MOTORSPORT: Verstappen wins Abu Dhabi F1

For the second Formula 1 race in a row, the Mercedes-AMG steamroller has been defeated, this time by Red Bull-Honda’s Max Verstappen.

In a processional affair contrasting with last weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix, the Dutchman led the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix throughout from pole position ahead of Valtteri Bottas and world champion Lewis Hamilton, returning from a race off last weekend after contracting COVID-19.

Verstappen’s second win of 2020 also snapped a six-year winning streak for Mercedes at the Yas Marina track.

“I expected a very tough fight today but I think we managed everything very well and there was never really a moment where I felt under pressure which is a pretty good feeling,” said Verstappen.

Hamilton was clearly still recovering from his illness and never challenged the two drivers in front of him, while all cars running the Mercedes hybrid powertrains had to be detuned after reliability issues emerged with the motor generator, or MGU-K.

“That was a hard race, so I’m definitely glad that it’s over,” the seven-time champ said. “But on the bright side I made it through, and I didn’t think last week that I’d even be here.

“So, I’m just grateful for my health and looking forward to recovering over the winter and getting back into training, to get my body back to where it should be.”

The top three finished in reverse order to their positions in the world drivers’ championship, with Sakhir winner Sergio Perez retaining fourth ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo despite his Racing Point-Mercedes expiring early on.

Ricciardo, in his final drive for Renault before switching to McLaren in 2021, started only 11th but drove an inspired 40-lap opening stint on hard tyres to finish seventh, adding an extra point for fastest lap on the final lap.

“It’s been a strong season for the team and compared to last year it’s a great step forward,” said Ricciardo. “My last lap in the car was the fastest on track and I was pushing hard for that.

“Very nice! Merci beaucoup to the team for an awesome two years!”

The McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz finished fifth and sixth respectively to snatch third place – and the millions of extra dollars that go with it – in the constructors’ championship from Racing Point.

The team’s best result since 2011 came on the same day a cash injection by a US consortium into the team was confirmed.

Red Bull’s Alex Albon qualified fifth and finished fourth, pressuring Hamilton at the end of the race. The team must now decide whether to stick with the Thai or make the switch to Perez for 2021.

The race marked the end of an epic effort by F1 to deliver the 2021 championship despite the global pandemic, conducting 17 races since July.

The championship is scheduled to resume at Albert Park in Australia next March.

If it goes ahead, the race will mark the return of Aston Martin to GP racing (replacing Racing Point) and the debut of Alpine (a new name for Renault). McLaren shifts from Renault to Mercedes power next year.

Sebastian Vettel will leave Ferrari for Aston, Sainz will replace him at the Scuderia and Fernando Alonso will take Ricciardo’s seat at Alpine.

Further down the grid Japanese F2 driver Yuki Tsunoda is expected to replace Russian Daniil Kyvat at AlphaTauri.

The struggling Haas-Ferrari team will also have two new rookie drivers in Mick – son of Michael – Schumacher and the controversial Russian Nikita Mazepin, who was blasted by his new team last week for releasing a video on social media showing him groping a woman’s breast.

They will replace Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean at Haas, whose F1 career ended in ball of smoke and flame in the Bahrain GP two weeks ago.