The 2014 Formula 1 season ended on a star-studded note with Lewis Hamilton claiming a double victory at the Abu Dhabi Grandprix. The Yas Marina-based season ender saw the Briton beating teammate and rival Nico Rosberg to claim his second F1 crown while staying ahead of a resurgent Felipe Massa to take the race win. Valtteri Bottas took the final podium place making it William’s first double podium since Monaco 2005.
Daniel Ricciardo was the first of the non-podium finishers but managed to drive a fantastic race rising from the back of the grid after he and Ferrari-bound teammate, Sebastian Vettel, were demoted to the back of the grid for a technical infringement. The Red Bull Duo however, chose to start from the pit lane so as to afford them the best opportunity to make up grid slots which they did.
Jenson Button, in what appeared to be his final race for McLaren-Mercedes, took fifth place ahead of the Force India duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez cementing the team’s sixth place in the constructor’s championship.
2013 championship rivals Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso who have both had a turbulent year spent the latter part of the race fighting each other for eighth and ninth place ahead of Kimi ‘Iceman’ Raikkonnen who had an unspectacular race but managed to finish down in tenth place. Retirees from the race included Kamui Kobayashi, Dannil Kvyat and Pastor Maldonado with the Venezuelan retiring on lap 27 at turn 15 after his engine caught fire.
Nico Rosberg, while not retiring from the race, finished down in 14th place after suffering a multitude of mechanical issues. The German was gracious in defeat and even took it in his stride to congratulate teammate Hamilton before the podium ceremony for the latter.
2015 will see some new faces and some others changing colours. Vettel will drive for Ferrari while its seems almost certain that Fernando Alonso after parting ways with Ferrari is on his way to McLaren, who will be running on Honda power from next year.
With its immense experience in turbocharged V6 engines, we expect that Honda will put up a good fight to the dominant Mercedes-Benz who will be supplying Lotus from next year onwards. Renault, who has had a tough year, is expected to stage a comeback and will be testing intensively with partners Red Bull over the winter.
It has been an exciting season despite various controversies over finances during the course of the season, loss of Caterham and Marussia for the last two races and obviously the tragic accident of Frenchman Jules Bianchi at the Japanese Grand Prix in October. We hope that 2015 will be just as interesting as the 2014 season.
Pictures:Lewis Hamilton's Facebook page
