26th November 2017: The Circuit That Closed The Season

On this day’s episode of Chequered Past, we head to Yas Marina for two very different championship finales — one that restored confidence, and another that confirmed unstoppable dominance.We begin in 2017, where Valtteri Bottas delivered the most complete performance of his career, taking pole, victory and fastest lap to score his first Formula 1 hat-trick. As Mercedes closed out another title-winning season, Felipe Massa quietly bowed out of the sport with a final points finish, bringing a distinguished career to its conclusion.Then we celebrate the remarkable life of Desiré Wilson, the only woman ever to win a Formula 1 race of any kind. From her early triumphs in South Africa to her ground-breaking victory at Brands Hatch, Wilson’s story is one of courage, talent, and fierce determination in a sport that gave her too few opportunities.Finally, we revisit Abu Dhabi 2023, where Max Verstappen capped off one of the most dominant seasons in motorsport history with yet another controlled victory. With the constructors’ runner-up spot on the line, George Russell’s podium proved decisive for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc and Sergio Pérez fought to the very last lap.Three finales, decades apart — each revealing a different face of excellence.Cover image: By Morio - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, LinkSend us Fan MailMusic by #Mubert Music Rendering