I almost think that Brazilian GP was a fitting way to end this season, one that started off with so much hype but ended up so drab and dull, to finish with a Grand Prix which you didn't know who was going to win, lots mistakes, midfield teams on the podium, wheel-to-wheel racing and team-mate crashes. There's not really been an exciting Abu Dhabi GP that I can remember, even though I actually quite enjoy driving the track.
Max Verstappen took a brilliant victory, as many said it was redemption from last year's mishap, whilst Hamilton made the rarest of mistakes in wheel-to-wheel battle with Albon, kudos from the champion to hold his hands up immediately after. But Gasly on the podium, and Sainz joining the podium after Hamilton's penalty after starting from the back of the grid were mighty achievements. Although it didn't mean anything in the end, that drag race between Gasly and Hamilton to the line was great viewing.
Let's talk Ferrari
Vettel has been strong the last few races, we have to acknowledge it hasn't been the Leclerc show that it was at points this season. Both drivers have been incredibly close, which is a good thing for the team, and a good thing going into next year when, we all hope, there will actually be a three team battle for the championship. Vettel got the team-leader and favourable decisions early in the year, and both will be looking to be the 'favoured' driver in those 50-50 decisions next year when it might mean something. Firstly, Leclerc's move on Vettel was brilliant! A late lunge, but decisive, got his car firmly alongside into the corner entry and it was just a sweet move - perhaps Sainz's move on Perez being the slightly better and riskier one. Vettel would have been surprised by that, and would not have wanted to let that decide who was going to finish ahead. He got a good run out of turns 1, 2 and 3, and had a good slipstream and was going to get back ahead of Charles - the pass was inevitable.What happened on that straight was all posturing. Leclerc only gave Vettel one car's width and no more - fair and hard, that's what we want. Vettel was a bit on the grass, but he made it through with his momentum. But then, something akin to Turkey 2010, Vettel moves to the middle of the track. He was ahead, but he had not cleared the car behind. He wanted to assert his authority by pushing his opponent into a compromised line into turn 4. I get their motivations, I get the subtleties of what the drivers were saying to each other. But I've said this in a previous post, I don't like how Vettel moves across, Leclerc had every right to keep going in a straight line. I think everyone understands that. But Leclerc did it to Norris on lap 1, he kind of did it to Bottas in Hungary, whilst Perez got a drive-through penalty for hitting Sirotkin in the 2018 Singapore GP. I get the posturing side, but I don't like it personally.
But back in 2010, Red Bull firmly stood by Vettel, their up and coming superstar, who at that time was behind Webber who was the more credible title challenger. This season, Ferrari have been more outwardly critical of Leclerc and his mistakes and when he has not followed team-orders, whereas again, they have been more defensive of Vettel on his obvious errors this season. Battle lines will be drawn now by the team, but it remains to be seen if either driver will do their own thing anyway, both have evidence that they are not easily contained. This is a fascinating inter-team battle that we can enjoy, hopefully for a while to come. I've been very critical of Vettel, but he's still a deserving multiple World Champion, and is still an incredibly good driver. We knew Leclerc would give him a hard time this season, but Vettel hasn't been blown away as some predicted, neither has he switched off as he did in 2014.
Stars
This was a great fight between Verstappen and Hamilton, with Vettel having an outside chance on an alternative strategy before the safety cars ended his challenge. But you felt that Max was always on top of the situation, even when he was behind, and even nearly being wiped out by a Williams unsafe pit release, you were confident he was going to find his way back to the front. He passed Leclerc and Hamilton in straight succession, great race craft there, and his second pass on Hamilton around the outside of turn 1 was sublime. The Red Bull has been mighty in recent races, and Max delivered pole position, and arguably had a marginally better race car, and he delivered a drive of a champion.
