ABU DHABI: New five-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton kept his cool in a incident-filled final Grand Prix of the season on Sunday to claim his 11th win of the campaign in Abu Dhabi.
The 33-year-old Briton, who started from his 83rd pole position, came home 2.5 seconds ahead of his main title rival, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, on the day Fernando Alonso bade farewell to F1.
Retirement-bound Alonso finished just outside the points positions for McLaren as the two-time champion taking 11th in his 311th and final GP.
Hamilton´s win came after a race that began with an horrific opening lap crash from which Nico Hulkenberg escaped unhurt despite his Renault car catching ablaze and barrel-rolling into the track-side barriers.
Hamilton´s victory completed a season of total dominance for the Englishman. "I am so happy right now," he said, before praising Vettel. "I know next year he´s going to come back stronger."
Vettel responded generously.
"He deserves to be champion," Vettel said. "It´s been a tough year and I tried until the last lap."
Dutchman Max Verstappen finished nearly 13 seconds back in third, ahead of his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo -- who is moving to Renault after 100th race for Red Bull -- and Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes.
Carlos Sainz came home sixth for Renault ahead of Ferrari-bound Charles Leclerc of Sauber, Sergio Perez of Force India, Romain Grosjean, who had tangled with Hulkenberg on the opening lap, and his Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen.
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