The double world champion ended a season that he has dominated with an iron fist with a new victory, ahead of the Monegasque, who secured his second place
Leclerc celebrates with his team the runner-up.BEN STANSALLAFP
The Formula 1 season closed this Sunday at Yas Marina with an exciting Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that had no history in the fight for victory, again for the champion, max verstappen (Red Bull), but in the battle for the runner-up, which ended up being for charles leclerc (Ferrari) and that left Sergio ‘Checo’ Prez with honey on the lips. [Narracin y clasificaciones]
The one-stop strategy gave Leclerc second place in the race and in the World Championship standings and embittered the Mexican, whom he beat by three points in the final table because he lacked laps and had too many lapped riders in his battle against the clock with the monegasque.
Ferrari doubled the silver, since, to the runner-up of pilots added to that of constructors, and Carlos Sainzfourth in the race, moved up one position in the drivers’ standings ahead of lewis hamiltonwho finished the race with problems.
It was a Sunday of farewells, especially that of the four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel ( Aston Martin), who closed his stage in Formula 1 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 299th of his career, in which he received tribute from the grid, motorsports and the fans and signed a tenth place.
At Aston Martin you will replace Fernando Alonsowho had to withdraw due to a breakdown in his last race with Alpine.
First round
The race started with 35 degrees on the asphalt and even hotter for the drivers with a high-voltage first lap. Verstappen, Pérez and Leclerc maintained positions despite the fact that the Monegasque tried to inside the Mexican, who did not let himself be intimidated, and he mounted behind them.
Sainz, who came out fourth and covered himself with Russellwas found ahead of Hamilton, while norris took advantage of the situation to surpass the other Mercedes, the brand new winner of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix (Brazil). The man from Madrid passed the seven-time champion on the inside on the first lap, the man from Stevenage jumped the bananas and gained an advantage by skipping the next corner.
The incident was investigated and Hamilton had to give up the position on the fourth lap, but on the fifth, he passed Sainz again. A roller coaster. The Briton, who tried to stalk Leclerc, lost power, probably due to a break in the flat bottom after the blow. The Spaniard’s Ferrari regained position and Russell also passed his teammate.
Prez stop
In the fight for runner-up, Prez stopped too early, on lap 16, and started behind Vettel, with Alonso in the rear-view mirror. The tapato took a little longer than expected to overcome the German. Worse was Russell, who signed a bad pit stop and, in addition, made a reckless exit (unsafe release), which resulted in a five-second penalty.
Leclerc, who was provisionally leading, stretched out the first stint until lap 22. He rejoined third behind the two Red Bulls and just ahead of Sainz, who did not attack his teammate.
In his last race with Alpine, Alonso left for the video library a double overtaking of Bottas and the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri), with which he had the most battle. Spectacle of the two-time champion that ended before 30 laps with his sixth retirement of the season.