Simply Abu Dhabi XXXVI

“I’m happy that I’ve run a good race, I’ve thrown everything at it that I could,” Hulkenberg said after the race. “It’s a shame not to get that point in the end but that one-stop was hard to pull off and in the end, my tyres were just degrading too much so I couldn’t hang on. “This whole Formula 1 industry is very unique but I’m happy and grateful for my time here. I’ve met amazing people, made incredible friends and memories and I’ll look back on it with a smile on my face,” he added. Second placed Verstappen, while frustrated with missing out on the win was philosophical afterwards. "Mercedes and Lewis were a bit too quick tonight but as a whole, it has been a positive season and to finish third in the championship is a nice ending," the young Dutchman said. Whilst Hamilton goes into the winter break satisfied after arguably his most successful season yet in Formula One, the same could not be said for his biggest rival, Sebastian Vettel who admitted that he 'must do better' after a 'not great' F1 season. The four-time world champion finished fifth in the standings, 24 points behind his young Ferrari teammate LeClerc who also out- qualified him 12 races to nine. "We didn't have the season we were hoping for, full stop," Vettel said bluntly. "I think as a team we must perform stronger and as an individual I must do better; I can do better. It wasn't a great year from my side. "I don't think it was as bad as it looked because there were many small things leading to not a great picture in the end but I'm the first one to look at myself and I know I can do better,” he concluded. Most teams stayed on following the race for off-season tyre testing with Pirelli at the Yas Marina Circuit before resuming preparation on their 2020 title steeds. It all begins again on March 15 in Melbourne, Australia and wraps up once more in Abu Dhabi on November 29.