Symonds Leaves Williams

SYMONDS LEAVES WILLIAMS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

    Williams’ chief technical officer Pat Symonds has left the team with immediate effect. The 63 year old has worked with the team since 2013.

    Symonds, who is trained as an aerodynamicist, played a crucial role in the re-birth of Williams in 2014, but the team has seen a recent slow in progress that saw them slip behind Force India in the constructors’ championship last year. He joined the team at the end of 2013 on a three year contract.

    It’s not yet known why Symonds has left the team, but the announcement comes amidst many rumours surrounding the Williams 2017 team line up, including reports that Mercedes’ Paddy Lowe may be moving to the independent team.

    Though his long Formula One career has seen plenty of success, it is tainted by his involvement in the 2008 Singapore crash scandal. Symonds was suspended from Formula 1 due to the incident, but had his ban overturned.

    Claire Williams said in a statement:

    “Pat has been a tremendous asset to this team over the past three years. Pat’s appointment was the start of a major restructuring exercise, and he has been pivotal in reshaping Williams into what is a much stronger racing team today. I would like to thank him for all of his hard work and commitment during that time. We now look to the future and will be announcing details regarding the team’s technical leadership in due course.”

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Nico Rosberg Retires From Formula 1

NICO ROSBERG ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM F1

    Nico Rosberg has announced his retirement from Formula One only a week after winning the World Drivers Championship for the first time.

    Rosberg thanked everybody who “supported me to make that dream happen” after announcing he would be leaving the series, despite having already signed a contract to stay at Mercedes for the 2017 season.

    “This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough. I pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years; they fueled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before,” Rosberg said. “And, of course, that had an impact on the ones I love too – it was a whole family effort of sacrifice, putting everything behind our target.”

     Rosberg told few people about his intentions to retire, making the announcement a shock to most of the motorsports world.

     “When I won the race in Suzuka, from the moment when the destiny of the title was in my own hands, the big pressure started and I bag to think about ending my racing career if I became World Champion,” he said. “On Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi, I knew that it could be my last race and that feeling cleared my head before the start. I wanted to enjoy every part of the experience, knowing it might be the last time."

    Rosberg said he decided on Monday evening, the day after securing the title.

     Team boss Toto Wolff has said the team will start looking for a replacement on Monday. Mercedes junior driver Pascal Wehrlein is thought to be a favourite, but Fernando Alonso is one of a number of drivers also rumoured to be heading to the team.

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Abu Dhabi GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - RACE

    As the 2016 season came to a close, one thing was on everyone's minds. Rosberg or Hamilton? Who would take home the 2016 Championship Title? It had come down to the final race, under the lights of Yas Marina Circuit and the crowds were filled with emotions and nerves.

    Lewis Hamilton was on Pole Position, but knew it would take more than just winning the race to grab the title. Rosberg knew all he had to do was finish on the podium if Hamilton won the race. With Rosberg starting 2nd, his chances were high.

    It was a fairly clean lap one apart from a few mishaps at the back of the pack. Kevin Magnussen was the first to retire from the race with a steering issue after damage to his car. Not the way he'd wanted to finish the season. The Dane heads to Haas next year, bidding farewell to the Renault Sport team.

    Ricciardo, who had started from 3rd, found himself being pushed back as other drivers passed by, including Vettel and Raikkonen. Raikkonen quickly moved towards both Mercedes drivers and even challenged Rosberg for a moment. 

    Valtteri Bottas was the next driver to end the season on a low, retiring with suspension damage from a bump on the surface of the circuit that he'd hit. Team-mate, Felipe Massa, who leaves F1, finished the race in 9th, grabbing his final 2 Championship points in the sport. Jenson Button, who is also leaving F1, retired with suspension damage as well while his team-mate, Alonso, finished in 10th to take the final point.

    Max Verstappen, who was spun early on in the opening laps, was making his way back towards the front, doing what he could to find enough speed to look for a spot on the podium to end his first season with Red Bull on a high. 

    Both Toro Rosso drivers retired from the race with gearbox problems. Kvyat easily pulled his limping car over to the side of the circuit before hopping out while Sainz's retirement came later after Palmer crashed into the back of him and sent him into a spin. Sainz managed one more lap before he realized the car wasn't going to make it any further.

