0:56 Lewis Hamilton says he is back in training, feeling better and hoping to be able to return to F1 for this week’s season-ending Abu Dhabi GP. Video credit: @LewisHamilton
Sergio Perez’s brilliant maiden victory last time out in Bahrain has given Racing Point a handy but fair from unassailable advantage. They lead fourth-placed McLaren by 10 points
Renault are still mathematically in the hunt, 22 points back, although would require a bigger points swing than at any event so far this season to swing it their way. The Enstone team will therefore be hoping to bridge the 12-point gap to McLaren.
Ferrari’s solitary point from the Bahrain doubleheader dropped them out of distant contention and, barring a freak set of results, they are set for sixth – their worst constructors’ finish since 1981.
…and the drivers’ key fights
Fourth place in the drivers’ standings is the first position not to come with an end-of-season trophy, but it has still been talked about and coveted by several drivers this year.
For Perez, the man in possession, it would represent a career-best finish after 10 years in F1 and he now leads Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo by 13 points.
6:03 Racing Point’s Sergio Perez reflects on being the first Mexican in 50 years to win a Grand Prix as he fought back from 18th to claim a maiden career victory
Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon and Lando Norris are separated by 11 points and effectively fighting for positions six through nine.
Second place is also technically up for grabs but it’s a long shot for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, 16 points adrift of Valtteri Bottas, to deny Mercedes a perfect 1-2 finish to the season.
Who’s saying goodbye to their teams – and F1 altogether?
Although this is the concluding round of the 2020 season, there are still two seats that are up in the air for 2021 – and in the two current fastest cars.
Hamilton has yet to sign his new deal at Mercedes, while Red Bull are waiting until after the Abu Dhabi GP to confirm Max Verstappen’s team-mate for next season. Albon is the favourite to retain his drive, although Perez is also a contender given his strong form at Racing Point.
Perez is racing for the Silverstone team, who he joined back in 2014, for the last time this weekend, as he will be replaced by Sebastian Vettel next year, when Racing Point will be renamed Aston Martin.
Abu Dhabi is also Vettel’s Ferrari bow after six years – with Sainz saying goodbye to McLaren to join the Scuderia for 2021, and Ricciardo saying goodbye to Renault to join McLaren.
Daniil Kvyat looks likely to be leaving AlphaTauri, and F1, after this weekend, while Kevin Magnussen will be leaving the grid after his Yas Marina finale with Haas.
Sky Sports’ Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Thursday
3.30pm: Abu Dhabi F1 special – Sky Sports News only
Saturday
9.45am: Practice Three build-up LIVE!
10am: Practice Three LIVE!
11.10am: Hamilton and Rossi: Champ to Champ
12pm: Qualifying build-up LIVE!
1pm: ABU DHABI GP QUALIFYING LIVE!
Sunday
11.30am: Grand Prix Sunday LIVE!
1.10pm: THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX LIVE!
3pm: Chequered Flag LIVE!
4pm: The Notebook LIVE!
4.30pm: The Switch: Hamilton and Rossi
5pm: Race highlights
7.35pm: Race re-run
Sourse: skysports.com
