Ending the Year in Brazil

The 2016B Model F1 World Championship came to a close in Brazil. Manor, having clinched both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, decided to “take it easy” for the final races of the season… a little too easy, if the last two races were any evidence.

Daniel Ricciardo won the pole for the final race of the season, while Carmen Jordá qualified 5th. Even with the pole, Ricciardo’s day ended on lap 25 with a retirement due to an engine failure. Meanwhile, Jordá was unable to crack the podium, finishing 4th and the last car on the lead lap. Although the Ferraris of Felipe Nasr and Nico Rosberg finished atop the two spots on the podium, they finished 27 points behind Manor in the WCC, who ended the year with 534 points. Ricciardo finished the year with 310 points, a 10-point advantage over Rosberg, while Jordá finished behind both Ferrari drivers with a 4th-place points finish (226 points).

“It wasn’t quite how we wanted to end the year,” Ricciardo stated. “But I’m happy to be a champion, that’s really all that matters. Looking forward to 2017!”

Christmas Chaos

In celebration of Christmas a few days after the GP, the entire MF1 garage got together in the paddock to exchange gifts in a Secret Santa event.

Ricciardo, whose Secret Santa was Haas’ Max Chilton, received a wool sweater with an American flag sewn on. In turn, he was the Secret Santa of Aston Martin’s Daniel Kvyat, to whom he gifted a new pair of sneakers.

Meanwhile, Jordá’s Secret Santa – Kevin Magnussen of Sauber – gave her a waffle iron. “In his defense, she makes some good waffles,” Ricciardo quipped. Jordá, who didn’t seem to be in the holiday spirit compared to her peers, gave her present to Rosberg… though it was intended for his wife: a new dress.

“I didn’t know what to get Nico, so I just thought I’d do something for his wife,” she commented.

As for team personnel, the Manor crew exchanged gifts among themselves and technical ally Red Bull, though most of Red Bull’s presents were – predictably – cases of Red Bull.