    It was a quiet race for Force India with both Perez and Hulkenberg easily making their way around the circuit and staying in the top 10. The team finished 4th in the constructors, 35 points ahead of Williams. Perez finished the race in 8th and Hulkenberg in 7th, bringing them a final helping of 10 points.

    While neither Sauber or Manor scored any points, it was Sauber who secured 10th in the standings after Felipe Nasr scored 2 points for the team at his home grand prix in Brazil. Nasr does not yet have a seat for 2017, while team-mate, Ericsson has been confirmed to stay with the Swiss team. 

    American team Haas, saw both drivers finish outside of the points but finish 8th in the constructors with a total of 29 points, all scored by Romain Grosjean, who will remain with the team in 2017. Gutierrez, who had multiple mechanical failures and near-point finishes, has not yet announced his plans for next year.

    Up at the front, Hamilton was still leading the way, while Rosberg charged after him. Hamilton began to try other tactics, even slowing down to push Rosberg closer to Vettel and Verstappen, who were trying to pass the Championship contender. Hamilton went as far as ignoring team orders at an attempt to get the title, but in the end, Rosberg managed to steer clear of both the Ferrari and the Red Bull and finished 2nd, taking his first F1 Championship. Hamilton won the race while Sebastian Vettel grabbed the final podium spot, in 3rd.

    Rosberg was ecstastic over the radio, cheering and yelling as his team and wife, Vivian, congratulated him. Rosberg and his father, Keke, are now only the second father-son duo to have F1 Championship titles after the Hills.

    With the 2016 season now over, many changes will be seen in 2017, including new rules, wider tyres and a group of new, young drivers ready to break onto the scene and try for a chance at points, podiums and wins. 

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points

4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 12 Points

5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 10 Points

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 8 Points

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points

8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 2 Points

10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 1 Point

11. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France 

12. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

13. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

14. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

17. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / Gearbox

RETIRED - Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia / Gearbox

RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Suspension Failure

RETIRED - Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / Suspension Failure

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / Steering Damage

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Abu Dhabi GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING 

    Lewis Hamilton will start the final race of the year from Pole Position with Nico Rosberg right beside him. No changes to the grid post-qualifying as no penalties were taken.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the six 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. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

6. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

9. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

10. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

11. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

12. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

13. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

14. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

16. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

17. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

18. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

19. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

20. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

21. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

22. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Times

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    It was neither Hamilton or Rosberg at the top of the standings at the end of the last free practice session of the weekend. It was Sebastian Vettel who finished in 1st with a fastest time of 1:40.775. Max Verstappen was close behind in the Red Bull with a 1:40.912. Raikkonen, Hamilton and Rosberg completed the top 5.

    Lewis Hamilton reported a loss of power at the beginning of the session, but the team assured him there was no huge issue. Hamilton topped both FP1 and FP2 and has done what he can to narrow the points gap in the last few races. 

    Nico Hulkenberg missed part of the session due to a Fuel System issue, but when he was able to get out, he wasted no time in getting those times out and finished in 8th with a 1:42.067. Team-mate, Sergio Perez, finished in 7th with a 1:41.885.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.775 / Ferrari-Ferrari

2. Max Verstappen - 1:40.912 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:40.999 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:41.065 / Mercedes-Mercedes

5. Nico Rosberg - 1:41.168 / Mercedes-Mercedes

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:41.831 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

7. Sergio Perez - 1:41.885 / Force India-Mercedes

8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.067 / Force India-Mercedes

9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:42.076 / Williams-Mercedes

10. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:42.354 / Haas-Ferrari

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.585 / McLaren-Honda

12. Jolyon Palmer - 1:42.616 / Renault-Renault

13. Jenson Button - 1:42.664 / McLaren-Honda

14. Felipe Massa - 1:42.683 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Romain Grosjean - 1:42.805 / Haas-Ferrari

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:43.057 / Renault-Renault

17. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:43.145 / Manor-Mercedes

18. Carlos Sainz - 1:43.301 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

19. Felipe Nasr - 1:43.417 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.733 / Manor-Mercedes

21. Daniil Kvyat - 1:44.105 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:44.238 / Sauber-Ferrari

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Obrigado Massa

#ObrigadoMassa

    Like so many Formula One drivers, Felipe Massa’s time in F1 will probably be left to the history books. He hasn’t taken a championship, dominated a team, or stood out much for the majority of his fourteen years in F1. But Massa leaving the series will truly be an end of an era, and it might not be something everyone understands. We say “obrigado Massa”, but do we really know why?

