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Formula 1
Abu Dhabi GP
F1 Abu Dhabi GP Live Commentary and Updates - race day
Minute-by-minute updates for Formula 1's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit
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F1’s season finale is here, as the paddock descends on the Yas Marina circuit for the Abu Dhabi GP.
Fresh from a dramatic Brazilian GP, where George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 in the team’s first win of the season and his maiden F1 victory, all eyes will again be on Red Bull following the team orders row that erupted at Interlagos.
Max Verstappen is on pole from Sergio Perez, who is battling Charles Leclerc for second in the championship.
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Hamilton requests that he isn't left out on a one-stop strategy, although his pace remains strong at this point as he sets a 1m30 flat. Mercedes has put Russell on mediums, so might stretch Hamilton's stint.
Penalty
Schumacher has been given a five-second penalty for bumping into Latifi. Schumacher is 16th, 2.4s clear of Bottas, while Latifi is last of the runners still in the race.
The Schumacher vs Latifi incident isn't good viewing for the German. The Haas driver puts his front wing into the inside of Latifi at Turn 5 and both get tapped into a spin.
Sainz comes out behind Norris, but the Ferrari swings past with DRS to clear the McLaren. He's 13s behind Perez.
Pit stop
Sainz stops from third place, as Russell also calls in for a second stop and will serve his penalty. That frees up Hamilton, who was looking rapid behind Russell.
Both Latifi and Schumacher have got going again having been fighting for what was 16th place. The pair clashed at Turn 5, the corner before the long back straights, and the incident is under investigation.
Yellow flag
Latifi and Schumacher have clashed! Where have we seen that before...
It is worth giving a shoutout to Norris, who might as well copyright seventh place this weekend and this season. He's not getting much air time because he's nine seconds behind Perez and five seconds clear of Ocon.
So what do you do if you're Ferrari - draw Perez into taking tyre life out before a second stop, or persist with the one-stop and hope the hards last? Or neither?
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"Expect Leclerc to go to the end. Reel him in," Perez is told.
Stopwatch
Perez, meanwhile, does a 1m29.212s on the fresh rubber, but it's just 0.8s faster than Leclerc on that lap. Ferrari, however, may need to consider a one-stop - "can you keep this pace with Plan C," Leclerc is asked. He reckons he can.
Pit stop
Ricciardo has a sniff up the inside of Albon at Turn 10, but thinks better of it and holds back to keep his front wing intact. Albon then pits to free the Australian into 11th.
Leclerc doesn't follow Perez into the pits on the following lap, as he extends to ensure he clears Norris out of the pits.
Perez comes in for his second stop, Leclerc is told to "box opposite" and thus stays out on track. Hard boots again for Perez, who rejoins in sixth.
Ricciardo zips by Zhou to take 12th place. He's now got Albon and Tsunoda to chase after to get into the points on his final McLaren outing.
Despite Perez's earlier complaints about Verstappen's pace, Leclerc is continuing to eat away at the Mexican's gap and sits 1.5s behind at end of lap 32.
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"I don't want to pit too early," Russell reports, looking set for a two-stop.
Pit stop
Bottas has had enough of his hards and duly pits for the first time in the race to take on fresh mediums and comes out in 18th, only ahead of Magnussen who pitted two laps earlier.
Vettel, who will probably win driver of the day whatever happens in this race, gets another one done as Bottas outbrakes himself into Turn 6 to allow the German to slide underneath and into 15th.
Verstappen's now picking up the pace, which is giving Perez a little bit of breathing room now. Sainz asks if Red Bull is "driving for a one-stop" - it doesn't cease to amaze how someone can read a race so well at 300km/h...
Stopwatch
Leclerc posts a 1m29.744s to carve more out of Perez's advantage. He's 2.7s behind at the end of lap 28, hacking that down to 2.2s on the following lap. "I'm being held up by Max," Perez says.
With Alonso's DNF and a move on Gasly into Turn 6, Vettel is up to 16th place. He's still got a shot at points today but he needs to wait for the race to come to him with those ahead due to pit again.
Mechanical problem
Alonso is told to retire his car due to a mechanical issue. That's not how he or Alpine would've wanted to end this partnership, as the Spaniard heads to the green team after today.
Vettel nips by Magnussen to move up to 18th place early doors, with the Dane still yet to pit in this race. Bottas, the other driver yet to stop, is 15th having just been overtaken by Ricciardo.
Perez has picked up the pace a bit now, and is just 1.8s behind Verstappen at the end of lap 27. But Leclerc's catching the pair of them at this stage - management, or does the Ferrari have a bit more about it?
Pit stop
But Vettel duly pits to swap his knackered mediums for fresh hards, but it is a slow stop of 4.1s, and he comes out in 19th place.
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"It's the worst, we're just getting eaten up by everybody. Who's next to pass us? Sitting duck," Vettel says over team radio. He's reminded they are on two-stop strategies and he is on one.
Leclerc's starting to catch Perez again, and he's bringing Sainz with him. Another four-tenths comes out of the Red Bull's buffer.
A lap after gaining and losing to Tsunoda in the space of four corners, Alonso gets the move done on the Japanese driver up the inside at Turn 10 to gain 11th place.
Vettel, who has just been overtaken by Hamilton and Norris, is eighth and still yet to pit. He must be targeting a one-stopper, as half-race distance isn't far away.
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"If we've got a five-second penalty we need to go long," Russell says, after being informed of his penalty.
Alonso gets two passes for the price of one as he overtakes Tsunoda and Bottas into Turn 6. But not for long as Tsunoda, with DRS, gets back by Alonso before Turn 10.
Leclerc duly pits at the end of lap 21, behind the Red Bulls once more. He emerges just in front of Sainz, actually, and the Spanish racer might have a look here...
Bottas and Magnussen, who started the race on the hards, have moved up to 11th and 13th respectively, but are now being eaten up by the pack who have already pitted. The race will come to them both later when they have the fresher rubber.
Penalty
Russell gets a five-second penalty for his earlier unsafe release in front of Norris.
Verstappen pits at the end of lap 20, getting the hard boots. Leclerc, who's yet to pit, moves up to first, as Perez has got back in touch with his team-mate after the stops.
Pit stop
As lap 20 begins Alonso and Ricciardo pit, both ditching mediums for hards, with the Alpine out in 14th and the McLaren out in 18th.
Sainz clears countryman Alonso for fifth, and will have Vettel next in his sights. The Ferrari driver tried to get the move done in the final sector, but the Aston driver keeps ahead.
Pit stop
And there's the hard tyre for Hamilton, and gets a swift service. "I think the floor's broken," Hamilton says, after his earlier kerb-clunk.
Sainz pits and collects the hard tyre, and rejoins behind the Vettel/Alonso duel. Hamilton will be next to stop.
By: autosport.com
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