MAX

Mick Schumacher spent much of his karting career using his mother Corina’s maiden surname Betsch during his early years to avoid the public spotlight, but this year the son of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has been thrust into the limelight thanks to his impressive European F3 title win – it is clear the Schumi III era is dawning.

Danish racing driver Nicklas Nielsen, a friend of young Schumacher as well as former teammate, has shed intriguing insight about the 19-year-old German during an interview with BT.

“I know him very well, also in private. Mick is a very quiet and calm guy, normal like all of us. He is not a snob because of his name, he is a very polite and welcoming person, comfortable talking with everyone.”

“He is nothing like Max Verstappen, who doesn’t care about anything or anyone and just wants to win. Mick is well educated, he is a good guy.”

Mick and Nielsen were close – teammates on track and buddies off track – during the period when Schumacher senior suffered the life-altering freak skiing accident with his son, at the time with him on that tragic day.

Nielsen recalled the period, “Michael was with Mick at the tracks many times, they were very close before the accident. They had a very professional approach to everything.”

After the accident, when Mick returned to racing months later the subject of his father’s condition became taboo.

“It was a completely closed subject and he did not talk about it,” recalled Nielsen. “I’m still running a mini-kart for Ralf Schumacher’s team, and to this day no one talks about it. It’s hard to say what’s going on.

“Mick did not mention his emotions regarding his father, he just said sometimes that of course, it was hard to deal with,” added Nielsen who now races with Formula Racing in various GT series driving a Ferrari.

Fresh from his F3 crown, Schumacher is likely to step up to Formula 2 next season, and the top flight is likely to follow as he shows glimpses of the talent that made his father the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time.

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MCLAREN REVEAL SPECIAL LIVERY FOR ALONSO IN ABU DHABI

McLaren have revealed that they will run a special edition livery for Fernando Alonso at the season finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Spaniard’s last of 311 races in Formula 1 before he moves on to greener pastures.

McLaren posted on their website:

For this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso will race a McLaren for the final time, and in a special one-off livery.

The event will bring the curtain down on the Spaniard’s illustrious 18-year Formula 1 career, and the team has chosen to commemorate the race with a unique paint-job on his MCL33.

Based on the distinctive blue, yellow and red of his helmet colours (which themselves pay sizeable homage to his home region of Asturias in northern Spain) the livery is emblazoned across the engine cover, and includes a specially commissioned FA insignia on the top and sides of the cockpit.

There was once a time when one-off liveries were relatively common in Formula 1. But in an age of increased homogeneity, they’re now becoming somewhat rare.

In fact, the Abu Dhabi race will mark the first time a McLaren F1 car has raced in a one-off livery since the team entered a yellow-branded car for Keke Rosberg in the 1986 Portuguese Grand Prix, some 32 years ago.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, commented: “We’re incredibly pleased and proud to be able to race a special one-off livery for Fernando in Abu Dhabi this weekend. We want his last grand prix to feel special in every way, and this was just one of the ways we could reflect that.

“We worked closely and collaboratively with Fernando, and then with the FIA and Formula 1 to make the change for this one race, and they were all hugely supportive of the move.

“Hopefully, this will give Fernando’s fans a little something extra to look forward to at what is bound to be an especially emotional weekend.”

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DI MONTEZEMOLO: ALONSO WENT INTO CRISIS WHEN HE DOUBTED HIMSELF

Former Ferrari big boss Luca di Montezemolo has provided intriguing insight into Fernando Alonso’s stint at Maranello during his tenure as president of the legendary racing team, lauding the Spaniard’s fighting spirit while revealing for the first time how things fell apart.

Alonso began his Ferrari career in spectacular style, winning in his debut for the team at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix launching what appeared to be a match made in heaven, but in the long run turned into an inferno.

But in the end, Alonso in red did not deliver on the promise despite coming desperately close on more than one occasion. In 95 starts for the team, he was runner-up thrice to the might of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel. He scored forty-six podiums of which 10 were wins.

At the time the Reds were led by the charismatic Di Montezemolo who at the end of 2009 paid a bundle to urge Kimi Raikkonen to leave the team to make way for the Spaniard who joined for the next season, partnering  Felipe Massa.

Di Montezemolo was team chief in the mid-seventies when, with Niki Lauda, he resurrected the team. In 1991 he became Ferrari president with the Scuderia always close to his heart.

It all ended in 2014 in a coup d’equipe led by the late Sergio Marchionne which led to the ousting of Di Montezemolo who, in a revealing interview with BBC, gave interesting insights into the Alonso years with the world’s most famous team.

The former Ferrari boss revealed that 2014, his final year at the helm, was the worst season of his career in F1 when it dawned on him and his team how badly they had messed up with the turbo hybrid engines.

Di Montezemolo recalled how Kimi Raikkonen drove the Ferrari F14T during testing for the first time in Jerez that year, “He told me: There is no power in the engine. The third day was Fernando and he told me exactly the same. And I understood that the season was over because it was impossible to work on the engine because under the rules it was frozen.”

“I think that was the moment Fernando said [to himself]: If I continue to stay at Ferrari, I will never again win a championship. Because it was really a shocking moment.”

Meanwhile, Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel, a four times world champion at the start of 2014, were in contact at around this point in time as Di Montezemolo revealed, “He came to my home with a very nice box of Swiss chocolates because he lives in Switzerland. It was before the start of the season.”

“To make the story short, he told me: Listen, if this season, as I suspect, I do not win the championship, I want to come to drive for Ferrari.”

Amid this sideshow was internal turmoil within Maranello which saw longtime team principal Stefano Domenicali ousted and replaced by Marco Mattiacci who was cool on Alonso and with Spaniard baulking, Vettel became the target.

Montezemolo explained, “Fernando at the beginning said yes, and then said no, and then said: I don’t want to renew. Mattiacci was very in favour to [end] the relationship with Alonso, without even doing deep negotiations to find a way to renew. I was not so convinced.”

“If Alonso had come to me and said: Listen, I believe. I want to stay because I think Ferrari is Ferrari and I am sure next year we can improve, I would have signed in 30 seconds. My concern was that in my conversations with Fernando, I always remember him very doubtful, very critical, a person who didn’t really believe in the possibility that Ferrari can be competitive in 2015.”

“Mattiacci decided if we can have Vettel, it is better for both of us to change. For [Alonso] because if he stayed it will be with a lot of doubts in his mind; for us because we don’t have a very motivated driver. Vettel wants to push, he loves Ferrari. Michael [Schumacher] was the best supporter of Vettel to me.”

“So in the end, I said: I agree. If the situation with Fernando is still that he doesn’t want to take a final decision, he wants to wait, he is not happy, he complains, it is better to let him go. Maybe he can find an opportunity outside and, for us, fresh air.”

Then Fiat president Sergio Marchionne entered the as Di Montezemolo recalled, “Until a certain moment, I did everything that was possible to have Alonso convinced and motivated for the future.”

