Qualifying tests today to determine the poles in the race tomorrow

4 records tempt world champion Hamilton at the "Yas Marina" circuit

Hamilton aspires to his third consecutive victory at the Yas Marina Circuit. ■ Photography: Patrick Castillo

The world champion of seven and the driver of the Mercedes team, Lewis Hamilton, at the Yas Marina Circuit, whose race will start tomorrow, the Etihad Airways Award, is to break four new records for him in the Formula 1 World Championship, beginning with his efforts, today, to win the position The first for the qualifying trials, which begins at five in the afternoon, which will give him the first starting position for the 99th time in history in the championship races since his first participation in 2008, thus giving him an additional opportunity to finish the race by champion for the sixth time in "Yas", as the most winning driver at the Abu Dhabi circuit, and confirming He won the title of world champion for the seventh time, which Hamilton won since last November, and ended with his 13th victory for the current season, which allows him to equal the record registered in the name of German Michael Schumacher in 2004, and his compatriot Sebastian Vettel in the 2013 season, as the most winning driver in one season.

Hamilton's infection with the Corona virus led to his absence from last Sunday’s race at the Bahraini Sakhir Circuit, but confirmation of his recovery by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the Mercedes team that the British are driving to, the day before yesterday, and after A series of negative results from the Coronavirus tests and his 10 days of quarantine in Bahrain allowed him to return, revive his participation in the final race of the 2020 season at the Yas Marina circuit, and defend his chances in the qualifying trials by snatching the fastest time and first place For the experiences he had previously achieved on this circuit (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018), and moving forward to clinch his sixth victory in the Etihad Airways Prize race, following his titles (2011, 2014, 2018 and 2019) as the most successful driver in its title, giving him his 99th historic victory in races. Formula 1 championship, since winning the first Canadian Prix in 2007, with his former team, "McLaren"

Hamilton also aspires to close the curtain on the 2020 season, ideally, by climbing the coronation podiums that confirm his eligibility for his seventh world title, following his titles in seasons (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019), and equating him with the historical achievement recorded in the name of legend Michael Schumacher seasons: (1994 and 1995) And 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004).

Hamilton's ambitions to win in Yas 2020 collide with the presence of a strong forum of drivers seeking to improve their position on the ranking ladder, especially in the second-place battle that brings together the second driver of the Finnish "Mercedes" team Valtteri Bottas, who has 205 points, and is only 16 points apart. On his pursuit of Dutch Red Bull Honda driver Max Verstubben.

Also among the competitors in the Etihad Airways Award is the Mexican Racing Point driver, who is coming from his first historic victory by winning the Sakhir Prize in Bahrain last Sunday, and who is running his last race in Formula 1, after he was dismissed. The team announced its services for the next season in favor of the German Sebastian Vettel. Other drivers bidding farewell to the championship at the door of the “Yas Marina” circuit are: the Russian Alpha Tauri team driver Daniel Kivat, and the French “Hass-Ferrari” drivers Roman Grogan. Kevin Magnussen, the Dane.

Verstappen and Potas dominate the results of free trials

Dutch Red Bull star Max Verstappen, and Finnish Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, dominated yesterday the first and second free trials in the Etihad Airways Prize race, which starts tomorrow, scoring the fastest times, by cruising Verstappen in the first trials in the fastest time on the Yas Marina circuit. , Achieving a time of 1 minute 37 seconds and 378 fractions of a second, before Bottas translated his fast performance and topped the second free trials by achieving a time of 1 minute 36 seconds and 276 fractions of a second.

Bottas stresses his need to improve his performance in the "Yas" race

The second driver in the team «Mercedes», Finnish Valtteri Bottas, confirmed his need to improve his performance after a series of unstable performances in the last rounds of the 2020 season.

In a press statement, Bottas said: “I feel a positive energy in heading to the final round of the (Yas Marina) circuit, with the ambition to restore my previous levels, and to come out with the best possible result, and strive to repeat my victory in this circuit, which I had already achieved in the 2017 edition."

He added: “Not being on the coronation podiums in the last four races, pushes me to make more effort to bid farewell to the season in the optimal way that (Formula 1) drivers demand, especially since during the past few days I made sure to move away from the means of communication and restore my mental focus, in preparation for running the race. Final season ».

Vettel: my Ferrari career 'a failure'

German quadruple world champion, Sebastian Vettel, described his career with Ferrari as "a failure." And Vettel, who is running on the "Yas Marina" circuit, said his last race with the "wild horse", since his transfer to him in 2015: "Despite the strong levels I have presented with (Ferrari), and achieving strong victories, especially in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, in the end I summarize my career with the team as a failure, because we will not succeed in achieving the main goal, for which I moved to the team in 2015 and winning the World Championship.

He explained: “It is true that we were competing with a strong team the size of (Mercedes), with a strong driver also (British Hamilton), but our goal was to be stronger than them, and in this field we also failed, as there were many reasons that led to the inability to achieve Our goals, as although there were races in which our results were very strong, in other races we achieved bad results that were enough to lose the chance to win the title.

And he remembers: The "Ferrari" team, at the beginning of 2020, moved to abandon the services of its German driver Sebastian Vettel, which prompted the latter to sign his transfer contract to the "Racing Point" team, to replace the Mexican driver Sergio Bears, in a team that will bear the name of "Aston Martin" next season. .

4

Drivers running in "Yas" their last race in "Formula 1", they are: the Mexican Sergio Bers, the Russian Daniel Kivat, the Frenchman Roman Grogan, and the Dane, Kevin Magnussen.

Hamilton's infection with "Corona" led to his absence from the Bahraini "Sakhir Circuit" last Sunday.

Follow our latest local and sports news, and the latest political and economic developments via Google news