Race Notes - Bottas takes Mercedes 1-2 at Abu Dhabi

By Mark Karp

Valtteri Bottas won the Abu Dhabi GP from pole, taking a Mercedes 1-2, ahead of his team mate, World Champion Lewis Hamilton in second, 3.899s behind, and Sebastian Vettel in third in his Ferrari, 19.330s behind the leader.

Bottas wins his third career win. Hamilton, besides winning his fourth drivers' championship as scored points in every event of this season. The win was Mercedes fourth in a row in Abu Dhabi.

Renault passes Toro Rosso for sixth in the constructors championship. Raikkonen overtakes Ricciardo to finish fourth in the drivers' championship.

Kimi Raikkonen (45.3s) in the second Ferrari finishes in fourth, followed by Max Verstappen (46.2s) in the Red Bull-Renault was fifth, Nico Hulkenberg (85.7s) in the Renault was sixth, Serio Perez (92.0s) in the Force India-Mercedes was seventh, his team mate Esteban Ocon (98.9s) was eighth, Fernando Alonso (1 lap) in the McLaren-Honda was ninth and Felipe Massa, in his final career race in the Williams-Mercedes was tenth.

Before the start Bottas starts from pole, with his Mercedes team mate Hamilton alongside on row 1, Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo on row two, Raikkonen and Vertstappen on row three, Hulkenberg and Perez on row four, Ocon and Massa rounding out the top ten. The frontrunners starting on ultrasoft tyree, Pascal Wehrlein, Marcus Ericsson and Brendon Hartley are the back starting on supersoft tyres, as the sun sets for the start.

At the appointed time the grid clears and the drivers take to the formation lap, the lights go out and the race starts with Bottas takinng the lead from Hamilton, Vettel, Ricciardo and Raikkonen. Kevin Magnussen spins but continues.Raikkonen challenged Ricciardo. Hulkenberg passes Perez for seventh.

At the end of lap 1 Bottas has a 1.3s lead over Hamilton.

Perez reports to Force India about Hulkenberg, "he needs to give back position." Perez saying that Hulkenberg cut the corner to make the position.

The stewards hand Hulkenberg a 5-second penalty for leaving track and gaining position.

On lap 4 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1,43.137s.

On lap 5 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m43.011s.

Lance Stroll complains that, "honestly I have no rear grip."

Romain Grojean battles with Stroll for 13th.

On lap 7 Bottas sets another fast lap at 1m42.825s.

Grosjean looks again to take Stroll, but still can't make it stick.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m42.698s.

At lap 10 Bottas leads Hamilton by 1.8s, followed by Vettel (5.0s), Ricciardo (7.5s), Raikkonen (11.4s), Verstappen (12.9s), Hulkenberg (20.2s), Perez (25.5s), Ocon (28.3s) and Massa (33.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 12 Stroll is the first to make a pit stop, switching to supersoft tyres. Bottas sets fast lap at 1m42.522s.

On lap 14 Vandoorne pits for supersoft tyres. The next lap Verstappen pits from sixth for supersoft tyres, and rejoins in ninth.

On lap 16 Raikkonen pits from fifth for supersoft tyres and rejoins in seventh place.

Verstappen passes Ocon for eighth place. Botas sets fast lap at 1m42.457s.

On lap 16 Perez pits. Pierre Gasly spins, but continues, reporting everything is okay.

Hulkenberg pits and sits for his 5-second penalty before switching to supersoft tyres.

Stoffel Vandoorne, struggling in last place complains, "this is like driving a rally car."

On lap 19 Ricciardo pits from fourth place, switching to supersoft tyres, and rejoins still in fourth - having pitted for a puncture.

Hulkenberg passes Grosjean for 11th.

On lap 20 Ricciardo pulls off the track wirh a hydraulic problem. Vettel pits from third and changes to supersoft tyres.

On lap 21 Bottas pits from the lead for supersoft tyres, Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m42.421s.

Alonso pits.

On lap 22 Massa pits from ninth for supersoft tyres.

Alonso and Massa battle for 11th place.

On lap 24 Hamilton pits from the lead for supersoft tyres, and rejoins just behind Bottas.

Bottas sets fast lap at 1m42.204s.

At lap 25 Bottas leads Hamilton by 1.7s, followed by Vettel (11.9s), Raikkonen (21.3s), Verstappen (22.6s), Ocon (37.3s), Sainz (44.7s), Hulkenberg (49.6s), Perez (55.0s) and Grosjean (58.4s) in tenth place.

On lap 26 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m42.734s.

Hamilton closes to under a second behind leader Bottas. Hamilton has a lockup of his tyres and loses a bit of time.

Stroll, struggling in 19th, pits a second time, switching to ultrasoft tyres.

On lap 32 Ocon and Sainz both make their first stops for supersoft tyres.

Carlos Sainz has an issue and runs wide - it looks like his left front tyre is not attached prooerly - he retires on the side of the track.

At lap 35 Bottas leads Hamilton by 1.2s, followed by Vettel (17.8s), Raikkonen (27.4s), Verstappen (28.7s), Huljkenberg (62.6s), Perez (69.6s), Ocon (75.1s), Alonso (81.3s) and Massa (85.6s) in tenth place.

Ericsson passes Stroll for 17th place.

Stroll pits for a third time.

Magnussen and Wehrlein are battling for 13th place.

At lap 40 Bottas leads Hamilton by 1.3s, followed by Vettel (20.3s), Raikkonen (33.1s), Verstappen (36.3s), Hulkenberg (69.6s), Perez (75.7s), Ocon (81.1s), Alonso (89.4s) and Massa (93.4s) in tenth place.

Raikkonen gets a bit of a gap on Verstappen, picking through the backmarkers.

On lap 42 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m41.406s.

Gasly complains of a vibration from his car.

On lap 49 Hamilton closes to under a second behind Bottas.

At lap 50 Bottas leads Hamilton by 1.5s, followed by Vettel (22.3s), Raikkonen (42.9s), Verstappen (44.9s), Hulkenberg (81.5s), Perez (88.7s), Ocon (92.7s), Alonso (1 lap) and Massa in tenth.

On lap 52 Bottas sets fast lap at 1m40.650s.

Bottas conitinues to lead to the flag, ahead of Hamilton and Vettel.

Bottas and Hamlton park on the start-finish straight for the celebrations - Massa parks alongside.

During the podium celebrations, the new F1 logo for next season is revealed.