With team mate Sergio Perez eighth the team easily safeguarded their fourth position in the constructors’ stakes - the team’s best-ever championship finish. In the last couple of Grands Prix we had very good race pace, always enough to match Red Bull, and probably even a bit quicker.”īehind all the excitement up the front of the race, Nico Hulkenberg suffered nothing from an early brush with Max Verstappen and took a fine seventh in his final outing for Force India. I think we expected more but after the first half, where we could have scored more points, I think we showed real strength by coming back. About our global performance in 2016, I think we don't need to find any story or invent something. “It’s been a tough year, with lots of up and downs, so I’m really happy with this result. Nevertheless as a team we deserve this podium, and I hope it gives some momentum to all of us. “In the final laps, I would have liked to gain two more positions, because the speed was there but it was difficult to make the move because the car in front also benefited from a tow. “I think it was an important race for us today,” Vettel said. His pass on Max Verstappen also guaranteed him fourth in the championship, ahead of the Dutchman. While that didn't ultimately materialise, Vettel was able to charge through to third - his first podium since Monza in September. When he saw several of his rivals making their second pit stops Sebastian Vettel initially became agitated with Ferrari - but by leaving him out to run longer, until the 37th lap, the team gave the German - who started fifth - a spell in the lead and enabled him to rejoin on the faster supersoft tyres and have a shot at the win. Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's strategy call And with nine victories this season, he is by any standard a thoroughly deserving world champion.
By drawing on every ounce of mental fortitude he has come back stronger every year. You can understand the team's perspective and Lewis's perspective."Īfterwards he looked completely drained, but he had done it. I thought about it but it was pointless - he did it in a perfect way. Refusing to condemn his team mate’s tactic of backing him into the pack, he added: "Lewis (Hamilton) was using all his skill to do it perfectly so there was absolutely no way for me to get by. “With Max (Verstappen) early on, and then with these guys coming at the end, it definitely wasn’t fun. “That definitely wasn’t the most enjoyable race I’ve ever had!” he admitted afterwards. He did everything he needed to as he took a hard-fought second place, to clinch his first world title and to emulate his illustrious father Keke’s 1982 feat. In 2014 it was where his world championship ambitions first faded, and last year despite victory it was another reminder that his Mercedes team mate was the top dog.
For the past two years Abu Dhabi has been a hard place for Nico Rosberg.
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