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Established 1961 25 Sports Tuesday, November 27, 2018 Fallible Sebastian Vettel takes stock as Ferrari lick wounds Raikkonen bids farewell to Italian team with an early retirement ABU DHABI: Sebastian Vettel, so graceful in his handling triumph that added to the gathering momentum of the 33- of defeat by Lewis Hamilton in this year’s drivers’ title race, year-old Briton. yesterday began serious reflections on his and Ferrari’s While Vettel admitted his own faults, he was prepared disappointing season and a harsh self-examination. also to concede that Ferrari had not been faultless in an The four-time champion German, whose Ferrari car inconsistent season overshadowed by team upheavals fol- was often the fastest on the grid, conceded he had to look lowing the death of Sergio Marchionne. at himself first and the team secondly after he had finished “Things didn’t come together so obviously we did a second behind new five-time champion Hamilton in step back towards the end of the year, which enabled us Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. to be more competitive again,” he said, explaining how the “I don’t think I ever have any problems raising my hand team had been forced to abandon an update package that if I made a mistake,” he said, conceding that in 2018 he saw them under-performing. had made a few. “I have to look at myself first.” In a spec- “But I think we’ve understood what went wrong. We tacular season that saw the title race ebb and flow as obviously will try to do a better job in the future. That was Ferrari and Mercedes battled for supremacy before an one key thing. On the other hand, I think we had a lot of exceptional purple patch from Hamilton secured both lessons. It was a tough year in general. “The team is strong titles for the Silver Arrows, Vettel was, he admitted fallible. and the team has potential, but surely it was a lot of things “Knowing as well, as a racing driver, how quickly things that happened inside the team.... can go wrong, how quickly things could have gone differ- “It’s up to us to look into every single detail and make ently this year, I think I have to review a couple of things,” sure we come out as a stronger group, enabling us to he said. “But there’s other things that went wrong and build a stronger package for next year and for the future.” don’t need a lot of reviewing or over-complicating too Vettel will be joined at Ferrari next year by a new team- much. “I know what I need to do. Certainly, here and there, mate in Monegasque prodigy Charles Leclerc who looking back I haven’t been at the top of my game so... I replaces Finn Kimi Raikkonen in a bid to rejuvenate the look at myself first....” drivers’ line-up and add competitive focus. In his home German Grand Prix, Vettel crashed out of On Sunday, Raikkonen bade farewell to the Italian team ABU DHABI: (From L) Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel (2nd), head of Mercedes-Benz motorsport F1 com- the race lead and handed the initiative in the title race to with an early retirement after losing power. It was a down- munications Bradley Lord, Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton (1st) and Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Hamilton who, in the rain, claimed a famous victory. In beat end to an often colourful career with Ferrari before Verstappen (3rd) celebrate on the podium after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit on Italy, at Ferrari’s home race, he tangled with Hamilton on he moves to Sauber, but a signal that Ferrari are ready for Sunday, in Abu Dhabi. — AFP the opening lap with a similar outcome - another Hamilton change. — AFP Foes Hamilton and Vettel swap Jansrud wins helmets season’s ABU DHABI: In a rarely-seen showing of competitive camaraderie, Lewis Hamilton and Super-G in Sebastian Vettel swapped crash helmets to demonstrate the mutual respect between them after Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Lake Louise The five-time champion Briton, of Mercedes, and four-time champion German, LAKE LOUISE: Norway’s Kjetil of Ferrari, finished first and second in Jansrud completed another strong Sunday’s race and have won eight of the last ABU DHABI: Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates after winning the Abu Dhabi performance in the opening Super-G nine drivers’ championship titles. Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit on Sunday. — AFP race of the World Cup season, blazing “The ultimate respect between racing to victory ahead of runner-up Vincent drivers,” said Mercedes yesterday in a com- Kriechmayr on Sunday. ment on Twitter alongside a short video clip German driver has “a small head.” extraction of Hulkenberg, Whiting said: “No, The 33-year-old Sochi Olympic of the pair exchanging their head-wear. The The goodwill between the two leading not at all. We knew he was okay. There’s champion clocked a winning time of duo have scrapped for the last two world championship contenders produced a warm nothing to worry about there. “The routine 1min 33.52sec at Lake Louise to get titles with Hamilton coming out on top both glow to the end of a memorable season and under those circumstances is to put the car his World Cup Super-G title defence times, but their rivalry has been characterised Hamilton’s 11th victory of the year. But the back on its wheels... which has to be done off to a roaring start. Jansrud fin- by a fair sporting relationship. race may be remembered as much for the carefully, of course. ished 0.14sec head of Austria’s Hamilton said the exchange of their hel- opening lap crash that resulted in German “He was able to get out by himself. It was Kreichmayr while Swiss Mauro ALBERTA: Kjetil Jansrud of Norway cel- mets was an honorary gesture that was com- driver Nico Hulkenberg’s airborne barrel-roll very controlled from what I could see. Our Caviezel was third in 1:33.73. parable to players swapping shirts after foot- into the barriers where he was left hanging medical delegate was more than happy with ebrates after winning the Audi FIS Jansrud, who also won in Lake Alpine Ski World Cup Mens 2019 Super- ball matches. “This is kind of an honorary upside down until marshals rescued him as the way it was done. It all worked exactly as it Louise in 2014 and 2017, now has 22 thing that drivers do, so this is the highest flames began to erupt from his car. should. “When you have an accident like that, G race at the Lake Louise ski resort in World Cup victories, including 12 in Alberta, Canada on Sunday. —AFP regard of respect that we can have as driv- He escaped unhurt and was able to joke the radio from the car is automatically routed Super-G. He finished a disappointing ers,” he said in the video post. “This is like about being ‘near the barbecue’ after the race to race control, so that we get immediate 14th the day before in the downhill our jerseys. So here’s one of mine... as speculation mounted that his car’s ‘halo’ information. which was won by Max Franz of injury he suffered in training last “Great job this year and it’s a real pleasure cockpit protection device may have been “Drivers normally say ‘I’m fine’ or ‘I’m Austria. week. The win gives Kriechmayr the racing against you.” hampered his extraction. okay’. So we get that and we relay that to the His Norwegian compatriot and lead in the overall World Cup stand- Vettel said he had been “looking forward” That was quelled yesterday when Formula doctors on the way to the scene, so they know six time winner of the Super-G at ings with 130 points. Franz is second to making the swap with Hamilton for the first One’s official race director Charlie Whiting that he’s okay. “Then, they can take their time Lake Louise Aksel Lund Svindal with 122 and Jansrud third at 120. time. “Well done to you,” he responded. “Five said that the halo on his Renault had not to get the car righted and just let him get out. placed fifth with a time of 1:34.09. The next stop on the circuit is championships-that is a great achievement. I slowed his extraction at the Yas Marina Quite clearly, it’s one of the sort of accidents Hannes Reichelt of Austria was Friday at Beaver Creek, Colorado hope I stop you from any more.” As the pair Circuit. Hulkenberg had said he felt and was that the halo was designed to help with fourth with 1:33.96. where a downhill, Super-G and giant smiled and posed, Hamilton told Vettel he will “hanging like a cow” before he was rescued. because it provides more space for the driver Svindal was hampered by a hand slalom are on the programme. — AFP not “be able actually to use it” because the Asked if the halo was a problem in the once the car is upside down.” — AFP Alonso departs Ireland lead the charge for All with donuts, Blacks’ World Cup crown LONDON: Reigning champions New His Ireland counterpart and fellow praise and Zealand may remain the team to beat at New Zealander Joe Schmidt, a leading the 2019 World Cup in Japan but contender to succeed Hansen, was hav- November’s internationals confirmed ing none of it.

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