Formula 1®
DHL Fastest Lap Award: 2017 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
Key Takeaways
- Valtteri Bottas takes the DHL Fastest Lap in Abu Dhabi
- Lewis Hamilton receives the DHL Fastest Lap Award for third time
DHL Fastest Lap Predictor Game
Fastest Driver Group 1: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) - 1:40.650
Fastest Driver Group 2: Lance Stroll (Williams) - 1:42.324
Fastest Driver Group 3: Fernando Alonso (McLaren) - 1:41.669
Valtteri Bottas takes the DHL Fastest Lap in Abu Dhabi
Valtteri Bottas dominated the Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi. The Mercedes driver took pole position at the Yas Marina Circuit and secured the DHL Fastest Lap. Bottas burned a time of 1:40.650 into the asphalt on Lap 52, which was one tenth faster than Sebastian Vettel, who posted the second-fastest lap of the race.
“I couldn’t be happier to end the season like this,” said Bottas after taking the third win of his grand-prix career. “I’m really happy to be part of the team that won the constructors’ championship. Mercedes have given me the opportunity to win a few races and claim a few pole positions, so I’m a really proud team member. This weekend shows that I can perform. I can be on pole and win races. So now I need to try and do it more often next year.”
Lewis Hamilton presented with DHL Fastest Lap Award
Bottas’ teammate Lewis Hamilton was presented with the DHL Fastest Lap Award before the race. The Mercedes driver posted the fastest lap seven times during 2017, beating Sebastian Vettel, who set the fastest time in five fixtures. Hamilton received the trophy from Mads Sørensen, who secured the DHL Fastest Lap in the F1 eSports Series.
“It’s never our specific target to set fastest lap in a race – so when we do, it’s a sign of how quick our car has been in race conditions,” said Lewis Hamilton. “It also shows the consistency of the Pirelli tires this year. These cars are the fastest we have ever driven in F1 – and it’s been cool to set a few all-time lap records. They have been a challenge for us drivers to master, more physical to drive, and that is how it should be.”
This is the third time that Hamilton has won the DHL Fastest Lap Award after success in 2014 and 2015 and he now shares the honor with Vettel of having won the coveted trophy the most number of times.
Fastest race laps: 2017 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 1:40.650 - on Lap 52
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:40.770 - on Lap 55
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:41.473 - on Lap 51
Fernando Alonso (McLaren) 1:41.669 - on Lap 54
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:42.028 - on Lap 43
Lance Stroll (Williams) 1:42.324 - on Lap 52
Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) 1:42.338 - on Lap 53
Nico Hülkenberg (Renault) 1:42.376 - on Lap 53
Romain Grosjean (Haas) 1:42.437 - on Lap 51
Esteban Ocon (Force India) 1:42.609 - on Lap 47
History: DHL Fastest Laps in the FORMULA 1 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
With his DHL Fastest Lap of 1:40.770, Valtteri Bottas missed the lap record (1:40.279) for the Yas Marina Circuit by almost four-tenths set by Sebastian Vettel in 2009 during the inaugural Abu Dhabi GP.
In qualifying, however, Mercedes driver Bottas set a new all-time track record, taking pole position with a time of 1:36.231, the fastest lap ever driven in Abu Dhabi.
Lap records were broken at eleven circuits this season due to the introduction of new technical regulations that allow for more downforce and wider tires.
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