“Then, two elements: I was sure to leave Ferrari. So I didn’t want to push Fernando too much because I was not able to keep my word with him. It was not correct for me to convince Fernando to stay and then leave. Fernando: Listen, why did you not tell me you were going to leave?”

“And second because what I have seen of Fernando did not convince. For me, the mind of the driver is the most important. I never discussed money with Alonso before he decided to leave,” he continued. “Money was not on the table, at least in my discussions with him. Never.”

“In other words, he did not decide to leave Ferrari for money, and we did not decide not to try to do our biggest effort to keep him because of money.”

“He was not motivated, he was not sure, with a lot of doubts. And the father of Fernando had also a big influence on him. His father said: No, it is time for you to change.”

Finally, it was decided to end Alonso’s contract with protocol dictating the driver and Mattiacci meet to do the deed, “I remember one thing very well. It was the beginning of September, before Monza. So, 5/6 September.”

“Marchionne was in my office, and I said: Listen, because you will come in my position, I want you to talk with Vettel. At that time, he had not signed formally yet. But everything was decided, confirmed between Mattiacci and Vettel.”

“It was just a few days before Marchionne arrived to replace [me]. So my position was to be correct, to put Marchionne at least in touch with Vettel on the telephone.”

“Marchionne was in my office, him and me together, Vettel in his home, and Vettel said: I am very happy. And Marchionne said: I am very happy. I know from Luca you will be our driver, so I am looking forward to see your signature. And he said: It is just a question of the lawyers getting together.”

Di Montezemolo suspected that McLaren and Alonso were hatching a deal, “What is for sure is that Alonso decided to leave Ferrari at the end of August – already decided. When he went to Sakura, it was the last push. I don’t remember if he decided [to join McLaren] before, but it was the last push.”

Alonso (supposedly) drives his final Grand Prix when he lines up on the grid on Sunday at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, an occasion when many will reflect on a legendary career on the top flight.

Love him or not Alonso’s presence will be sorely missed, and for Di  Montezemolo those missed opportunities still pain him, “I will always look back with sadness that the partnership between Ferrari and Alonso didn’t work. He is still one of the best drivers on the grid now.”

“Despite not having the best car, the team did a fantastic job. This was a shame because, despite everything that happened in 2010 and 2012, we could have won the championship.”

“Fernando has always been a very stable guy but he went into a crisis with himself from 2013. He began to doubt himself,”  reckoned Di Montezemolo.

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VETTEL AND SCHUMACHER TEAM UP FOR ROC MEXICO

The 2018 FIA Formula 3 European Champion Mick Schumacher will make his Race Of Champions debut on January 19-20, 2019 at the Foro Sol, the iconic amphitheatre forming part of Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Formula 1 circuit.

Fresh from his victorious season, the 19-year-old Schumacher – son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael – will also team up with his fellow countryman Sebastian Vettel for Team Germany in the ROC Nations Cup.

This is sure to be an occasion charged with emotion as Vettel partnered Mick’s father Michael to six consecutive ROC Nations Cup victories. The pair started their glorious run at London’s Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), followed by Beijing (2009), two wins at home in Düsseldorf (2010-2011) and a final triumph at Bangkok (2012).

It was the following year that Michael suffered a serious head injury. The F1 legend has stayed in the thoughts of everyone involved with the Race Of Champions, with a banner in Michael’s honour unfurled before every ROC event in the intervening years along with awareness and funds raised in aid of the ICM Brain and Spine Institute.

Now Mick will bring the Schumacher family name back where it belongs, racing for glory on the track itself. As one of the trustees of Keep Fighting Foundation inspired by Michael Schumacher he will also help raise awareness of the initiative of Michael’s family wishing to continue his charitable work.

The young Mick first raced in 2008, initially competing under his mother Corinna’s maiden name Betsch to limit the pressure of his famous surname. After a decade of racing in karts and lower formulae, this year has been his finest yet. He took no fewer than eight victories – five of them in quick succession during one stunning run at the Nürburgring and Red Bull Ring in September – en route to being crowned the FIA F3 European Champion.

Mick now has the chance to add even more glory when he takes to the track against legends from all the major disciplines of global motor sport in identical supercars at ROC Mexico.

Schumacher said: “I am overwhelmed that I’ve been invited to participate in the Race Of Champions as the champion of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. And I’m even more overwhelmed that I’m going to form Team Germany with Sebastian Vettel. It’s going to be tough because Sebastian is a big player in the Race Of Champions and of course I want to be a worthy team-mate for him!

“I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to the Race Of Champions weekend, especially as it will be held in Mexico where this year’s F1 World Championship was decided and everyone has seen how much Mexican fans can party in the spectacular Foro Sol. Now the ROC weekend will be just as spectacular for me. Such a debut at such an event is simply sensational.

“I’m honoured to enter this competition which my father always loved and in which he set the bar very high together with Sebastian. There are so many renowned drivers in action and I’m looking forward to competing against them and getting to know them better; I’m looking forward to the fun we’ll all have together and which we’ll offer for the spectators in Mexico. But of course I’ll do everything to get far in the individual event and to win the ROC Nations Cup trophy with Sebastian for Team Germany!”

ROC President Fredrik Johnsson added: “We can’t begin to express how thrilled we are that Mick will be racing at January’s ROC Mexico. His father Michael has been a friend of the Race Of Champions for many years, and of course his contribution both on and off the track has been immense. We continue to wish him well in his recovery, and I can’t think of a finer legacy than to have Mick racing with us for the first time.

“Of course Mick is here entirely on merit, having shown the world what he can do all season en route to the FIA F3 European Championship. Now we are excited to see what he can do in the identical supercars at ROC Mexico. When Mick lines up with Sebastian Vettel for Team Germany in Saturday’s ROC Nations Cup, it is sure to be an emotional moment for everyone involved. Imagine the roar from the crowd if they can find a way to lift the trophy…

“If you want to be a part of this historic occasion at Mexico City’s stunning Foro Sol, we look forward to welcoming you. See you in January!”

The Race Of Champions is an annual contest which has a history dating back over 30 years. It brings together many of the world’s greatest drivers from motorsport’s major disciplines – including Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, Le Mans, World Rally and RallyX – and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery.

The Foro Sol will join a list of prestigious venues to have hosted ROC since 1988 – including Beijing’s Bird’s Nest and London’s Olympic stadiums, Stade de France in Paris, Wembley Stadium in London, Miami’s Marlins Park plus a wide range of exotic locations all over the world from Bangkok to Barbados to Riyadh.

The event enjoys a rich record of attracting global superstars from every corner of motorsport. Formula 1 World Champions Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have raced against NASCAR stars Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Busch brothers Kyle and Kurt, IndyCar’s Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Hunter-Reay, World Rally greats Sébastien Loeb, Sébastien Ogier and Colin McRae, as well as prominent figures from other classes including record Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, X Games legend Travis

Now the greats of Mexican motorsport have the chance to race some of the world’s best drivers – all in ROC’s identical machinery. The competitors will take to the track in a stunning range of supercars that have been specially prepared for ROC to push them to the absolute limit. To prevail, they will have to master this mix of machines, forcing them to adapt their driving style as they make regular switches between cars and putting all their hard-earned skills to the test.