    For many, Massa represents the passion for Formula One that fans want the sport to return to. Though he may not have gone through his fourteen years in F1 without any spats, the Brazilian has captured the hearts of fans across the globe. He, along with Jenson Button, is F1’s “nice guy”. Losing the Brazilian from the paddock next year, as well as Button, could make for a very different atmosphere.

    Obrigado Massa for bringing the passion that makes fans love F1.

    Since his first season in 2002, Massa has driven for three teams. Like many rookies, he started his career in a midfield team: Sauber-Pertronas. Though he might not have been regularly beating his more experienced teammate, Nick Heidfeld, in his rookie year, Massa wasn’t usually far behind the German. It wasn’t enough to impress Sauber enough to keep him in F1 in 2003, when he went to Ferrari as a test driver, but he did return to complete two more seasons for the team in 2004 and 2005.

    Ferrari will be where most fans will remember him from, and it’s the Italian team that probably have the most to thank Massa for. The Brazilian drove for the team for eight years, and spent five of those years as the infamous second driver. Paired up with Michael Schumacher, Massa made an amazing support driver for the German’s final year at Ferrari, and took his first Formula One win in Turkey that year. In 2007 and 2008, Massa had a chance to come into his own, not exactly a second driver to his new teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, but bad luck followed the Brazilian and, despite six wins in eighteen races in 2008, he could only manage second in the championship, finishing one point behind eventual champion Lewis Hamilton, in one of the most emotional podiums in recent times.

    When Fernando Alonso joined Ferrari in 2010, Massa fell back into the second driver role, resulting in the now iconic but heart breaking radio message – Fernando is faster than you – and multiple team orders that, some argue, stopped Massa from the success he deserved. Eventually, in 2014, the Brazilian switched to Williams, where he’ll end his career. Williams in 2014 was revitalised after a long, difficult period, and Massa mirrored that, apparently more respected and free in the British team. 2014 gave new hope that Williams and Massa might be able to take second in the championship in 2015 after a strong season. Sadly, it would never come, as the team lagged behind the progress of those around them over the next two years.

    Obrigado Massa for helping fans of three teams taste relative success.

    2009 will be a season that stands out for Massa fans, though not for happy reasons. Qualifying at the Hungaroring took a turn for the worst in the second session. Debris from a car ahead hit the Brazilian only an inch above his left eye whilst he was traveling and over 160 mile per hour, knocking him unconscious.

    For a while after the accident, Massa’s fate was unknown. He was known to be in a life-threatening condition in hospital and for a small while fans, though hopeful, feared the worst. Thankfully, Massa’s condition would rapidly improve, and he was released from hospital the following week, but he wouldn’t return to F1 until 2010. The Brazilian has no memory of the accident, but his family – including his then pregnant wife – and his friends certainly do. The accident helped bring the focus back to safety in F1, and to strengthen the parts of the helmet weaker than the main shell.

    Obrigado Massa for returning to F1 after the accident, and for – though not entirely voluntarily – helping to push forward the drive for safety.

    Any article on Massa’s career wouldn’t be complete without mention of a Brit from Middlesbrough. Rob Smedley joined F1 back in 2001, but he gained fame in 2006 when he joined the main Ferrari team as Massa’s race engineer. The two were – and still are – obviously close, and Smedley has been part of some of the most famous moments of Massa’s career and made F1 seem more “human” for many fans: the celebrations following Massa’s first win in 2006, the endearing nicknames, Smedley’s insistence that he doesn’t know Massa “in the biblical sense”. But Smedley has seen the lows as well as the highs. The team orders at Ferrari were delivered by Smedley. The loss of the championship in 2008 left the Brit in tears. And Smedley is the one most asked about the 2009 accident.

    Obrigado Massa for being part of the most heart warming friendship in F1 in recent times.

    And, to finish, a personal obrigado to Felipe Massa. My life is motorsport dominated, both as a journalist and a fan, and I was introduced to the sport in 2008. The first race I ever watched was late in November of that year. Brazil. I don’t remember much of the race itself, but I remember the podium. It’s the image so many will remember of Massa: an emotional, short man, dressed head to toe in red atop the podium in front of his home crowd. An image of humility… passion… raw emotion. That is the reason I fell in love with Formula One.

