Albon Confirmed At Toro Rosso

TORO ROSSO CONFIRMS ALEXANDER ALBON FOR 2019

    Alexander Albon has been confirmed to race alongside Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso in 2019.

    The 22-year-old competed in the 2018 Formula 2 season with the team DAMS. He partnered Canadian driver, Nicholas Latifi.

    Albon won 4 races and finished 3rd in the Drivers' Championship with a total of 212 points. He also had an additional 4 podiums during the season.

    Albon, who was born in London, England, will race under the Thailand flag, as he did in Formula 2. He has chosen 23 as his permanent Formula 1 racing number.

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Stroll Joins Perez At Racing Point In 2019

STROLL TO PARTNER PEREZ IN 2019

    Racing Point Force India has confirmed Lance Stroll will join Sergio Perez for the 2019 Formula 1 season.

    Stroll’s father, Lawrence Stroll, led a consortium of businessmen to buy the team earlier this year, after Force India fell into administration.

    It had been widely expected Stroll would join the team for his third year in F1, and replaces Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon, who will spent 2019 as Mercedes’ test and reserve driver.

    “I’m pleased that we can finally confirm Lance’s arrival to race alongside Sergio next year,” said team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

    “It gives us an exciting line-up with the perfect blend of youth, talent, and experience.

    Lance is only 20 and already has two years of Formula 1 experience under his belt, as well as a podium finish and front row start. We see huge potential in Lance and believe we can create an environment in which he can flourish.

    Our team has enjoyed great success nurturing and developing young and talented drivers, and we are very excited to begin our journey with Lance.

    I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Esteban Ocon for his contribution to the team over the last two seasons and wish him well for the future.”

    Stroll made his F1 debut with Williams after securing the 2016 European Formula 3 championship. He finished 12th overall in his debut season, taking his maiden F1 podium at Azerbaijan.

    His second season in F1 was marred by the struggling Williams car, and he was only able to take two points finishes, ending the year 18th in the drivers’ championship.

    The 20-year-old aims to turn his fortunes around at the team.

    “This is the beginning of an incredibly exciting journey in my Formula 1 career. I look forward to working alongside a successful team with a great culture. It’s a new challenge and I am excited to embrace this new opportunity.”

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Kubica Joins Williams For 2019

ROBERT KUBICA JOINS WILLIAMS FOR 2019

    Robert Kubica will partner George Russell at Williams for the 2019 Formula 1 championship, eight years after his last F1 race.

    Kubica spent 2018 as Williams’ test and reserve driver, completing a number of tests and participating in three free practice sessions over the course of the season.

    He replaces Sergey Sirotkin, who confirmed ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that he wouldn’t be participating in the 2019 season.

    “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,” Kubica said. “It has been a challenging journey to make it back to the Formula 1 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 F1 grid in 2019.

    For sure, it has been a long road to get to this point but, as the 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 learned 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.”

    Kubica last raced in F1 in 2010, taking three podiums for Renault on his way to eighth in the championship.

    But the Polish driver suffered severe injuries in a rallying accident in 2011, limiting the use of his right hand.

    Since then, he’s taken part in a “rigorous rehabilitation programme” and is now ready to make his return to F1.

    Deputy team principal Claire Williams is confident his F1 experience will make him a good match for rookie George Russell.

    “All of us at Williams have been immensely impressed at what [Kubica] has achieved and it is a great credit to his strength of character and tenacity to return to Formula 1,” he said.

    “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 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 [Stroll] and Sergey for their hard work in what has been a challenging season. We wish them all the best for their future careers.”

    The team also confirmed Formula 2 race winner Nicholas Latifi as reserve driver.

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Abu Dhabi GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

ABU DHABI GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Five time champion Lewis Hamilton rounded out the 2018 Formula 1 season with his 11th victory of the year in Abu Dhabi.

    The Mercedes driver ran a mammoth second stint after completing his only pit stop of the season on lap seven of 55.

    Hamilton was the first man to pit, taking advantage of an early Virtual Safety Car, brought out when Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari came to a stop on the pit straight.

    He emerged in P5, behind Max Verstappen, who had dropped backwards after his car went into anti-stall as he left the grid.

    The pair swapped places as they battled for P4, with Verstappen taking the upper hand until he came into the pits on lap 33.

    With Valtteri Bottas pitting the lap before Verstappen, Hamilton was promoted to the net race lead but Daniel Ricciardo – running an extra long stint in the Red Bull – was still in the overall lead.

    Ricciardo led for more than 15 laps before coming into the pits, releasing Hamilton into the lead.

    Vettel spent most of the race running behind Bottas, but a lock up for the Finn allowed the Ferrari to snatch second.

