Fire sprinklers sizzled through the start-finish straight of the 5.554km Yas Marina Circuit and was followed by an amazing display of fireworks of different hues and colors, that lit up the pitch-dark night sky.
And Lewis Hamilton, as is customary at the season-ending Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, celebrated by doing donuts, much to the delight of the packed main Grandstand.
The Briton, then parked up, stood on top of his Mercedes W10 car and patted it for a job well done. It had served him well, winning him a sixth world title this season. A little later, he took a selfie with the car, He duly gave it the perfect farewell, leading from lights to flag in the 55-lap race, for an utterly dominant victory in Abu Dhabi.
It capped another stellar season with this being his 11th win and the 84th of his career, and his 151st podium, in his 250th start.
This was also the 34-year-old’s fourth triumph with the Silver Arrows and his fifth overall in Abu Dhabi, making him the most successful driver in the UAE capital.
Hamilton, who had also logged the fastest lap, completed the race with a time of 1:34:05.715 seconds, +16.772 seconds ahead of second-placed Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing.
Hamilton wrapped the Drivers’ Standings with 413 points.
Hamilton also put the lap record to shade by conjuring the fastest lap of 1:39.283 to eclipse the 1:40.279 seconds, set by Sebastian Vettel in 2009, when the four-time champion drove for Red Bull.
