ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Lewis Hamilton returns to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend 11 months on from one of essentially the most rancorous days in Formula One historical past insisting he has put the previous behind him.

His bid for an unprecedented eighth drivers’ world title on the Yas Marina circuit final December was thwarted by a mixture of incorrect choices by race officers, wretched unhealthy luck and the opportunism of Max Verstappen.

As a consequence, whereas his Mercedes staff triumphed within the constructors’ title race for an eighth consecutive season, he was left to digest the end result of a sporting injustice which has reverberated ever since.

But Hamilton, who will likely be 38 in January, and whose act of congratulating his Dutch rival within the quick aftermath of that bitter defeat hid a profound disappointment, has remained stoical.

As Red Bull and Verstappen romped to glory in each the groups’ and drivers’ championships this yr, whereas Mercedes grappled to perceive and develop a stubbornly temperamental automotive, he grew to become totally a staff man.

His third consecutive second-placed end as team-mate George Russell claimed his maiden Grand Prix victory in Brazil final Sunday was a reward of emotional significance simply as, satirically, Red Bull’s unity was threatened by inside strife.

“I am very much here in the present,” he stated, forward of this weekend’s season-finale.

“I am not arriving here thinking of the past at all, not one bit. I am focussed. I’m not sure if our car will work well here this weekend, but if there is a chance, we’ll go for it.”

As extra unverified allegations on Wednesday added gasoline to a simmering dispute between Verstappen and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, whose heroic defensive drive final yr helped allow the Dutchman’s triumph, the ‘silver arrows’ occupied a place of unity.

“For me, our success in Brazil, the one-two last Sunday, is all down to the huge effort of our team’s workforce in the UK,” stated Hamilton.

“They have been so determined all year.”

Sunday’s race is not going to have the excessive stakes of 2021, however for Hamilton it represents a final likelihood to maintain alive his document of successful a minimum of as soon as in each season of his record-breaking Formula One profession.

He has a document whole of 103 wins to his title, together with 5 on the Yas Marina monitor the place Verstappen has received the final two contests, however such statistics are usually not his or Mercedes’ precedence.

“Lewis doesn’t need us to give him any prioritisation and nor would he ever want that,” stated staff boss Toto Wolff.

As Hamilton is lauded and Russell praised, Verstappen faces scrutiny following his refusal to obey staff orders and help Perez final Sunday at Interlagos in a way that introduced widespread criticism on social media.

Perez, with an icy undertone, stated Verstappen had “showed who he really is” whereas the two-time champion declined to clarify his motives.

After an emergency assembly, Red Bull stated the pair had made up and Verstappen would help Perez this weekend, as he strives to end second within the title race and provides Red Bull a one-two season end.

Verstappen will search a record-extending fifteenth win in a single season, however appeared rattled in Brazil the place he completed sixth and was blamed for a reckless collision with Hamilton – and Ferrari out-performed Red Bull to comply with the 2 Mercedes house.

On a weekend of a number of decisive showdowns, two-time champion Fernando Alonso will bid to log off with a flourish for Alpine, who hope to end fourth within the constructors’, earlier than he strikes to Aston Martin.

They lead McLaren, who suffered a pointless double retirement in Brazil by 19 factors so look assured of taking the thousands and thousands of {dollars}’ prize cash on provide.

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, 35, may even say farewell, not solely to Aston Martin, however to F1 and again on the circuit the place he received his first title in 2010.

“I’m positive this race will convey again comfortable recollections of the final 15 years,” he stated. “And I want to go out on a high.”

ZANDVOORT – Max Verstappen is expecting an emotional and “pretty crazy” festival as he heads into his first home race as world champion, searching for his tenth win of the season, at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.

Buoyant after a run of spectacular triumphs together with a masterclass for Red Bull at final Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, the runaway chief of the title race warned the clamour of a capability crowd might be distracting as he faces a a lot harder contest.

“It will be harder for us to be as dominant and I expect Ferrari to be strong,” stated the 24-year-old Dutchman. “There’s a lot more downforce required at Zandvoort.

“Of course, I desire a good end result, but it surely’s essential to attain factors, at all times, so let’s hope we are able to do job. My household will probably be there to help me, and I’ll benefit from the weekend with the followers.

“It’s going to be pretty crazy.”

Verstappen pays tribute to his father Jos, a former F1 driver who guided his son via his early profession, with a brand new helmet design.

“I thought it would be a good time to show appreciation of my dad’s efforts made for me when I was a little kid to bring me to where I am today,” he stated.

“It’s a bit emotional, but I think it’s just special too because it shows how I started in karting -– and the old pictures of me in go-karts are with this design. I hope a lot ‘Dutchies’ and my dad’s fans appreciate this.”

Verstappen will probably be searching for to repeat his stirring win final 12 months, when the Dutch occasion returned after a 36-year absence, to extend his 93-point lead forward of team-mate Sergio Perez within the championship and 98-point benefit on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque was left crushed by final Sunday’s end result, however Ferrari consider Red Bull have been closely favoured by the character of the circuit and may bounce again this week forward of their very own home race at Monza per week later.

“Zandvoort should be a lot better for us,” stated Carlos Sainz, who was third in Belgium behind the 2 Red Bulls.

“Monza should be advantageous to Red Bull, but we will try to win this one.”

HAMILTON ‘FIRED UP’

Mercedes can even search to get well from a disappointing weekend that noticed seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton retire on the opening lap for the first time since 2016 after colliding with Fernando Alonso’s Alpine.

“We’re working to understand our struggles and then to utilise those learnings,” stated staff boss Toto Wolff, who final Sunday labelled the staff’s efforts as “unacceptable”.

“It was a challenging weekend for us as a team, but those weekends are the ones that really fire you up and make you dig deeper. There were such big extremes across the weekend – from the pace differences on Saturday and Sunday to Lewis’s first lap and then George’s late bid for a podium.”

Mercedes’ historical past and depth of expertise means that they need to mount a extra severe problem with Ferrari, equally stung by final Sunday’s Spa end result, additionally set to present Red Bull a a lot nearer problem.

For Verstappen, it might require endurance and a cool head as he bids for a fourth straight win and the thirtieth of his profession en path to his second title. A realistic strategy could also be wanted earlier than any social gathering begins within the Zandvoort sand dunes.