    Vettel was more than six seconds behind Hamilton when he claimed P2, but put in a series of fast laps to cut the gap down to 2.581s before the chequered flag.

     Verstappen claimed third after another lock-up for Bottas, who then dropped back to fifth with a late pit stop.

    “B-series” champion Nico Hulkenberg was wiped out in a dramatic crash on the opening lap. He collided with Romain Grosjean and barrel rolled through the gravel. He came to a stop upside down, with the Renault briefly catching fire.

    Hulkenberg was extracted without any significant injuries but the safety car was called to clear the stranded Renault.

    Team-mate Carlos Sainz picked up best of the rest in P5, ahead of Charles Leclerc, who struggled to recover after an early pit stop.

    Sergio Perez took P8, with the Haas duo rounding out the top 10, Romain Grosjean beating team-mate Kevin Magnussen.

    Fernando Alonso narrowly missed out on points in P11, finishing ahead of Brendon Hartley, Lance Stroll, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Sergey Sirotkin.

    Pirerre Gasly and Esteban Ocon retired without leaks late in the race, after Marcus Ericsson came to a stop with mechanical problem on lap 24.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 15 Points
4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 12 Points
5. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / + 8 Points
7. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / + 6 Points
8. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points
9. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 2 Points
10. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / + 1 Point
11. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain
12. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
13. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
14. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
15. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

RETIRED - Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France / Engine
RETIRED - Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France / Engine
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Power Loss
RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Power Loss
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / Collision

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Formula 2 - Abu Dhabi - Sprint Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - ABU DHABI - SPRINT RACE - RESULTS

1. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy / + 15 Points

2. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 12 Points

3. Roberto Merhi / Campos Vexatec Racing / Spain / + 10 Points

4. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 8 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

5. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands / + 6 Points

6. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland / + 4 Points

7. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / + 2 Points

8. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand / + 1 Point

9. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

10. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil 

11. Dorian Boccolacci / MP Motorsport / France

12. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan

13. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

14. Alessio Lorandi / Trident / Italy

15. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada

RETIRED - Daniel Ticktum / BWT Arden / Great Britain / Gearbox*

RETIRED - Niko Kari / MP Motorsport / Finland / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia / Collision Damage

DID NOT START - Arjun Maini / Trident / India / Mechanical

* - Notes Ticktum is replacing Gunther for the rounds of Abu Dhabi

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GP3 - Abu Dhabi - Sprint Race - RESULTS

GP3 - ABU DHABI - SPRINT RACE - RESULTS

1. Nikita Mazepin / ART Grand Prix / Russia / + 15 Points

2. Jake Hughes / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain  + 12 Points

3. Simo Laaksonen / Campos Racing / Finland / + 10 Points

4. Callum Ilott / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 8 Points

5. Ryan Tveter / Trident / USA / + 6 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

6. Juan Manuel Correa / Jenzer Motorsport / USA / + 4 Points

7. Richard Verschoor / MP Motorsport / Netherlands / + 2 Points

8. Tatiana Calderon / Jenzer Motorsport / Columbia / + 1 Point

9. Joey Mawson / Arden International / Australia

10. Giuliano Alesi / Trident / France 

11. Devlin DeFrancesco / MP Motorsport / Canada

12. Leonardo Pulcini / Campos Racing / Italy

13. Jahan Daruvala / MP Motorsport / India*

14. Gabriel Aubry / Arden International / France

15. Sacha Fenestraz / Arden International / France

17. Diego Menchaca / Campos Racing / Mexico

RETIRED - Anthoine Hubert / ART Grand Prix / France / Collision Damage

RETIRED - David Beckmann / Trident / Germany / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Pedro Piquet / Trident / Brazil / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Jannes Fittje / Jenzer Motorsport / Germany / Collision Damage

* - Notes Daruvala joins MP Motorsport for the rounds of Abu Dhabi 

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Formula 2 - Abu Dhabi - Feature Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - ABU DHABI - FEATURE RACE - RESULTS

1. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 25 Points + 4 Points (Pole)

2. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / + 18 Points

3. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy / + 15 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

4. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands / + 12 Points

5. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 10 Points

6. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland / + 8 Points

7. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy / + 6 Points

8. Roberto Merhi / Campos Vexatec Racing / Spain / + 4 Points

9. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan / + 2 Points

10. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 1 Point

11. Daniel Ticktum / BWT Arden / Great Britain*

12. Dorian Boccolacci / MP Motorsport / France

13. Alessio Lorandi / Trident / Italy

14. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand

15. Niko Kari / MP Motorsport / Finland

16. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil

17. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

RETIRED - Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Arjun Maini / Trident / India / Collision Damage

DID NOT START - Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada / Stall/Collision Damage

* - Notes Ticktum is replacing Gunther for the rounds of Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

ABU DHABI GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamiltom claimed Pole Position ahead of the last race of the year, with team-mate, Bottas, securing second ahead of Sebastian Vettel.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.
Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.
Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
6. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
7. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
8. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
9. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
10. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany
11. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain
12. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
13. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
14. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
15. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain
16. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
17. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
18. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
19. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
20. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

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Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

ABU DHABI GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton topped the times in the final free practice session of the 2018 formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi.