It makes for a thrilling spectacle, with head-to-head races often decided by fractions of a second – as the screams of the crowd compete for supremacy with the screams of the engines…

The Race Of Champions is run over two days: first comes the ROC Nations Cup (on Saturday January 19) when drivers pair up in teams based on nationality – including the hosts Mexico – to bid for the title of ‘World’s Fastest Nation’. Then on Sunday January 20 it’s time for the Race Of Champions itself, when teamwork goes out of the window and it’s a flat-out battle for individual glory.

But that’s not all. The Race Of Champions is a non-stop show from start to finish and also features stunt shows on four wheels and two plus DJs, cheerleaders and plenty of other entertainment to keep the race fans on the edge of their seats.

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SIROTKIN: I WANT CLARITY ABOUT MY FUTURE

Williams rookie Sergey Sirotkin faces being ousted from Formula 1 after just one year in the top flight as Robert Kubica has apparently inked his name to a deal with the Grove outfit, but the Russian has no news on this while revealing that his minders – SMP Racing – are still in negotiations with the once mighty team.

With reports indicating that Kubica has found a substantial budget (anything between $10-million and $16-million depending on the source )is set to get the nod to partner George Russel at Williams, thus it seems unlikely Sirotkin will remain in Formula 1 beyond this season.

“Right now, sitting here, I want clarity about my future,” Sirotkin told Sport-Express. “It is unpleasant to read the latest news and see what is happening around me.”

It would be fair to say that his debut season has been severely compromised by Williams failing to produce a decent car for their drivers, but he has not looked out of sorts compared to his more experienced teammate Lance Stroll.

But after 20 races with only one point to show for his efforts, Sirotkin conceded, “Of course, we all expected completely different results. The year was not easy. We faced a lot of difficulties.”

“But the way our team united and found ways to solve these problems is worthy of respect. Each of us can be pleased with how we reacted to the tough situations.”

SMP Racing has bank-rolled Sirotkin’s Formula 1 journey thus far, but reports suggest that the money may have dried up and hence the uncertainty.

“Representatives of the program are involved in the negotiation process. We communicate closely and heir opinion coincides with mine: we need to do what we do as well as possible and see what happens,” explained the Russian.

The fact that the axe could fall, and end the 23-year-old’s one year tenure with the team, is a prospect he loathes, “Right now, of course, I’m not ready for something like this. I have repeatedly said that I invested much more in this season than many people realise.”

“The last thing I want is for the result of my work to go to someone else. It is clear that this year we were working with the future in mind, the results should come next season. If I have to give this up and quit it will be a big disappointment.”

As for adding more points to his tally of one, Sirtokin was again realistic, “Relying on our pace and performance, we cannot score points. Chances are only in extreme circumstances that do not depend on us. Maybe, a miracle will happen, and we will earn precious and deserved points. But I to go to Abu Dhabi, armed only with faith and hope.”

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STROLL: LEWIS DOES NOT CRASH OR MAKE STUPID MISTAKES

Lance Stroll has endured his annus horribilis this year, but amid his struggles, he has witnessed Lewis Hamilton’s remarkable title-winning season and attributes the Mercedes driver’s success to the fact that he never makes mistakes which gave him the crucial edge in the title fight with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

Speaking ahead of the season finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Stroll said of Hamilton, “I’m not at Mercedes and I don’t know what happens behind the scenes, but rarely do you see Lewis crash or make stupid mistakes. I think that, ultimately, the key to winning a championship is to keep scoring points.”

The young Williams driver alluding to the fact that Vettel and Ferrari were their own worst enemies, the German and his Italian team error-prone when it mattered on more than one occasion.

“If you are in third place, but battling for second would be a risk, in that case it is best to be satisfied with what you have and bag the points. All these points add up and he has shown that he can do these past two seasons.

This year Mercedes were pushed hard by Ferrari who arguably had the best package for a number of races during the campaign, the Reds winning the first two races of the season and showing strongly until Mercedes, Hamilton in particular, ramped up their effort in the latter half of the season and did the business with three races remaining int he title fight.

Last time out in Brazil the Briton and his teammate Valtteri Bottas did enough to clinch the constructors’ title as well – making it ten titles in five years for the Anglo-German outfit.

Stroll continued, “It was nice to see him and Sebastian in two different cars that I would say were equal. Maybe one was a bit more competitive than the other, I don’t know, but if so it is just small details.”

“However, [Hamilton] beat Vettel by driving better than him. For this reason, he deserves the utmost respect as a driver. In a Formula 1 season with 21 races, being able to be at your best every weekend is easier said than done. As a result, great respect to him,” added the Canadian 20-year-old.

Despite having the ‘same’ engine as Hamilton bolted on to his Williams, Stroll has toiled with an ‘evil’ car this season, a couple of top ten finishes, amounting to six points in total, is all he has to show for a season spent in the wilderness and at the wrong end of proceedings.

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Mercedes to 'go for broke' now title pressure is off - Toto Wolff

Mercedes say they will go all out in Abu Dhabi now that the title pressure has been lifted, with team boss Toto Wolff keen to put on one final show for Formula 1 fans as the 2018 season reaches its conclusion.

Abu Dhabi marks the 21st and final race of the season, but with Lewis Hamilton taking the Drivers' title in Mexico and Mercedes securing the Constructors' crown in Brazil, there's no pressure to race strategically according to Wolff who wants to "go for broke" this weekend.

"We have one race to go in 2018 and we want to put on a great show for the fans who supported us through the season, be it at the track, in front of their TV or on social media.

"The championship pressure is off, so we can look at this as one race where we can really go for broke."

Hamilton has taken ten wins and Wolff is keen to add an eleventh to the team's tally, although hinted he'd like to see Valtteri Bottas take the final victory of the season given the sacrifices the Finnish driver has made this year.

"Our Silver Arrow has won 10 races so far this season and we all want to add one more to that score - especially Valtteri, who has lost out on wins this season through bad luck and team orders.

"We have taken four wins in a row at Yas Marina, although it's a track with a lot of slow and medium speed corners. We've made some good steps forward when it comes to our car's performance on similar tracks, so we're confident that we can perform strongly in Abu Dhabi as well, and end this incredible 2018 season on a high. 

"[But] we know, too, that it will be a tough battle because both Red Bull and Ferrari will have the same target of taking good momentum into the winter."

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ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX: FACTS, STATS & TECH PREVIEW

Facts, statistics and technical preview of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, Round 21 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates – the final race of the season.

The Yas Marina Circuit is a showplace, and it should be considering it is widely believed to be the most expensive Formula One track ever built, with some estimates topping $1 billion.

It is a purpose-built facility on a man-made island and it is one of the many new Formula One venues designed by Hermann Tilke. It is less than a decade old and it features a counter-clockwise layout that boasts a top speed of 335 kph (208 mph) and an average speed of 195 kph (121 mph).

