Valtteri Bottas wins the 2017 Abu Dhabi GP

Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton secured a double podium in the final race of the 2017 Formula One season at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Valtteri Bottas started from pole position and went on to win the race while Lewis Hamilton took the second position. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished third, 15 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton. 

Lewis Hamilton who had already secured the 2017 Formula One World Championship started behind his team mate. Bottas controlled the pace of the race from the start. Hamilton took the lead briefly on lap 22 when Bottas pitted to swap his ultrasoft tyres for a fresh set of supersofts. Bottas was back in the lead after the first and only round of pit stops. 

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen came in fourth position ahead of the Red Bull car of Max Verstappen. Daniel Ricciardo in the other Red Bull was going strong until lap 21 when a hydraulic power steering issue forced him to retire. Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg was penalized during the early stages of the race for gaining a place by going off the track. The German driver finished in sixth place ahead of Force India’s Sergio Perez. With Hulkenberg's sixth position finish, Renault overtook Torro Rosso in the World Constructor’s Championship. His team mate Carlos Sainz was forced to retire as one of the wheels on his Renault came loose following a pit stop error.

Eseteban Ocon in the other Force India finished in eighth place ahead of Fernando Alonso in the McLaren. Williams’ Felipe Massa finished the final race of his career in tenth place.

The first race of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship will be held in Australia on March 25, 2018.

World Drivers' Championship standings:

•Lewis Hamilton - 363

•Sebastian Vettel - 317

•Valtteri Bottas - 305

World Constructors' Championship standings:

•Mercedes - 668

•Ferrari - 522

•Red Bull - 368