The championships may have been decided before we arrived, but Abu Dhabi was an emotional roller-coaster all the same. The excitement of midfield teams battling for position. The sadness of so many drivers saying goodbye to their teams and even to F1. We even had the suspense of whether Valtteri Bottas could restore some pride.
Ok, that last one was never happening. At least Fernando Alonso treated us to more free donuts than appear a Krispy Kreme employee's diet.
Join Rian McDonnell and F1 novice Joe Molloy as they stumble and joke their way through each round of the Formula 1 World Championship.
The F3 race in Macau saw one of the worst accidents we've seen in a while. Thanks to the incredible work of the marshals and medical staff, as well as a hefty chunk of luck, all 5 people who were injured are on the road to recovery. Astoundingly, despite the severity of the crash, driver Sophia Floersch survived. On top of that, it’s looking like she will have no permanent injuries, after a successful spinal surgery revealed no damage to her chord.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sophia has already left hospital and returned home. We want to wish her and everyone else who was injured all the best, and to say a massive “fair play” to the volunteers and track staff whose hard work undoubtedly saved lives. To read more about that work, check out Motorsport’s analysis.
In what’s becoming somewhat of a trend, Williams went out of their way to prove Rian wrong this week by signing Robert Kubica for the 2019 season. The Pole’s comeback story is one for the ages.
It’s not just Williams that have a grudge against the Foolcast. Toro Rosso waited until just after our recording was wrapped up to announce, formally, that Alexander Albon would be racing alongside Danny Kvyat next year. It’s nice to be loved…
Aaaaaaaand Lance Stroll still doesn’t have a formal drive next year, despite testing for Force India this week. You know, as you do. Just randomly testing for a team that hasn’t signed you. One that your dad owns. Totally normal. Heaven knows what the team is waiting for. The Foolcast sent our reporter along to ask them about it and got this answer.
Not for the first time this season, FP 1 and 2 were largely a story about kerbs. Tells you all you need to know about FP1 and 2, really. Anyway, for anyone wondering why Rian was going on about trampolines, check this out. I knew there was a reason I was looking forward to Kvyat’s return.
Just before the race kicked off, Pirelli were announced as F1’s tyre supplier for a further 4 years, extending their contract to the end of the 2023 season. Nothing like a good tyre discussion to get the blood flowing.
The race itself was almost a formality up front, with Lewis barely trying to cruise to victory. Valtteri had yet another race to forget, but at least he’s aware of it. Further back on track, there were some decent midfield battles, but none to rival the one Fernando Alonso had with the concept of track limits. The guy knows how to say goodbye.
Beyond the race, there were some loose ends to tie up. Brendon Hartley had a less than friendly end to his season at Toro Rosso. Maybe Honda, the team’s engine supplier, felt Hartley deserved better, because they publicly paid tribute to his efforts through the season. It’s not quite calling out Franz Tost by name, but it does undermine the team somewhat. Hartley couldn’t be reached for reaction, but his confrontation with Tost was caught on camera.
The days after the race have also brought testing, with lots of drivers getting into their new cars for the first time. Mercedes are showing no signs of settling for 5 titles, finding loopholes in the rules to improve their testing. Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso travelled to Bahrain to swap cars with NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson. Who knows what might come of this, but Fernando seemed to enjoy himself behind the wheel, which makes a nice change.
Finally, Lewis seemed happy with being the first driver to cross 400 points in a single season. However, we can now reveal top secret footage that calls the whole thing into question. We’re pretty sure Will Smith doesn’t have a super license, so someone might want to tell Charlie about this…
262.8k Likes, 3,785 Comments - Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton) on Instagram: "Bro, you didn't win the race?!?! 😩😤😂 @willsmith"