Abu Dhabi: Lewis Hamilton ended a dominant 2019 season on a high, cruising to an unchallenged win under the floodlights at the Formula One season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Briton, who wrapped up his sixth title two races ago at the U.S. Grand Prix, started from pole and led every lap as he took the chequered flag a comfortable 16.7 seconds clear of Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who is under investigation by the stewards for a fuel irregularity and could still be penalised or even disqualified, was provisionally classified third ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who fought his way up from last on the grid, and Sebastian Vettel who was a distant fifth.

Verstappen and Leclerc had gone into the weekend battling for third in the overall standings. Finishing runner-up means the Dutchman grabs the spot, regardless of whether Leclerc keeps the podium. Hamilton's Abu Dhabi win was the 84th of his career, putting him just seven short of Michael Schumacher's all time record haul of 91. It was also the Mercedes driver's 11th win of the season and a record-extending fifth triumph in the Gulf emirate. "That was an absolute master class," said Hamilton's engineer over the radio, congratulating the Briton on the cool down lap.