Abu Dhabi: While the unrelenting Red Bull cars were consolidating their position at the top of the standings, the two Mercedes AMG Petronas of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were only too happy to finish up in the places at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix here on Sunday.
Rosberg came in third while Hamilton was in seventh as the team scored 21 points to keep their grip on second place in the Constructors’ Championship for a total of 334 points.
Red Bull’s one-two finish for 43 points — for only the third time this season — took the leaders’ points tally to 513, even as the two Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa got another 14 points to add to their previous score of 309 for a total of 323 points.
With the final two races remaining in Austin, Texas and Sao Paulo, Brazil later this month, all attention is now on who will come in second best in the championship that has already been won by the rampant Red Bulls. “We didn’t quite manage to take the challenge to the Red Bulls, but we were closer at least to one of them and hopefully we can make it happen in the last two races. As a team, we scored some great points for the Constructors’ Championship this weekend and I’m very happy about that,” Rosberg admitted.
Hamilton, too, was equally pleased he could play his part in helping the team settle for a possible second place by the end of the season. “A massive thank you to everyone for their efforts and it’s great that we have extended our lead for second place in the Constructors’ Championship. All points count but Nico [Rosberg] did a really good job to maximise the potential of the car. Hopefully, the last two races will be stronger for me and I look forward to that challenge,” the British driver said.
Meanwhile, world champion Vettel was lost for words when informed that he is close to the surpassing some of the figures set by the legendary Michael Schumacher. The 26-year-old German, who confirmed his world title at the Indian Grand Prix, stole the top position from teammate Mark Webber at the first turn itself and never looked back after that to help himself to a seventh win in-a-row and the 11th victory of the year.
Vettel had won in Abu Dhabi from second place in the inaugural year in 2009 and taken the title the following year after starting in pole position. Sunday’s win also helped him equal the record of nine consecutive F1 race wins that stands in the name of Alberto Ascari, achieved in 1952 and 1953.
“Equalling records doesn’t make me jump into the car, but it’s a shock when you mention these names [Schumacher and Ascari]. I knew that any kind of record you talk about and Michael is involved for sure, so…yeah…I don’t know what to say. The thing is that people see seven races. People don’t see the challenge it takes every single race to nail it,” Vettel added.
