Five-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton claimed another victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to sign off in style with 11 victories in the campaign and a record point tally.
His closest rival Sebastian Vettel finished second while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen came third.
Hamilton scored 408 points this season becoming the first driver to do so. It left him just 18 wins away from Michael Schumacher’s all-time record.
Both the racers also swapped their Formula One helmets as a mark of respect following the season’s conclusion in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton and Vettel have been the top two drivers in the last two years with the Mercedes driver coming on top in both the years. A video was also released by Mercedes on social media, which shows the pair swapping helmets following the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“This is kind of an honorary thing that drivers do,” Hamilton was quoted as saying by ESPN in the video. “This is the highest kind of regard of respect that we can have as drivers, this is like our jerseys.”
But on Sunday, the focus was on two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who in his farewell race was hoping to sign off with a pole position but the Spaniard surprisingly finished 11th.
In the end, Vettel, Hamilton and the Spaniard – three champions – spun their cars in a cloud of smoke before they stepped out for hugs.
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