DHL Fastest Lap Award 2018

Sebastian Vettel clocks the DHL Fastest Lap in Abu Dhabi

The 21st and final race of the 2018 Formula 1 season was dominated by world champion Lewis Hamilton, who won on the Yas Marina Circuit from pole position and set a new record for the number of points scored in a season – 408.

As in the world championship, Sebastian Vettel was the race runner-up. The Ferrari driver also set the DHL Fastest Lap, rounding the 5.5km track on the shores of the Arabian Gulf in 1:40.867 minutes.

“I think today’s race sums up the year pretty well,” said Vettel. “A few ups and downs and in the end just being close, but not close enough. At one point, I had hopes of winning the race, so I was pushing as hard as I could, but in the end, it was not enough.”

Even before the last race of the season got underway, Valtteri Bottas had cause for celebration when he was presented with the DHL Fastest Lap Award by Ken Allen, Global CEO of DHL Express. The Mercedes man set the fastest race lap seven times during the season – more than any other driver.

“I’m happy to receive this trophy,” said Bottas after becoming the fifth Mercedes driver in succession to win the classification. “It was quite a tough season for me personally; I was expecting more, but receiving this award brings back positive memories from this year. It also shows that I had a very decent pace in most of the races.”