It has nine right turns and 12 left turns on a waterfront course that rivals Monaco and Singapore. Its extravagance and uniqueness is best highlighted by these attributes: the pit lane exit passes underneath the circuit via a tunnel and the garages are air-conditioned.

Yas Marina has a powerful lighting system, and it lays claim to holding Formula One’s first twilight race.

The Essentials

Focus points Straight-line speed. Even with two long straights, along which cars exceed 330km/h (205mph) on both occasions, it’s hard to overtake at Yas Marina. To be competitive in race conditions, it’s vital to have a car that has a high top speed. But engineers mustn’t shave off too much downforce, otherwise they risk compromising competitiveness through the twisty final sector.

Unique difficulty Temperature change. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the only race on the calendar that starts in the heat of the day and finishes after sunset. The track temperature drops significantly during the course of the race, altering the balance of the car and the performance window of the tyre. Added to which, the wind direction often changes direction after dark, making the car more unpredictable to drive.

Biggest challenge Visibility. Sunset is 36 minutes after the start of the race and as the sun gets lower during the early laps, it can be particularly blinding between Turns 14-19. This makes visibility tough, especially for the drivers involved in tight battles with other cars.

Race Engineer’s Lowdown

Braking Heavy. There are 13 braking events around the track, resulting in more than 20 per cent of the lap being spent on the brakes. There’s an average deceleration of 2.9g and the track is regarded as one of the toughest of the season on brakes – similar to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

Power The cars use 1.8kg of fuel per lap, which is relatively high.

Aero Medium-to-high downforce. Aero set-up is a compromise between low-speed grip during qualifying and straight-line speed in the race. The drivers and engineers will trim the cars as much as possible during practice, until tyre life begins to be affected.

Reuters compiled statistics for Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit:

• Lap distance: 5.554km. Total distance: 305.355 km (55 laps)
• 2017 pole: Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Mercedes, one minute 36.231 seconds
• 2017 winner: Bottas
• Race lap record: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull, 2009 1:40.279
• Start time: 1310 GMT (1510 local)

World Championship

• Both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles have been decided, with Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team each winning their fifth.
• Hamilton is only the third driver to win five titles, after the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio and seven times champion Michael Schumacher.
• Mercedes are the second team after Ferrari (1999-2004) to win five drivers and constructors’ championships in a row.
• The season will still rank as Mercedes’ least successful since 2013, since they can win a maximum of 11 races. They won 16 in 2014 and 2015, 19 in 2016 and 12 last year.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• Ferrari have yet to win in Abu Dhabi, a circuit next door to Ferrari World theme park. Mercedes have won the last four editions of the race.
• The sport’s first day-to-night race is in its 10th edition this year. Cars hit top speeds of 320kph with an average of around 195kph on an anti-clockwise layout.
• Four of the current drivers have won in Abu Dhabi: Vettel (2009, 2010 and 2013), Hamilton (2011, 2014, 2016), Raikkonen (2012), Bottas (2017).
• Four of nine races to date at Yas Marina have been won from pole position: Vettel in 2010, when he became the youngest champion at 23, Nico Rosberg in 2015, Hamilton in 2016 and Bottas last year.
• Hamilton has been on pole three times in Abu Dhabi, Vettel twice.
• Only once has the winner not started on the front row – Raikkonen from fourth in 2012 with Lotus.

Grand Prix Victories

• Hamilton has 10 wins this season to Vettel’s five. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen have two each and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen one.
• Sunday is Valtteri Bottas’s last chance to avoid a winless season in a championship-winning car. The last driver that happened to was Australian Mark Webber alongside Vettel at Red Bull in 2013.
• Hamilton has 72 victories from 228 races and is second in the all-time list behind Schumacher (91). Vettel, third on the all-time list, has 52.
• Ferrari have won 235 races since 1950, McLaren 182, Williams 114, Mercedes 86 and Red Bull 59. Former champions McLaren and Williams have not won since 2012.

Pole Position

• Hamilton has a record 82 career poles, Vettel 55.
• Verstappen, who turned 21 at the end of September, has one more chance to become the youngest ever pole sitter. The current youngest is Vettel, who did it at 21 years and 72 days.
• Mercedes took their 100th pole position in Brazil.

Podium

• Hamilton has 133 career podiums and is second on the all-time list behind Schumacher (155). Vettel has 110, Raikkonen 103.
• Bottas has had seven second-place finishes this season.
• Championship Points
• Every driver on the starting grid has scored this season.

Farewells

• Abu Dhabi will see a number of farewells.
• Spain’s double world champion Fernando Alonso is leaving Formula One, to race with McLaren at Indianapolis and Toyota at Le Mans next year.
• Belgian teammate Stoffel Vandoorne is leaving McLaren for Formula E.
• Sunday will be Marcus Ericsson’s last race for Sauber.
• Australian Daniel Ricciardo, joining Renault, says farewell to Red Bull – who say goodbye to Renault engines and welcome Honda in 2019. Spaniard Carlos Sainz bows out of Renault for McLaren.
• Pierre Gasly wraps up his time at Toro Rosso before joining Red Bull. It is likely also to be Lance Stroll’s final race for Williams.
• It will be Kimi Raikkonen’s farewell to Ferrari, and replacement Charles Leclerc’s send-off from Sauber.

Milestones

• Ricciardo celebrates his 150th start this weekend. It will also be his 100th for Red Bull.
• In Brazil, Mercedes became the fifth team in the history of Formula One to have led more than 5,000 laps.
• Abu Dhabi will be the 100th race of the V6 turbo hybrid era that started in 2014. Hamilton has won 50 of them so far.
• Sunday will be Fernando Alonso’s 311th and last grand prix.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Technical Preview:

Entering the final race of the 2018 season, teams are faced with a less daunting challenge than in the previous two races. This arises from the fact that the Yas Marina circuit is located very close to sea level, making the cooling of the car less constraining. At the same time, teams have a very good data bank from this circuit, both in a race and test environment, with very similar conditions from year-to-year.

Downforce vs Drag

• With most of circuit featuring sections with a high corner density, the propensity is to run with a higher level of downforce, something enhanced by the requirement of rear tyre degradation control.
• However, the presence of two long straights in the middle sector counters this perspective, with the proviso that both of these straights are DRS-assisted in qualifying, so the drag penalty from more aggressive rear wings is less pronounced.

Car Strengths Needed

• Traction is critical, especially out of Turns 7 and 9, since these corner exits lead on to long straights, where minimising the time to reach top speed is paramount for optimal lap time. In addition, strong corner exit performance will keep the rear tyre temperatures under control for a longer period.
• Straightline speed is also beneficial, allowing more overtaking opportunities during the race. A base chassis with low drag could also allow the use of more aggressive rear wings to maximise cornering speeds, without drastically impacting straight-line performance.

Key Corners

• Turn 7 – from a qualifying lap perspective, an important exit here will gain time down the ensuing long straight. However, in the race, it is also possible to take different lines to set-up an overtaking manoeuvre, with a wider entry and late apex often being the line of choice for the best exit speed of a following car.
• Turn 17 – the blind entry, coupled with the preceding kink, provide an opportunity for lock-ups and drivers therefore often run wide at this corner.