Albon was a little behind the pace in qualifying, but he was also having a good race and in the running for his first podium position. It's somewhat ironic that the favoured Red Bull driver to take the second seat in that team next year is the only one without a podium finish this season. He's deserved it, but now he needs to start getting closer to Max's performance. A solid showing from Alex this weekend. He also put in a great pass on Vettel. I don't buy the 'he left the space on the inside' on that corner, it's rare for an overtake to happen there, and Alex took a normal line into that corner. It was for Hamilton to make a decisive move, which he didn't, so for me, there's no fault on Alex's part there, perhaps if he had seen Hamilton make the lunge he could have given a bit more room, but again I would not fault Alex here.
Gasly got a podium, and he deserves it after some of the performances he's been putting in at Toro Rosso this year. He was the best of the rest comfortably, in qualifying and the race, and on a day when five of the top six cars ran into various issues, which is so so rare, he was there to pick up the plaudits. Now Toro Rosso have an outside chance to snatch fifth place from Renault in the Constructors' Championship at Abu Dhabi. That would be mighty for the small Italian team - and a great humiliation for Renault if that were to happen.
Carlos Sainz, for me, has been great this season, and for the performance he put in to rise up the field, yes the safety car played into that, but he made the most of all of it and ended up on the podium, although he was present at the presentation. You've got to wonder how does it take longer to get the classification get confirmed than it does to actually run a race is somewhat beyond me, but the stewards were busy boys to be fair. Anyway, McLaren end their drought of podiums and continue their ascendancy by confirming their 4th placed finish in the Constructors' Championship, but poor old Norris struggled on his hard tyres that hampered his progress. And on a day when two of the podium finishers were midfield runners, Hulkenberg (who hasn't had a podium finish in F1) finished well outside the points.
George Russell finished in 12th position, 1.6 seconds away from the points. It's hard to judge his performance when compared to Kubica who hasn't really been that close to the Brit, and in a car that's not the easiest to drive and not quick at all. Williams could have done better than release Kubica into Verstappen, who not only had to avoid the blue and white car, but braked so hard he nearly went into anti-stall.
Despite a clash with Magnussen and a penalty as a consequence, I have to say Daniel Ricciardo put in a good performance. The Haas were so slow at some points particularly after a safety car, where they were bunching up the field and cars were driving clean around the outside of the train behind. Anyway, you could forgive Ricciardo going for the lunge when Magnussen gave him little room, but Ricciardo doesn't have the confidence or braking ability the Red Bull used to have. But a great recovery, some fantastic late race passes means he redeems himself for me and was rewarded with an excellent 6th - where did Hulkenberg finish again?!
Finally, a nod to the Alfa team who got a great double points finish after a solid weekend.
Need to improve
Where was Bottas again? There's Hamilton harrying for race victory, whilst Bottas is just an also ran and he retired triggering the safety car that made the race so much fun.
Stroll was a unlucky to be caught out by debris from the Ferrari's but as Perez has excelled in recent races, Stroll is just invisible and a fair few steps behind. He is still good at starts, but if his father wasn't running the team, I'd rather see Hulkenberg return than give Stroll another year to be honest.
Haas could have got some points in this race, had their strategy and ability to manage their tyres were not ruined by the safety cars. Magnussen just couldn't hold off Kvyat on the final dash to the flag. We do hope that they will progress next year, as they are battling with Williams on race days, when their car is quick enough for Q3 and points.
We just hope for better in Kubica's final race with the struggling Williams team.
This was a rollercoster of emotions on team-radio highlights from this race, from Gasly's release of joy, to Norris bemoaning his bad day, to the gut renching way in which Albon tried to come to terms with what could have been. What makes sport great is the people, and when there's emotions bursting out from their passion and hard work, it's what makes F1 so enthralling and memorable to watch at times.
I love Team Radio
This was a rollercoster of emotions on team-radio highlights from this race, from Gasly's release of joy, to Norris bemoaning his bad day, to the gut renching way in which Albon tried to come to terms with what could have been. What makes sport great is the people, and when there's emotions bursting out from their passion and hard work, it's what makes F1 so enthralling and memorable to watch at times.
