When you have world champions from across FIA motorsport events on one stage, it is a glorious sight indeed. You had Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton of Britain, World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) winner Jose Maria Lopez of Argentina, World Endurance Championship winning duo of Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi, the WRC2 and Middle East Rally champion Nasser al-Attiyah, world rallycross champion Petter Solberg, WRC Junior champion Stephane Lefebvre and Karting KF champion Lando Norris. Phew!

And each had a different story and highlight to share.

Hamilton has had a long, hard season fighting for supremacy with his Mercedes teammate before he raced to a victory in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit. “I have not had a chance to enjoy it yet,” Hamilton said. “It has been quiet busy, doing tons of interviews, radio and TV, I am enjoying it though. I would be happy to do that every year. And then to the factory to work on the next year’s car. I have been trying to fit in time for the family. I am actually looking forward to the break that’s coming, and maybe then I will party, for sure.”

Asked if he would have it easier, he said, “I don’t think you ever want easy. I think you always want to have a fight. And this year it was, but Nico’s car had an issue and then later on it was a different kind of pressure [in the Abu Dhabi race], I just had to defend. But it was great. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had. This one definitely feels sweeter than the first.”

Lopez’s championship win means that he has joined an illustrious list, which includes the name of Juan Manuel Fangio. Lopez is the first world champion in any motorsport from Argentina since Fangio’s F1 win in 1957.

For an icing on the cake, he also won both the races on home soil in Argentina in his Citroen. “It is a big thing in my country. Winning at home was the best moment of the year for me. When we arrived, there were 45,000 people in a venue which is very far from Sao Paulo. A lot of people came over in a bus to cheer for me, and then at the end of the day, I had a victory in both the races. When I arrived in the podium, everyone was singing the national anthem. It was amazing,” the 31-year-old said.

 

THEN and NOW

Lopez has enjoyed his journey from Cordoba in Argentina to this championship title. “I have seen a lot of rallies. I used to go two days before the stages with a tent to watch Sebastian Loeb and other drivers race. Then to have him next to me when I arrived for the Valencia test, early on I wanted to have a picture with him every time. But then I had to hold back. Even with Yvan (Muller) it was the same. But the good thing is that they received me well, like I was family already for a long time. So that helped me.”

For Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi, the WEC championship is their first since their karting days. “The last world championship that I really aimed for was in karting way back in 1996. So it has been a long time coming,” the Brit said. “It is easily the biggest thing I have won in my life. I have won a lot of big single-day races, but this is the first world championship. It was very sweet, and to have a team-mate to share that pleasure is great.”

Buemi has been racing around in Formula E, the new electronic car racing series, too. “There are eight races in WEC. From my point of view it is not enough, you always want to do more. It was good to combine with Formula E. They are completely different and can’t be compared but it is great,” the Swiss said.

Petter Solberg tasted world success again after more than a decade. “I was the WRC champion in 2003 but I still have the passion going and this time I am a champion in a different category – rally cross. I am still dreaming. When you are in a factory team (like in 2003 with Subaru), there are a lot of people you celebrate with. But this championship, it has been my own motivation, the number of people we have in the team is small. To be able to drag them in the same direction and for them to give their 110 percent with me is unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, the Australian Red Bull F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, who finished third in the championship behind Hamilton and Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg this season, is already looking forward to go better in the next season.

“This year was a big step forward. Obviously, the Mercedes were dominant. But I was able to score the other three wins. Once you have taken one step, you want to take more. I think Mercedes will be quick again this year, but the gap is for us to close. So I am looking forward to that,” the ever-grinning Australian said.

 

 

 

 

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