The National’s Sport cover for the Monday, November 24 issue, features Lewis Hamilton, moments after the Mercedes driver stormed to victory in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to claim the world title.
Click here for comphrensive coverage of all of the Formula One action from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
After 19 hotly contested races and 5,714 kilometres of grand prix racing, the 2014 Formula One world championship title was effectively decided on Sunday night by a 100-metre sprint from the start line to the first corner at Yas Marina Circuit.
Hamilton was crowned a two-time world champion under the floodlights in Abu Dhabi and on taking the chequered flag the British driver was congratulated over his team radio by a member of his country’s royal family.
“Thanks for not letting the British public down and not making the British public sweat,” Prince Harry said. “You are an absolute legend. Well done, mate.”
At any other venue on any other day, such a message may have seemed surreal.
Click here for Gary Meenaghan’s full report from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Hamilton, surrounded by stands filled with Union Jacks and fireworks exploding above the glittering Yas Viceroy Hotel, instead showed few signs of deference, screaming, “Wooohooooo, world champion. Oh my God, I can’t believe it.”
It was one of the biggest sport weekends of the year as the DP World Tour Championship also wrapped up in Dubai and the UAE football team was in action for the Gulf Cup of Nations semi-finals.
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