    Hamilton jumped to the top of the times in the final third of the session, knocking Sebastian Vettel from the top spot and ending the morning with a 1m37.176s lap time.

    Vettel and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen set the pace in the first half of the session with Vettel’s best lap – a 1m37.587s – remaining the benchmark until 20 minutes before the chequered flag.

    Hamilton beat Vettel’s time by more than four tenths of a second, before improvements from Raikkonen knocked his team-mate down to P3.

    Max Verstappen took fourth, half a second behind Hamilton but ahead of the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, while Daniel Ricciardo picked up sixth.

    Romain Grosjean claimed the best of the rest spot after a frantic final 10 minutes.

    It was the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg top of the order with five minuets left on the clock, but
Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen and Charles Leclerc were all yet to complete their qualifying simulations.

    Grosjean was the only man to beat Hulkenberg’s time, managing to lap half a second quicker than the Renault – and just 0.2s behind Ricciardo.

    Carlos Sainz Jnr took ninth, ahead of Esteban Ocon – who spent most of the session in the garage with a suspected engine problem - and Sergio Perez.

    The final practice session of the season wasn’t without incident.

    Raikkonen was called to the stewards after crossing the pit-lane entry line and returning to the track. He’d ran wide at the penultimate corner of the Yas Marina circuit, putting him off line and on the wrong side of the pit entry line. He chose not to head into the pits, though, and returned to the track, prompting an investigation. He wasn’t penalised.

    Grosjean and Pierre Gasly made contact at the end of the session when Gasly was trying to find a way past the Haas. The light contact sent bodywork flying from the Toro Rosso, but neither was significantly damaged and resolved the issue after the chequered flag.

    Leclerc also suffered bodywork damage. The Sauber has spun early in the session and broke the rear wing after backing into the wall. He was able to get back out, ending the morning 13th quickest behind Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley.

    Magnussen finished 14th, ahead of Gasly, Fernando Alonso, and Marcus Ericsson.

    Lance Stroll, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Sergey Sirotkin completed the order.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:37.176 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:37.464 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:37.587 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Max Verstappen - 1:37.747 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:37.933 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:38.090 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
7. Romain Grosjean - 1:38.304 / Haas-Ferrari / France
8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:38.850 / Renault-Renault / Germany
9. Carlos Sainz - 1:38.970 / Renault-Renault / Spain
10. Esteban Ocon - 1:39.011 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
11. Sergio Perez - 1:39.053 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
12. Brendon Hartley - 1:39.074 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
13. Charles Leclerc - 1:39.282 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
14. Kevin Magnussen – 1:39.612 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark 
15. Pierre Gasly - 1:39.740 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
16. Fernando Alonso - 1:39.974 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:39.997 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Lance Stroll - 1:40.117 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
19. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:40.233 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
20. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:41.182 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

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GP3 - Abu Dhabi - Feature Race - RESULTS

GP3 - ABU DHABI - FEATURE RACE - RESULTS

1. Leonardo Pulcini / Campos Racing / Italy / + 25 Points

2. David Beckmann / Trident / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Anthoine Hubert / ART Grand Prix / France / + 15 Points

4. Callum Ilott / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 12 Points

5. Nikita Mazepin / ART Grand Prix / Russia/ + 10 Points + 4 Points (Pole) + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

6. Giuliano Alesi / Trident / France / + 8 Points

7. Jake Hughes / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 6 Points

8. Juan Manuel Correa / Jenzer Motorsport / USA / + 4 Points

9. Simo Laaksonen / Campos Racing / Finland / + 2 Points

10. Tatiana Calderon / Jenzer Motorsport / Columbia / + 1 Point

11. Ryan Tveter / Trident / USA

12. Pedro Piquet / Trident / Brazil

13. Jannes Fittje / Jenzer Motorsport / Germany

14. Richard Verschoor / MP Motorsport / Netherlands

15. Gabriel Aubry / Arden International / France

16. Sacha Fenestraz / Arden International / France

17. Devlin DeFrancesco / MP Motorsport / Netherlands

18. Diego Menchaca / Campos Racing / Mexico

19. Jehan Daruvala / MP Motorsport / India*

20. Joey Mawson / Arden International / Australia

* - Notes Daruvala joins MP Motorsport for the rounds of Abu Dhabi 

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