15:01
That’s all for this year, see you in march, over and out.
14:54
McLaren seal 3rd place in the constructors
14:53
VERSTAPPEN WINS!
14:49
Albon chasing down Hamilton with just a lap left
14:45
final 3 laps, this has been a walk in the park for Max Verstappen, Mercedes just didn’t have any answer today. Norris and Sainz will finish in 5th and 6th sealing 3rd in the constructors championship for the once great front runners.
14:39
Sorry for the lack of updates, but this has turned into a right anti-climax of a race.
14:28
Ricciardo pits from 5th and comes out in 7th… That is all.
14:22
Meanwhile, up front. 8s is the lead by Verstappen over Bottas.
Minus the safety car earlier, this could have been a much much worse spanking for Mercedes in an era that it is usually them that are streaking out ahead. Hope for next year?
14:19
Vettel finally pits on to mediums and comes out 11s and a Russell behind his teammate.
14:18
Looks like Ferrari’s goodbye present to Vettel is to make him a sacrificial lamb once again, in the vain hope Leclerc can get up and into a good points position.
14:13
Vettel is about to have a painful couple of laps as 3 cars are now lining up behind him, unless he pits this time round
14:11
Gasly and Vettel start battling and it’s the Frenchman that comes out on top as he moves up again to 8th.
14:09
Standings as of 3 laps ago:
14:07
Gasly pushes Stroll down to 10th with a move up the inside under breaking further compounding the pink teams misery.
14:03
Sainz investigations are being held till after the race, which means the constructors placings between Mclaren and Racing Point might be decided in the stewards’ room.
13:57
It’s so bust he rejoins 10 seconds behind second to last man Fittipaldi.
13:56
Mind I said the Ferrari gamble was bust? Well Leclerc is plummeting down the order and out of the points and now pits from 12th
13:51
Stroll fighting his way through the pack now as he gets ahead of Leclerc and now just has Vettel between himself and the Mclarens in this oh so tight battle for team honors
13:45
Another twist in the battle for 3rd in the constructors battle as Sainz is under investigation for going too slowly in the pitlane
13:43
Again Verstappen is out of DRS as the Mercs just don’t seem to have an answer for the Dutchman.
13:42
An early marker for next year?
Sainz puts the moves on Leclerc and moves up to 8th
13:41
Everyone plays fair yet again at the restart. top 5 are:
Verstappen
Bottas
Hamilton
Albon
Ricciardo
13:38
SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP
13:34
FULL SAFETY CAR!
Ferraris gamble is immediately busted as now the grid will bunch up and they will restart on old rubber.
13:33
Everyone is in the pits now, except the Ferraris who are now up to 7th and 8th.
13:31
VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR!
OH NO!
Last weeks winner is out of the race, in such a tight battle for 3rd position in the constructors this is not what Racing Point needed, Checo could have done without it too as he needs to advertise his talents as much as he can.
13:25
Albon finally gets past Norris into 4th, now we will see if the Mercs are struggling or not with the “slower” of the two Red Bulls giving chase now.
13:23
Verstappen really starting to stretch away now with a 2.5s gap back to Bottas on lap 5.
Hamilton is 3s further back, he’s either holding back for tyre life, or the pace just isnt there today.
13:19
Not much going on, everyone is holding station for now as a massive DRS train starts to form in the midfield
13:16
No dodgems on the first lap as we have all drivers complete a lap unscathed. Vertsappen has got clean away from Bottas as he holds up Hamilton through the first few corners. Norris has also held on to 4th ahead of Albon
13:12
In a race of farewells for us and many on the grid, Ferrai formed a guard of honor for Vettel as he left the garage to go to the grid.
13:10
Max Verstappen finally leads the pack around the parade lap, the one and only time a Mercedes car hasn’t been on point all season.
Can we finally see the dual between Max and Hamilton, back in third, that we have been robbed of all season.
13:05
Good afternoon for the final time this year as the Formula One circus comes to an end.
It’s been a fantastic season, with surprises up and down the grid, the emergence of a new superstar, maiden wins for unfancied drivers in an age of Mercedes dominance.
Let’s hope for more absolutely fantastic thrills and spills as we get ready for lights out for one last time.
Trying to find my voice in the modern digital journalism landscape.
Have a creative flair, and not scared to rock the boat.