    This weekend will mark the end of an era in Formula One, and in my own life. So obrigado Massa.

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Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Times

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #2

    It was sun down and lights on for the second practice session at Yas Marina Circuit and it was Lewis Hamilton who took the top spot with a fastest time of 1:40.861. Rosberg was once again close behind in 2nd with a 1:40.940. Vettel, Verstappen and Ricciardo completed the top 5.

    Daniil Kvyat suffered another puncture and it was session over for him. The FIA got involved into the investigation behind his 2 punctures over the course of the day and both cars were looked over by mechanics for most of the session.

    Romain Grosjean suffered a huge spin but still managed to keep the car out of the barriers and set the 14th fastest time, a 1:43.108. Gutierrez, his team-mate, who will not be with Haas in 2017, finished the session in 13th, just ahead of Grosjean, with a 1:43.012.

    Jenson Button continued to miss out with his continuing ERS issue but eventually was able to set a time good enough for 12th, a 1:42.823. Fernando Alonso ended the session in 11th with a 1:42.366. This weekend will be Button's last F1 race, while Alonso insists he will remain in F1 until he wins a 3rd title.

    Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon returned to their respective cars after making way for Alonso Celis Jr. and Jordan King in FP1.     

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:40.861 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:40.940 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:41.130 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Max Verstappen - 1:41.389 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:41.390 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:41.464 / Ferrari-Ferrari

7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:41.959 / Williams-Mercedes

8. Sergio Perez - 1:42.041 / Force India-Mercedes

9. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.264 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Felipe Massa - 1:42.268 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.366 / McLaren-Honda

12. Jenson Button - 1:42.823 / McLaren-Honda

13. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:43.012 / Haas-Ferrari

14. Romain Grosjean - 1:43.108 / Haas-Ferrari

15. Jolyon Palmer - 1:43.272 / Renault-Renault

16. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.600 / Manor-Mercedes

17. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:43.754 / Manor-Mercedes

18. Felipe Nasr - 1:43.903 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:44.045 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Kevin Magnussen - 1:44.117 / Renault-Renault

21. Carlos Sainz - 1:44.478 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

22. Daniil Kvyat - 1:45.948 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

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Abu Dhabi GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Times

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #1

    The last race weekend of the season has gotten underway in Abu Dhabi and it was Lewis Hamilton that took hold of the top spot in the first practice session, leading the way with a 1:42.869. Nico Rosberg was close behind with a 1:43.243. Verstappen, Ricciardo and Vettel completed the top 5.

    Force India had Alfonso Celis Jr. replacing Nico Hulkenberg for the session while at Manor, Jordan King filled in for Esteban Ocon. Ocon replaces Hulkenberg at Force India in 2017 when Hulkenberg heads to Renault to partner Jolyon Palmer.

    Multiple drivers dealt with huge spins during the session. Including; Massa, King and and Kvyat. Kvyat's spin however, was caused by a puncture and was not the only puncture he had during Friday's sessions.

    Jenson Button suffered from an ERS issue and missed most of the session but still finished in 20th with a time of 1:47.127, Team-mate, Fernando Alonso, finished in 18th with a 1:46.379.

    Improvements in Sauber's pace as Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr finished the session inside the top 15 with Ericsson in 10th with a 1:45.168 and Nasr in 13th with a 1:45.778.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:42.869 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:43.243 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Max Verstappen - 1:43.297 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER
4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:43.362 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:44.005 / Ferrari-Ferrari
6. Sergio Perez - 1:44.155 / Force India-Mercedes
7. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:44.556 / Ferrari-Ferrari
8. Carlos Sainz - 1:44.685 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari
9. Felipe Massa - 1:45.039 / Williams-Mercedes
10. Marcus Ericsson - 1:45.168 / Sauber-Ferrari
11. Alfonso Celis Jr. - 1:45.476 / Force India-Mercedes*
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:45.600 / Haas-Ferrari
13. Felipe Nasr - 1:45.778 / Sauber-Ferrari
14. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:45.925 / Haas-Ferrari
15. Valtteri Bottas - 1:45.940 / Williams-Mercedes
16. Jolyon Palmer - 1:46.219 / Renault-Renault
17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:46.372 / Renault-Renault
18. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.379 / McLaren-Honda
19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:46.458 / Manor-Mercedes
20. Jenson Button - 1:47.127 / McLaren-Honda
21. Jordan King - 1:47.558 / Manor-Mercedes*
22. Daniil Kvyat - 2:01.989 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