Tyres

• Pirelli’s final compound selection for 2018 involves the softest possible combination for the fourth time this season.
• In 2017, the race was a comfortable one-stop affair, with stints of more than half the race distance on the UltraSoft compound. The SuperSoft was capable of around three-quarters of the distance. Despite the corresponding compounds being a step softer for 2018, the durability has remained similar due to better management from teams and drivers.
• Therefore, it would be expected that a one-stop is very much possible again, most likely using a HS-SS or US-SS combination, with the likes of Red Bull potentially targeting a HS-US one-stop to provide quicker tyres at the end of the race and create overtaking opportunities.
• Most teams have favoured the HyperSoft heavily, although Renault, often aggressive in its tyre selections, has been fairly conservative. The Enstone team may want more UltraSoft tyres for the daytime practice sessions in order to carry out more repeatable tests with 2019 in mind.
• Despite the HyperSoft being a new tyre for 2018 races, it was tested post-season in Abu Dhabi last year, so teams already have data on this compound.

Overtaking/DRS

• Overtaking should, in theory, be easier than at most circuits in Abu Dhabi thanks to the presence of two long straights, each featuring DRS-assistance, together with the fact that the majority of the corners are slow, making following in the wake of another car easier.
• However, the fact that the straights are in close proximity, together with the lap being long, means that there are a significant number of corners over which cars must stay close together. In Brazil, the opposite effect was apparent, with a small infield section, but two similarly long straights.
• Finally, as the season nears its end, parts tend to reach the end of their life cycle, with power units in particular perhaps not being run as aggressively as earlier in their life, so overtaking may be less likely.

Weather

• Conditions will remain consistent throughout the weekend, in terms of no rain and light winds.
• However, the ambient, and therefore track, temperature will rise throughout the weekend, peaking on Sunday. This will make tyre management more critical for the race than in FP2, where most race preparations is carried out.
• It is also important to consider the fact that the track temperature drops as the sun sets during the race, making set-up decisions difficult in terms of keeping tyre temperatures in the optimum window.

Form Guide

• In recent races, Mercedes appears to have made a step forward compared to Ferrari, even with the latter backtracking on some upgrades. Therefore, the Champions will be the favourites for qualifying. In the race, however, Red Bull may well be able to use its frequent tyre life advantage to move up the order.
• In the midfield, the closest battle is between Force India and Sauber for seventh in the championship, with the latter displaying consistently strong pace in the past few races. McLaren will also be aiming for a strong showing in what will likely be Alonso’s final race in Formula One.

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Nearing the end of the season with one race left. 

How are we feeling about the next season with all the changes I wonder? 

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WILLIAMS CONFIRM ROBERT KUBICA!

Polish driver Robert Kubica, whose Formula 1 career seemed over when he partially severed his right forearm in 2011, will make a sensational and very popular comeback with Williams next season, the team announced on Thursday.

The 33-year-old, who won the Canadian Grand Prix with BMW Sauber in 2008, will partner British rookie George Russell at a once-dominant team that has fallen on hard times and is currently last in the standings.

“Being back on the F1 grid next season will be one of the greatest achievements of my life,” said Kubica, whose last Formula One race was in 2010 with Renault, of his remarkable turnaround.

Kubica served as Williams’ reserve and development driver this year after missing out on the race seat to Russian rookie Sergei Sirotkin, who has scored just one point from his 20 races to date.

The Pole’s confirmation at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix also means Canadian Lance Stroll will be moving to Force India, with Mercedes-backed French youngster Esteban Ocon resigned to a season on the sidelines as reserve.

Although Force India have yet to announce their second driver alongside Mexican Sergio Perez, they are owned by a consortium led by Stroll’s billionaire father Lawrence.

Kubica thanked all those who had helped him through the dark times that followed his life-changing crash when a steel guardrail penetrated his car and arm in a minor rally in north-west Italy.

“It has been a challenging journey to make it back to the Formula One grid, but what seemed almost impossible is now beginning to feel possible,” he said.

“It has been a long road to get to this point, but as that challenge now comes to an end with this announcement, a new challenge begins working with Williams on track.”

Kubica underwent extensive surgery after the accident and his arm remains noticeably thin and twisted.

He said last year that, while recognising some limitations with the movement of his arm, he felt in better shape physically than when he was last on the starting grid.

Deputy principal Claire Williams said the team had been ‘immensely impressed’ with Kubica’s strength and tenacity.

“During this season his commitment to the team and the work he has put in behind the scenes has been unwavering,” she said. “He has a level of determination that is remarkable to see; and he truly embodies the Williams fighting spirit.

“Having the consistency of Robert stepping up into this new role will be an important step for us as we look to fight our way back towards the front of the field.”

This leaves only one seat left to be filled for 2019, the one at Toro Rosso alongside another returnee Daniil Kvyat.

Willaims Team Press Release:

Williams Martini Racing is delighted to announce Robert Kubica will complete the team’s driver line-up for 2019, partnering George Russell in the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Robert impressed the team after conducting several tests for Williams in 2017 before taking on the role of Reserve & Development Driver for the team for the 2018 season. During this time Robert has spent extensive time working both trackside and at the factory, also having the opportunity to drive the FW41 during official testing and a number of FP1 practice sessions.

The 2017 tests marked Robert’s return to an F1 car after he sustained severe injuries in a rallying accident in 2011, which temporarily put his career on hold.

Prior to his accident, Robert achieved a total of 12 podiums and went on to claim his maiden F1 pole position and victory in 2008, when he finished a career-best fourth in the Drivers’ Championship. The Formula One race-winner made his F1 debut in 2006 and recorded a podium finish inside his first three races, marking him as one of the sport’s most promising young talents.

Robert has completed a rigorous rehabilitation programme to prepare for the upcoming season, and looks forward to joining his teammate George Russell, who enters his rookie year in Formula One, in 2019.

Speaking about the announcement, Robert Kubica said; “Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who has helped me during what was a difficult period of my life over these last few years. It has been a challenging journey to make it back to the Formula One grid, but what seemed almost impossible is now beginning to feel possible, as I am excited to be able to say that I will be on the Formula One grid in 2019.

“For sure, it has been a long road to get to this point, but as that challenge now comes to an end with this announcement, a new challenge begins working with Williams on track. It will not be easy, but with hard work and dedication, both George and myself will work together to try and help the team get in better shape to move further up the grid. This year has been tough, but I have learnt a lot, and I’d like to thank Sir Frank and Claire for this opportunity.

“Being back on the F1 grid next season will be one of the greatest achievements of my life, and I’m sure with hard work and commitment we will be able to help motivate the team to achieve good things together. Thank you again to everyone who has supported me and believed in me. I will finally be back on the grid behind the wheel of an F1 car, and I cannot wait to get back racing.”

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, commented; “I am delighted to announce that Robert will be stepping up to the role of Race Driver to partner George in 2019. All of us at Williams have been immensely impressed at what he has achieved, and it is a great credit to his strength of character and tenacity to return to Formula One.

