2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix recap: Verstappen leads every lap of the finale
Max Verstappen took pole and led all 55 laps at Yas Marina, taking the first pole of 2020 for a car without a Mercedes engine.
Max Verstappen ended the 2020 season with a statement win in Abu Dhabi. On Saturday 12 December he took pole with a lap of 1:35.246, beating Valtteri Bottas by 0.025 seconds and Lewis Hamilton by 0.086, according to The Race. It was the first pole of the season for a car without a Mercedes engine.
In the race he led all 55 laps, the first time he had led every lap of a Grand Prix, for the 10th win of his career. Bottas finished second and Hamilton third, with Alex Albon fourth, GrandPrix.com reported.
Hamilton had missed the previous race, the Sakhir Grand Prix, after testing positive for Covid-19, and Abu Dhabi was his return. Third place was his 14th podium in 17 races that year.
There were other milestones. Sebastian Vettel finished 14th in his final race for Ferrari, and Sergio Perez's Racing Point lost power on lap 7, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car and then the Safety Car.
The race is remembered as a preview of the 2021 title fight between Verstappen and Hamilton, which was also settled at Yas Marina. 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: The Race, GrandPrix.com