* - Driving in FP1 only
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Ericsson Confirmed At Sauber For 2017

ERICSSON TO REMAIN AT SAUBER IN 2017

    Marcus Ericsson is set to continue for a third year at Sauber F1 team, having signed an extension of his contract. Sauber are yet to sign their second driver, but they’re expected to also keep Brazilian Felipe Nasr for a third season.

    Since gaining a new ownership back in July, Sauber have been in a significantly better financial state, but were still looking for drivers with financial backing for next season. Coupling that with his experience, Ericsson was deemed the perfect fit by the team.

    “During the current season Marcus has again showed he is willing to go that extra mile in order to make progress,” Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn said. “He went through very difficult times with us, but managed those very well… He is not only a good driver, but also an important team player who understand how to work with the team and how to motivate everyone with his positive attitude.”

    Ericsson says he is happy to be staying with the team, and believes Sauber will be improving over the coming years. Having only just scored their first point of the season at the last round in Brazil, improvements are a must if they want to be competitive next season.

    “I have developed a lot as a driver during my time at Sauber,” Ericsson said. “We have had ups and downs, but we always stick together and work as hard as we can. Since the new ownership, there has been a positive push in the team, so it will also be exciting to go into this new era. Many motorsports experts are becoming part of Sauber, which is a good sign for the future.”

    The Swede’s aim for next season is regular points finishes and a midfield fight. Given that Ericsson is yet to score this season, regular points might be a high aim.

    There are now only three seats to be announced: The remaining Sauber seat and the 2 seats at Manor, which are likely to go to Wehrlein and Gutierrez while Nasr remains at Sauber with Ericsson.

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Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “It’s the final race of the year and you really want to close the season with a good result. It’s an exciting time and you need to keep focused on the job even though everyone is already talking about the following season. You want to finish the year well to go on holiday with a sweet taste in your mouth, especially this year when there is so much at stake. Nobody wants to have a bad final race; it’s a pretty nasty feeling!

Abu Dhabi is a cool place and the fans we meet come from all over the world. The facilities at the track are impressive and I’ve always liked racing there. It’s a very fast track, with big braking zones and quick changes of direction. You need a car that is very stable at the rear to make the most of the braking zones. Also, having good traction out of the corners can gain you a lot of time. There are some overtaking opportunities and the possibility to go for different strategies usually produces interesting races.

Last year’s race was pretty exciting - fighting for the podium against the Ferraris. Even though we fell short, it was a very good race and hopefully we can have another strong weekend after Brazil. You always get a bit nostalgic at the end of the season. You know it’s the last time you’re going to drive your VJM09 and you don’t know what the next season will bring. I want to go into the winter with special memories from the final race.”

Nico Hulkenberg - “The final race of the season is always special, but this year even more so. It will be my final race with the team, so it will be emotional to work with the crew and the other team members for one last time. People move around teams a lot in Formula One, so I know it’s a goodbye and not a farewell. I want to enjoy this last race together and make sure it turns into a celebration: I want us to confirm fourth place in the championship, then we will see a lot of big smiles on everyone’s faces and be proud of what we achieved together.

Abu Dhabi is a very cool place. Yas Marina is very modern and the circuit has probably the best facilities of the whole calendar. The track is not bad either and it’s fun to drive. You race into the sunset and it looks really cool when all the lights come on. It’s a unique experience.

The pit lane exit is very tricky and one of the most memorable parts of the circuit: you release the pit limiter, accelerate for a second and then you have to brake for the very sharp left hander underneath the track. The wall feels very close and you always hold your breath every time you drive through that narrow exit! It’s a little uncomfortable because as soon as you push harder, you start to slide and it’s very easy to get it wrong.

Looking at the track characteristics, Abu Dhabi should suit us really well. We had a few strong results in the last few years and I am confident we can get a good one this time around too. I would love nothing more than to sign off from the team in style.”

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