Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Driver Ratings

Abu Dhabi GP

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Driver Ratings

Who got top marks?

Matthew Scott

Monday 2 December 2019 08:00

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Abu Dhabi GP Driver Ratings Part 3

Sebastian Vettel (Qual: 4th - Race: 5th) 7/10

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Vettel said the qualifying shenanigans that left Leclerc unable to set a second time in Q3 were not his fault, but then immediately locking up at Turn 1 certainly suggested a lack of focus. Having had his efforts hampered by a sluggish pit-stop as he pitted immediately after Leclerc, Vettel got the better of Albon late in the race but will have plenty to ponder in the off-season, having finished behind a team-mate across an F1 season for just the second time.

Valtteri Bottas (Qual: 2nd - Race: 4th) 7/10

With a second fresh engine of the weekend fitted, Bottas was allowed to progress all the way through qualifying, despite knowing he would start at the back of the grid. The Finn certainly put his fresh PU to good use from P20, slicing through the field early on, despite the lack of DRS. Had those early overtakes been made a little easier, perhaps he would have had enough time in hand to pass Leclerc at the end of the race, but a 15th podium of the year signs off his most successful F1 season to date.

Charles Leclerc (Qual: 3rd - Race: 3rd) 7/10

Leclerc might have been in a much better place had Ferrari's qualifying gamble not backfired, but he tried to make up for it with a rapid start and raced Verstappen hard in a battle for second place behind the untouchable Hamilton. Kept hold of his podium, despite a pre-race discovery of a fuel irregularity, which gave Leclerc's race an interesting aura as he faced a potential disqualification, which did not arrive, thankfully for him.

Max Verstappen (Qual: 3rd - Race: 2nd) 8/10

Verstappen complained of engine issues throughout the race but still did enough to secure P3 in the drivers' championship, his highest position to-date. It was made possible by an overtake on Leclerc, who was assisted by DRS off the back-marking Williams of Russell, giving the young pair's rivalry a final flourish after a promising 2019 so far.

Lewis Hamilton (Qual: 1st - Race: 1st) 10/10

Peerless, ruthless, unstoppable stuff from the champion, who rounded out 2019 in some style. Dominant only scratches the surface of Hamilton's sixth career grand chelem – winning from pole, while leading every lap and setting the fastest lap. He now moves above a clutch of other drivers who were on five, with only Jim Clark, who has eight, above. Hamilton's pole was his first in 10 races, ending the longest wait for qualifying success of his Mercedes career, and he would not let it go to waste, ending the season with a record-breaking 413 points after taking an 11th win of the season to match his own personal best.