Hamilton cruises to victory at season-ending Abu Dhabi GP

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — World champion Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory from pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, capping another stellar season with an 11th win and 84th overall.

The six-time Formula One champion is now only seven wins behind seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher’s record of 91, which he could realistically overtake next season.

After he made a clean start from a record-extending 88th career pole, Hamilton was untroubled as he won on the Yas Marina circuit for the fifth time — four with Mercedes and once when driving for McLaren in 2011.

He finished about 17 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in a race bereft of overtaking, except for Verstappen’s move on Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari on Lap 33.

Leclerc was third and just held off Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas, who climbed 16 places to fourth after starting last.