2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix recap: Hamilton's 11th win and Alonso's farewell
The new five-time champion won at Yas Marina, Fernando Alonso said goodbye after 311 Grands Prix and Nico Hulkenberg walked away from a lap-one crash.
Lewis Hamilton arrived at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as a five-time world champion and still wanted to win. On 25 November 2018 he took his 11th victory of the season at Yas Marina, 2.5 seconds ahead of Sebastian Vettel, with Max Verstappen almost 13 seconds back in third.
The race had a frightening start. On the opening lap, Nico Hulkenberg's Renault touched Romain Grosjean's car, rolled over and came to rest against the barriers with flames coming from it. Hulkenberg was unhurt.
It was also a farewell. Fernando Alonso, a two-time champion, finished 11th for McLaren, just outside the points, in what was then billed as his 311th and final Grand Prix. He later came back to Formula 1 and is still racing in 2026 with Aston Martin.
"He deserves to be champion," Vettel said of Hamilton after the race. Hamilton's reaction was simpler: "I am so happy right now."
Hamilton, now with Ferrari, comes to Abu Dhabi in 2026 third in the standings with 229 points. The 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is on Sunday 6 December.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026Race day Sun 6 Dec · Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi See ticketsSource: Jamaica Observer (AFP), Crash