“During this season his commitment to the team and the work he has put in behind the scenes has been unwavering, and he has become an established and much respected member of the Williams team. He has a level of determination that is remarkable to see; and he truly embodies the Williams fighting spirit. Having the consistency of Robert stepping up into this new role will be an important step for us as we look to fight our way back towards the front of the field. I am also excited to have a mixture of youth and experience to lead us into 2019 and we look forward to seeing what they can achieve on track. I would also like to thank Lance and Sergey for their hard work in what has been a challenging season. We wish them all the best for their future careers.”

MIKA: Good news about Robert returning, however I highly doubt Claire Williams chose Kubica due to talent but rather financial backing. Talent alone wont win points and podiums, Williams need to get their S**t together and bring back a points scoring car. Look at Alonso at McLaren. I wish Kubica and Williams luck, would love to see this team return to their winning days.

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RAIKKONEN: I DON’T SEE ANY REASON WHY I SHOULD BE SAD

Kimi Raikkonen will bid a final farewell to Ferrari this weekend, as his second tenure with the legendary team comes to an end after Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Touched by a surprise farewell party, the Iceman said of the occasion, “This is my last race with Ferrari, I’m excited and will try to have a good weekend. At the moment, though, I don’t feel any different to any other end of season race.”

“I’m leaving the team, but we have a very close relationship in many ways. Last night the team organized a party for me, it was a really nice surprise, it was great to have all the team together. It’s so nice to see how much they all appreciate my efforts and I wanted to thank all of them.”

“I don’t see any reason why I should be sad; we’ve had a great time together in two different periods of time, with some difficult days, but that’s all part of the game and I think it makes it even nicer.”

“We won the Drivers’ Championship and two Constructors’ Championships together, I couldn’t ask for more; I’m glad that we managed to do that, it’s great what we achieved. It’s going to be special memories, in the future we are all going to be friends and that’s also important.”

“We’ve come a long way since I returned to Ferrari in 2014; we made a huge step forward and today, everything is definitively going in the right direction.”

“Some things still need to be improved, but it’s the same with everything, the work never ends and we always try to do better,” added Raikkonen who next year will race for Sauber, the team that gave him his break almost two decades ago.

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HAMILTON AND ALONSO HAPPY TO SEE KUBICA RETURN

Lewis Hamilton has welcomed news of Robert Kubica’s Formula 1 comeback next season, not least because it made the five times world champion feel that little bit younger.

Kubica, who will be 34 next month, was announced at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Thursday as a Williams driver for 2019.

The Pole last raced in Formula One in 2010, before he partially severed his right forearm in a near-fatal rally crash in Italy.

“Is Robert older than me?” was Hamilton’s first question when asked for his reaction to the news.

“Oh, perfect,” continued the 33-year-old Mercedes driver, whose birthday is in January, when that fact was confirmed by reporters.

“I am so happy he’s coming back. Fernando (Alonso) is leaving and I was going to be the second oldest driver but now I can remain the third. I can’t tell you how happy I am about that.”

Alonso, 37, is leaving after Sunday’s’ season-ender at Yas Marina with Finland’s 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen the oldest man on the grid at 39.

On a more serious note, both Hamilton and Alonso welcomed Kubica’s return as great news for the sport and for a man they both rated as one of the best from their previous battles.

“I raced him from karting days so I have known him for a long, long time,” said Hamilton. “He was always one of the most talented drivers that I have had the pleasure of racing.

“He’s had a really difficult time for the last who knows how many years now and it’s just great to see that he’s got the opportunity back and I hope he works hard on his strength and getting his mind back into gear like he was in the past.

“I think it’s exciting for the sport to see him back in action.”

Two times champion Alonso, Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren in 2007 and a long-term friend of Kubica who had been close to joining Ferrari before his 2011 accident, agreed the Pole was “one of the great talents”.

“It remains to be seen what will be the performance of the car, and his own performance because we only saw a couple of tests but if he is 100 percent he will be amazing to watch,” added the Spaniard.

Former world champions Williams will end the year in last place after wrestling with a poorly-handling car throughout the 2018 season.

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HAAS PROTEST FORCE INDIA CARS AT ABU DHABI SEASON-ENDER

The Haas Formula 1 team have protested over the cars of rivals Force India at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, race stewards said on Thursday, without giving a reason.

Representatives of both teams were summoned to see the stewards on Friday morning, before first practice at the Yas Marina circuit.

Haas and Force India have been at odds over prize money payments and whether the latter team remain eligible after they went into administration at the end of July and emerged in August as a new entry.

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Lance Stroll set for first Force India run at Abu Dhabi test

Lance Stroll is set to receive his first taste of life at Force India during next week’s post-season Formula 1 test at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Stroll’s exit from Williams’ driver line-up was finally confirmed on Thursday, with the team announcing Robert Kubica as George Russell’s 2019 team-mate.

Stroll’s departure from Williams has been expected since his father, Lawrence, led a buyout of Force India mid-season.

Speculation linked Stroll with a move during the campaign, with the youngster undertaking a seat fitting after the Belgian Grand Prix, but he ultimately remained at Williams.

Force India has yet to confirm Stroll as Sergio Perez’s partner for 2019 but the Canadian commented that he expects an announcement “in the very near future".

Formula 1 teams are staying on at Yas Marina for two days of post-race testing on Tuesday and Wednesday, ostensibly to gather understanding of Pirelli’s 2019 tyres.

Several drivers are set to run for their new teams, including Russell at Williams and Carlos Sainz Jr., with Stroll poised to join them on track in Force India’s VJM11.

Confirmation of Williams’ 2019 line-up, allied to Stroll’s impending switch to Force India, leaves Mercedes-backed Esteban Ocon without a seat on next year’s grid.

Speaking on Thursday about his plans, Ocon said: “We’ll see what it holds for me.

“Definitely I will be around in the F1 paddock and trying to get as much mileage as possible in a Formula 1 car next year.

“Me and Mercedes, we see great opportunities for me to come back in 2020 so hopefully that will be the case and hopefully I will be back even stronger than I am now.”

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Alonso admits he might get "desperate" to return to F1

Fernando Alonso admits he may discover that he is "desperate" to return to Formula 1 after retiring from the sport at the end of 2018.
Since announcing that he won't race for McLaren in 2019, Alonso has always maintained that he hasn't completely ruled out an eventual return to F1 if the right circumstances came about.

For the time being, his focus for next season is on the Indy 500 and the remaining three races in his WEC Toyota contract.

"Right now, it is difficult to think about coming back," he said on the eve of his final start in Abu Dhabi. "But yes, the door is not closed. I think the first reason is because I don't know how I will feel next year.

"I've been doing this this my whole life, maybe next year by April, or May I am desperate on the sofa, so maybe I find a way somehow to come back.

"But it is not the initial idea. It is more about myself, if I come back it is not for any particular reason or deadline, or something that has to happen. It is going to be more how I feel in the middle of next year."

Alonso admitted that selecting individual highlights from his F1 career was not easy.

