Abu Dhabi GP: Bottas fends off Hamilton to win finale

6 years, 4 months ago - 27 November 2017, Motorsport
Abu Dhabi GP: Bottas fends off Hamilton to win finale
Valtteri Bottas held off Mercedes Formula 1 teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina.

Bottas retained the lead from pole at the start and though he lost it briefly when he pitted first, he absorbed pressure from Hamilton to secure his third win of the season.

World champion Hamilton crossed the line 3.8 seconds adrift, with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel completing the podium in third.

Once Bottas got through Turn 1 in the lead, he quickly opened up a one-second lead over Hamilton before gradually building it up to two seconds before the stops.

He was the first of the Mercedes drivers to pit, swapping the ultrasofts for supersofts and rejoining in second place.

Hamilton stayed out for three further laps, clocking the fastest lap in the process, but couldn't make up enough ground and rejoined behind Bottas.

The world champion attacked his teammate, briefly getting within DRS, but locked up at Turn 17, running off track before rejoining.

Hamilton kept up the pressure and even got within 0.5s after Bottas locked up but his team-mate responded by putting the hammer down and pulling away.

Hamilton crossed the line second to secure Mercedes's third one-two of the season.

Vettel had a quiet race, lapping the Yas Marina circuit in a lonely third place and ended up 19.3s adrift, ahead of Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

Daniel Ricciardo was on course to finish fourth, but pulled off track and retired the car with a hydraulic problem shortly before the halfway point.

His teammate Max Verstappen finished fifth, just 0.8s behind Raikkonen, with Nico Hulkenberg sixth to secure sixth place in the constructors' championship for Renault.

The German escaped with a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when battling Sergio Perez.

His teammate Carlos Sainz retired for the fourth time in six races after the tea did not attach the front-left tyre properly at his pitstop.

Perez was seventh, 6.8s clear of Force India teammate Esteban Ocon.

Fernando Alonso signed off the McLaren-Honda partnership with ninth place, securing the team's third consecutive points finish.

Felipe Massa completed the 269th and final grand prix in the points with 10th and celebrated with a few donuts after the chequered flag.

Romain Grosjean was involved in the race's most entertaining battle, squabbling with Lance Stroll over 13th and coming out on top.

The Haas driver finished 11th, ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne with Kevin Magnussen recovering from a first lap spin that dropped him to the back of the field to finish 13th.

2017 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - RACE RESULT

24-26 Nov 2017, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Marina

177Valtteri BottasMERCEDES551:34:14.06225
244Lewis HamiltonMERCEDES55+3.899s18
35Sebastian VettelFERRARI55+19.330s15
47Kimi RäikkönenFERRARI55+45.386s12
533Max VerstappenRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER55+46.269s10
627Nico HulkenbergRENAULT55+85.713s8
711Sergio PerezFORCE INDIA MERCEDES55+92.062s6
831Esteban OconFORCE INDIA MERCEDES55+98.911s4
914Fernando AlonsoMCLAREN HONDA54+1 lap2
1019Felipe MassaWILLIAMS MERCEDES54+1 lap1
118Romain GrosjeanHAAS FERRARI54+1 lap0
122Stoffel VandoorneMCLAREN HONDA54+1 lap0
1320Kevin MagnussenHAAS FERRARI54+1 lap0
1494Pascal WehrleinSAUBER FERRARI54+1 lap0
1528Brendon HartleyTORO ROSSO54+1 lap0
1610Pierre GaslyTORO ROSSO54+1 lap0
179Marcus EricssonSAUBER FERRARI54+1 lap0
1818Lance StrollWILLIAMS MERCEDES54+1 lap0
NC55Carlos SainzRENAULT31DNF0
NC3Daniel RicciardoRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER20DNF0

2017 DRIVER STANDINGS

1Lewis HamiltonGBRMERCEDES363
2Sebastian VettelGERFERRARI317
3Valtteri BottasFINMERCEDES305
4Kimi RäikkönenFINFERRARI205
5Daniel RicciardoAUSRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER200
6Max VerstappenNEDRED BULL RACING TAG HEUER168
7Sergio PerezMEXFORCE INDIA MERCEDES100
8Esteban OconFRAFORCE INDIA MERCEDES87
9Carlos SainzESPRENAULT54
10Nico HulkenbergGERRENAULT43
11Felipe MassaBRAWILLIAMS MERCEDES43
12Lance StrollCANWILLIAMS MERCEDES40
13Romain GrosjeanFRAHAAS FERRARI28
14Kevin MagnussenDENHAAS FERRARI19
15Fernando AlonsoESPMCLAREN HONDA17
16Stoffel VandoorneBELMCLAREN HONDA13
17Jolyon PalmerGBRRENAULT8
18Pascal WehrleinGERSAUBER FERRARI5
19Daniil KvyatRUSTORO ROSSO5
20Marcus EricssonSWESAUBER FERRARI0
21Pierre GaslyFRATORO ROSSO0
22Antonio GiovinazziITASAUBER FERRARI0
23Brendon HartleyNZLTORO ROSSO0

2017 CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS

1MERCEDES668
2FERRARI522
3RED BULL RACING TAG HEUER368
4FORCE INDIA MERCEDES187
5WILLIAMS MERCEDES83
6RENAULT57
7TORO ROSSO53
8HAAS FERRARI47
9MCLAREN HONDA30
10SAUBER FERRARI5