Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2018 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Lewis Hamilton capped his championship-winning season with a dominant victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, claiming his 11th win of 2018 from pole position under the Yas Marina Circuit lights. The Mercedes driver's performance at the season finale demonstrated the consistency and excellence that had secured his fifth World Championship.

Starting from pole position, Hamilton controlled the race from lights to flag, managing his pace expertly around the Yas Marina Circuit's unique twilight-to-night conditions. Sebastian Vettel finished second for Ferrari after a solid if ultimately pointless drive, while Max Verstappen completed the podium in third for Red Bull. Vettel set the fastest lap in the closing stages, providing a small consolation at the end of a desperately disappointing season for both driver and team. The German finished 88 points behind Hamilton in the final standings - a margin that reflected both Hamilton's brilliance and Vettel's costly errors.

The race marked the end of several significant chapters in Formula 1. Fernando Alonso retired from the sport after 17 seasons and two World Championships, finishing outside the points in his final race. Kimi Raikkonen completed his final race for Ferrari before moving to Sauber, while Stoffel Vandoorne also bid farewell to F1 after two difficult seasons with McLaren. For Hamilton and Mercedes, the victory secured their fifth consecutive double championship - a period of dominance unmatched in the sport's history and one that showed no signs of ending as the 2018 season drew to a close.