"More than races or memories or victories, the best thing I have from that long time is the people I worked with, the people that I share half of my life. I am 37 and I raced here 18 years," said Alonso.

"Half of my life with a lot of talented engineers, designers, mechanics, you guys, the media, everyone, we share a lot of things, lot of days over the seasons.

"That is the best thing I will always remember about F1, how you approach these kind of races, the philosophy behind a grand prix, the preparation, the discipline in all areas of the team.

"Now racing in other series, you realise F1 is a step higher and you try to find perfection every two weeks around the world."

Asked what he thought his legacy might be Alonso singled out his kart track, and his efforts to help youngsters get started in the sport.

"Somehow working with the kids and the karting school, the museum, trying to do all the things with the fans and the younger generation, trying to help them if I can with the knowledge that I have all these the years, and also in terms of facilities or something that I didn’t probably have in my time. If they have dreams and the talent, I try to help them.”

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Hartley unimpressed by Gasly's "nice speech" on team orders

Brendon Hartley says his Toro Rosso teammate Pierre Gasly's “nice speech” about team orders after the Brazilian Grand Prix rang hollow after he benefitted from them several times during the season.
When running behind his 11th-placed teammate in Brazil, Hartley requested that the team swap the cars as he'd had better pace on softer, fresher tyres.

But Gasly didn't yield to Toro Rosso's subsequent instructions, and Hartley would only find a way past shortly before the finish.

Gasly said after the race that he saw little point in swapping the cars then as both were out of the points, adding: “I think if you're in this position, you should race.”

Speaking to the media ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Hartley expressed bemusement at Gasly's comments.

“It was a nice speech Pierre did about team orders to the media, but he didn't give the same one when I let him past many times, also for position, or sometimes compromised my race to help him or the team secure points,” Hatley said when asked by Motorsport.com about the situation.

“In the end I was told - a long way before I caught him - that he'd let me through when I got there. And I was told each lap he was going to let me by in Turn 4.

“I did a better job managing tyres, fuel, and had better race pace than him in the race, so the team saw that I had the best chance to score points, if somebody had an issue ahead, which didn't happen.”

Gasly has scored 29 points to Hartley's four in 2018 so far, and will be joining the main Red Bull Racing team next year – while the Kiwi faces an increasingly likely exit from F1.

Back in Monaco – when Gasly posted one of his campaign's best results in seventh – Sauber's Charles Leclerc suggested Toro Rosso “played a bit of a game” and used Hartley to slow down the Frenchman's rivals.

Hartley said Gasly's refusal to adhere to team orders in Brazil was made worse by the fact the team was short on spare parts.

“If the team tells us that we're racing, that's what I'll do, but from the team's point of view, when we don't have spare parts for the new aerokit, it didn't really make sense for us to be fighting.

“I'm all for racing, but if I'm told that the race isn't on, then I'm not going to go against the team orders and risk damaging a car that we don't have a lot of spares for.”

Hartley said he was expecting an explanation from Gasly but did not get one.

“I mean, the team's position was pretty clear in the meeting so there wasn't really much more to discuss,” he added.

“We have very clear team order guidelines, after he went into the back of me in China earlier this season and we had the clash."

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Ferrari set for 2019 front wing test

Ferrari looks set to test 2019 front wing ideas in free practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Formula 1 teams have faced a headache in trying to evaluate the wider and simpler front wings because they do not comply to the current regulations, so cannot be used in a free practice session.

Furthermore, the FIA told teams that they would not be given any special dispensation to run the wings in next week's post Abu-Dhabi Grand Prix test.

However, as the above exclusive photograph shows, Ferrari has decided to create a bespoke wing for the Abu Dhabi weekend that should help it evaluate the impact of the changes being made for 2019.

The new wing complies with the dimension requirements of the current rules, but has been adapted to simulate some of the restrictions that are coming in for 2019 – including much cleaner endplates to minimise the effects of outwash.

Although the FIA remains hopeful that next year's aerodynamic changes will help boost overtaking for 2019, some teams are not convinced.

Williams engineering chief Rob Smedley said recently about the idea that F1 cars could race as closely as touring cars: "It just won't happen, physics won't allow that to happen," he explained.

"So, you have to accept that cars are difficult to follow – especially with this generation of cars and the amount of downforce that they generate.

"It will be a little bit better, it will go in the right direction, but we'll all iterate to solutions to get us back to where we are in about six months."

 

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Alonso reveals new helmet design for final F1 race

Fernando Alonso has unveiled a special crash helmet for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that combines his current design with the one he first used in Formula 1 in 2001.
Alonso announced earlier this year he will not race in F1 next year, and McLaren revealed on Wednesday it will mark his final grand prix weekend with a special car colour scheme.

The two-time world champion followed that up on Thursday in Abu Dhabi by revealing a crash helmet design that is split down the middle.

Alonso's original 2001 design, used for his debut campaign with Minardi, featured the Spanish flag on the side with a blue checkered pattern running around the base.

That will appear on the right-hand side of his Abu Dhabi helmet but with gold in place of yellow between two red horizontal stripes.

The yellow block at the back of Alonso's regular 2018 design has also been replaced by gold.

His current colours make up the left-hand side, with the two designs split down the middle by a thick vertical strip and a list commemorating Alonso's 32 grand prix wins.

 

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‘If we repeated it 100 times, 99 of them we wouldn’t win’ – Alonso singles out his favourite F1 race

He’s raced the equivalent of twice around the equator – or a fifth of the way to the Moon – in his 17-season Formula 1 career. But as he prepares for what could well be his 311th and final Grand Prix start in Abu Dhabi, Fernando Alonso has revealed the one race of his that he’ll treasure the most when he enters F1 retirement on Monday morning: the 2012 European Grand Prix in Valencia.

The 29th of his 32 Formula 1 victories, Alonso started that race from 11th on the grid, neither he nor Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa having managed to progress into Q3 the day before. When the lights went out though, a thrilling race saw the Spaniard unleash a scintillating series of passes on some of his favourite sparring partners – including Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber – before inheriting the lead when the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel retired and holding on to win in front of his home crowd.

After the Grand Prix – which came just a day after the Spanish football team's 2-0 win over France in the Euro 2012 competition, which Spain later went on to win – a jubilant Alonso famously stopped out on track to celebrate with his fans, pounding the air and waving the Spanish flag from the top of his Ferrari before going on to share the podium with ex-Scuderia racers Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen.

“In a normal world, we would never be able to win [that race] again,” Alonso told the press conference ahead of this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “If we repeated it 100 times, 99 of them we'll not end up first. It was a good activation of strategy, good overtaking, a lot of risk, but everything was well. The car was not particularly fast that weekend. We were not even in Q3. I think I lapped Felipe 10 laps to the end, so it was not that we were in a dominant position that day – and we were still winning.”

Alonso also used the Thursday press conference – which understandably focused heavily on the achievements of the two-time champion – to pick out the greatest rival that he’d faced off against during his career, which began at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix with Minardi.

