LEWIS HAMILTON has arrived in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Grand Prix in a stunning all-purple outfit. This meant that Mercedes had to choose between pitting Hamilton and putting on fresh tyres, but this would be risking ending the race behind the Safety Car. But they did not think that the race would be restarted in time due to the regulations on restarts and the cars that had been lapped. On lap 56 there were five lapped cars between the two World Championship hopefuls, and the message “lapped cars will not be allowed to overtake” was communicated from Race Control. Following this, it was announced that the race would restart for a winner-takes-all 58th and final lap between Verstappen and Hamilton.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•