F1 Features

- The day didn’t start very well for Charles Leclerc when he tried to sign the miniature tyre he won for having more poles than anybody else in his maiden season with Ferrari - but the pen didn’t work.

A roll of the dice from Sainz and McLaren saw him fight back late on before passing Nico Hulkenberg on the very last lap of the season.

- There was a lack of productivity in the media centre on Saturday as an auction of sports cars and F1 cars was shown on the screens where we usually watch the race. The event was held in the main straight, with the cars being showcased on the track.

The final qualifying of the year in Abu Dhabi acted as a tidy, condensed precis of the 2019 Formula 1 season as a whole. Hamilton leads convincingly; Bottas close, but lacking that extra something ; Verstappen punching above his weight; Ferrari trips over itself, again.

- It was impossible not to feel sorry for Romain Grosjean, who had finally found a positive configuration for his Haas, but now is on the back foot after crashing with Valtteri Bottas during FP2. The Finn recognized he was the only one to blame for the accident.

- Some family business dominated the Thursday in Abu Dhabi for the final media day of the season.

The sun will set on the 2019 Formula 1 season as it draws to a close at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Ahaed of the 2019 Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi, Williams has confirmed Nicholas Latifi will replace Robert Kubica at the team for the 2020 Formula 1 season.

The 2019 Formula 1 finale has arrived with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix closing out another enthralling season.

Max Verstappen earned a redemptive victory during a brilliant Brazilian Grand Prix to provide Formula 1 a glimpse of what there is to look forward to in the future.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes – 7

- In what could become the penultimate Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, over 158,000 people attended the event over the weekend. That’s the record for the last 18 years, in a country that lives its second season since 1969 without a local driver.

With 20 laps to go at Interlagos, the Brazilian Grand Prix appeared to be nearing an underwhelming conclusion.

- Brazil might have been without a driver on the Formula 1 grid since 2017, but the grandstands and the paddock are fuller than usual this year. Only one of the grandstands still has tickets available, and the Friday holiday meant even the practice sessions had a very good turnout.

The 2019 titles may have already been settled, leaving little more than P3 in the drivers’ championship to fight for, but that has not prevented some late mind games setting in at the front of the pack in Formula 1.

- Daniel Ricciardo made the day of two very big fans in Brazil. Ana Luiza Kalil and Beatriz Rosenburg were invited to the paddock after the Australian heard about Ana’s fighting cancer story.

- If you were one of the 400 people who texted Lewis Hamilton to congratulate the Brit for his sixth world title, don’t worry: he is still going through the messages. Hamilton revealed his surprise when received some nice messages from a certain Fernando Alonso.

Lewis Hamilton’s latest title triumph at the United States Grand Prix means both 2019 world championships have been settled as Formula 1 heads to Brazil. 

Formula 1 heads to Sao Paulo for the penultimate race of the 2019 season, the Brazilian Grand Prix.

With his sixth Formula 1 world title wrapped up in Austin last weekend, Lewis Hamilton is now just one championship shy of Michael Schumacher’s record tally.

Lewis Hamilton has Micheal Schumacher’s all-time Formula 1 record within his sights after sealing his sixth world title at the United States Grand Prix. 

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes – 8

- Lewis Hamilton’s glow was unmissable after he clinched his sixth title this Sunday in Austin.

“Unavoidable.” That was the word Valtteri Bottas chose when reflecting on his title defeat to Lewis Hamilton in the aftermath of Sunday’s United States Grand Prix, with the mathematics finally confirming what has been forecast for some time.