“If I have to say one, it would be Michael [Schumacher],” said Alonso. “When I got to Formula 1, Michael was dominating the sport. You are in go karts and you see Michael winning, you are in different categories and you see Michael winning and then eventually you find yourself fighting wheel-to-wheel. So those battles were definitely special, or more emotional, at that time.

“It was a good journey, and if I had to choose one it would be Michael, but just for emotional reasons, not any technical aspect.”

Alonso’s last podium in Formula 1 came at the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix, while his last F1 victory was over a third of his career ago (109 races) at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Despite that, however, and the fact that his return to McLaren in 2015 has failed to yield the success with the team that he’d hoped for, Alonso also opened up about the one thing he’d miss most about Formula 1...

“Press conferences,” Alonso joked, before pausing for thought. “I think driving the cars. The cars are something special. It doesn't matter if you're 14th, fifth, or fighting for victories. Obviously, if you can be on the podium and win, definitely it's an extra celebration and joy, but when you go out of there for qualifying or even tomorrow in free practice and you drive these cars, they are very special and the amount of technology behind these cars would be difficult to replicate in any other series.

“But on the other side there are negative aspects of Formula 1, especially if you are 18 years here. You dedicate your entire life to Formula 1. You have no friends, no family, no free time, no privacy, no wife, no kids, no nothing - it's just full dedication if you want to succeed. So I think I have other priorities right now.”

For his final Grand Prix – assuming he doesn’t make a comeback further down the line, something he didn’t rule out as he addressed the press in Abu Dhabi – Alonso will race in a McLaren MCL33 wearing a special livery to replicate his current helmet design. It’s a poignant and fitting tribute by McLaren for a driver who appears set to go down in F1 history as one of the sport’s very best of all time.

[MIKA27]

Drivers' Press Conference Part 1 - 2018 Abu Dhabi GP - Hamilton - Alonso - Norris - Russell

Drivers' Press Conference Part 2 - 2018 Abu Dhabi GP - Verstappen - Ocon - Vettel - Raikkonen

 

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ABU DHABI GP: HAMILTON CRUISES TO VICTORY IN DRAMATIC FINALE

Lewis Hamilton cruised to his 11th victory of the season with victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver was never challenged for the lead from the moment he launched off the grid.

Although Sebastian Vettel chased hard in the Ferrari, he simply could not match the World Champion when it mattered – aptly summing up how this season unfolded.

The grandstands erupted as they saluted Hamilton, the floodlights reflecting off his golden helmet, it was probably his easiest victory in what was effectively a dead rubber. But a popular one at Yas Marina Circuit.

Max Verstappen was third in the Red Bull ahead of teammate Daniel Ricciardo in fourth. The Dutchman had to recover from a tardy start, but once in a rhythm he made his way forward fast, bouncing past the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas on his way to third.

There was drama early on in the race when Romain Grosjean’s Haas clattered into the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg which was launched into the air, bouncing across the track before it ended upside down in the safety wall. 

It was also a race of high attrition with five cars failing to finish including Kimi Raikkonen, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Marcus Ericsson, the quartet racing for their respective teams for a final time on the night.

At the sharp end five times world champion Hamilton signed off in style, “I am so happy right now” he sadi after Hollywood actor Will Smith brought down the chequered flag at the floodlit Yas Marina circuit on Mercedes driver’s 73rd career win.

The Briton, who has won 51 of the 100 races in the V6 turbo hybrid era, became the first driver to score more than 400 points in a season with a final tally of 408.

His victory also left him 18 wins away from Michael Schumacher’s all-time record.

Two times world champion Fernando Alonso, in his farewell race with McLaren, had hoped to sign off in the points but finished 11th.

With both championships already won, Hamilton taking his in Mexico with two races to spare and Mercedes sealing their fifth successive constructors’ and drivers’ double in Brazil, Sunday’s focus was on the race and those moving on — particularly Alonso.

Hamilton, Vettel and the Spaniard — three great champions — spun their cars in a cloud of smoke at the end of their slowing down lap, before stepping out for hugs and words of mutual respect.

FIA Blow-By-Blow Report

At the start, Hamilton got away well from pole position to claim the lead advantage ahead of fellow front row starter and team-mate Valtteri Bottas, Vettel and Räikkönen.

The race was soon neutralised, however. As Hulkenberg and Grosjean tussled into the chicane, the pair collided and the Renault man’s car was flipped into a series of frightening rolls. He came to rest upside down on the barriers. The Renault driver soon emerged unscathed but the Safety Car was swiftly deployed.

When the SC left the track Hamilton held his advantage and was soon building a lead over Bottas and Vettel. Further back, Verstappen was making moves and he attacked Ocon soon after racing resumed. He got past but then seemed to struggle for power and Ocon swept past to reclaim the position.

The Red Bull man was told to try a reset and with that in place and effective, he muscled his way past the Force India driver in the second chicane to claim eighth place after dropping back from sixth at the start.

Räikkönen then ground to a halt on the start-finish straight with a total loss of power, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car.

That was the cue for Hamilton to pit on lap 7 and that vaulted Ricciardo up to P3 behind Bottas and Vettel. The Australian was now just four seconds behind Vettel, with Max two second behind his team-mate in P4.

Vettel was the next of the frontrunners to pit, the Ferrari driver taking on supersofts on lap 15. He emerged in P6 behind Ocon and then Bottas made the same move on the next lap. The moves meant that Ricciardo now led the race.

Verstappen’s opening hypersoft tyres were now beginning to fade and the Dutchman was the next to pit, taking on supersoft tyres and rejoining in P5 behind Vettel.

Race leader Ricciardo was now the only one of the top six to require a pit stop, but the Red Bull driver insisted his starting ultrasofts were in good shape. He proved it by managing a steady gap to Hamilton as he extended his opening stint.

Ricciardo finally made his sole stop on lap 33, taking on supersofts and rejoining in P5 behind Verstappen. He quickly began to make the most of his new tyres, closing a seven-second gap to Max to just 1.5s by lap 36.

Verstappen was also gaining ground, putting heavy pressure on Bottas, who twice locked up and went off track. Max continued to probe and on lap 39 he took a wide line through Turn 11 and then tucked in on the inside to pass in the next corner. The pair banged wheels but Verstappen claimed third place.

Ricciardo, juts behind, also got a run on the Mercedes man and on the next lap, under DRS into Turn 8, he breezed past to take P4.

The order at the front then settled, with Hamilton holding an advantage over Vettel of between four and five seconds while the Ferrari man managed a three-second gap back to the Red Bulls.

And, after 55 laps, Hamilton crossed the line to take his 11th win of the season ahead of Vettel. Max claimed his 11th podium of the season, and fourth place in the Drivers’ championship, ahead of Daniel who ended his final race of his five seasons with the team with fourth place.

Behind the Bulls, Bottas finished in fifth place ahead of Renault’s Carlos Sainz, Sauber’s Charles Leclerc, the Force India of Sergio Perez and the Haas cars of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen. Fernando Alonso ended his 311-start grand prix career with 11th place.