2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race

MERCEDES DRIVER NICO ROSBERG TAKES HIS THIRD CONSECUTIVE WIN FROM POLE

TWO STOPS FOR MOST COMPETITORS IN ABU DHABI, USING SOFT AND SUPERSOFT WITH DIFFERENT STRATEGIES

AN ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY BOOSTS FERRARI’S SEBASTIAN VETTEL FROM 15TH ON THE GRID TO FOURTH AT THE FINISH

Abu Dhabi, November 29, 2015 – Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has clinched his third consecutive win of the season, after dominating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole. The German adopted a two-stop strategy, like the vast majority of competitors, using a supersoft-soft-soft strategy. With Rosberg making his pit stops before his team mate Lewis Hamilton (on an identical strategy, but with a very long second stint) he was effectively in control of the tactics, ensuring his lead.

Both Mercedes were threatened however by Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen finished on the podium from third on the grid while an alternative strategy allowed Sebastian Vettel to take fourth place after starting from 15th on the grid. Vettel completed two opening stints on the soft, gaining track position while all the supersoft runners stopped, before completing his own supersoft stint for 16 laps at the end of the race, in cooler track temperatures and with a much lighter car. Lotus driver Romain Grosjean also finished in the points after starting on the soft tyre.

The top 10 all used a two-stop strategy. Wear and degradation were within limits, to the point where even Lewis Hamilton – chasing his team mate for victory – questioned on team radio whether or not he needed to make a second stop at all. Then he made the pit stop, after a 30-lap middle stint on the soft tyres.

The highest-placed three-stopper was Max Verstappen, who finished outside the points following a flat-spot earlier in the race and then a penalty.

A one-two for Mercedes has broken another record for the ultra-successful German team: it is now the team to have scored most points in a Formula One season.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director: “As usual, Abu Dhabi delivered another very tactical race, during which Mercedes and Nico Rosberg in particular controlled the strategy perfectly. Congratulations to the entire team for the most dominant season in Formula One history, looking at the points scored. Tyre wear and degradation was well within control, even though we were using the two softest compounds in the range at Abu Dhabi, which enabled some entertaining battles all the way to the end of the race. Our 2016 season now starts in just 48 hours time when we embark on a 12-hour test throughout Tuesday, during which we will be testing the new ultrasoft tyre as well as new constructions for 2016.”

Fastest times of the day by compound: Supersoft Soft Intermediate Wet First VET 1m44.550s HAM 1m44.517s 0 0 Second ALO 1m44.796s RAI 1m44.942s 0 0 Third VES 1m45.746s ROS 1m45.356s 0 0

Longest stint of the race: Soft Nico Hulkenberg (31 laps) Supersoft Roberto Merhi (28 laps)

Truth-O-Meter We predicted that the most likely fastest strategy for the 55 laps of Abu Dhabi was a two-stopper, starting on the supersoft and then changing to the soft on laps 10 and 31. Rosberg followed our expected two-stop strategy, stopping exactly on the laps that we forecast.

PIT STOP SUMMARY

Car Driver Start Pit 1 Pit 2 Pit 3 Pit 4 6 ROS SSu Sn (10) Sn (31) 44 HAM SSu Sn (11) Sn (41) 7 RAI SSu Sn (10) Sn (32) 5 VET Sn Sn (23) SSn (39) 11 PER SSu Sn (6) Sn (27) 3 RIC SSu Sn (6) Sn (26) 27 HUL SSu Sn (7) Sn (24) 19 MAS SSu Sn (6) Sn (26) 8 GRO Sn Sn (23) SSn (43) 26 KVY SSu Sn (5) Sn (25) 55 SAI SSu Sn (7) Sn (28) 22 BUT SSn Sn (8) Sn (27) 77 BOT SSu Sn (8) Sn (9) Su (29) 9 ERI Sn Sn (15) SSn (41) 12 NAS SSu Sn (4) Sn (26) SSn (44) 33 VES SSn Sn (8) Sn (20) SSu (38) 14 ALO SSn Sn (1) DT (8) Sn (17) SSn (47) 28 STE Sn SSn (23) Sn (33) 98 MER Sn SSn (24)

The Start column denotes the tyres the driver started the race on. S = Soft compound SS = Supersoft compound n = New compound u = Used compound DT = Drive through The last column gives the total amount of pit stops.

***

Copyright-free videos, photos as well as latest media news are available for editorial use from: www.pirelli.com/f1pressarea. Follow us on Twitter @pirellisport or Facebook: Pirelli Motorsport. Please also visit the Pirelli website: www.pirelli.com.

For further information please contact Roberto Boccafogli • +39 335 125 6694 • [email protected] (Head of F1 Press Office) Maria Stella Narciso • +39 338 942 3585 • [email protected] Anthony Peacock • +44 7765 896 930 • [email protected]

Francescopaolo Tarallo • +39 334 684 4307 • [email protected] (Head of Product and Motorsport Communication)