VALTTERI BOTTAS AND MERCEDES DOMINATE THE FINAL RACE OF 2017

WITH THE EXPECTED ONE-STOP ULTRASOFT-SUPERSOFT STRATEGY

ALL DRIVERS STOP JUST ONCE APART FROM WILLIAMS DRIVER LANCE STROLL, WITH VERY LOW WEAR AND DEGRADATION

TEAMS WILL SAMPLE PIRELLI’S 2018 P ZERO TYRES FOR THE FIRST TIME

 IN A TWO-DAY TEST ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY

Yas Marina, November 26, 2017 – The 2017 season concluded with a win for Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas from pole, using the expected ultrasoft-supersoft one-stopper.

The vast majority of drivers adopted this strategy, with the very low wear and degradation on the smooth asphalt of the Yas Marina circuit confirmed in the race, where track temperatures fell from daylight into darkness.

Just three drivers started on the supersoft, while Williams driver Lance Stroll was the only driver to stop more than once: making three pit stops in total.

MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF CAR RACING

“No surprises at all for anyone during the last race of the season, with Bottas taking a deserved win from pole using a one-stop strategy. Coming into this race, we thought there would be a wide pit stop window, and this proved to be exactly the case. We saw a few teams trying to gain track position by attempting to undercut their direct rivals, but on the whole, nobody could really make this tactic stick. Our attention now focuses firmly on 2018, with drivers remaining here to test the new tyre range for the first time, which we presented on Thursday. The softer compounds will be particularly well suited to this track, and it will be very interesting to see how the new hypersoft goes: what we learn from this test will start to influence where we nominate it next year.”

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