Stoffel Vandoorne says his McLaren Formula One car handled like "a rally car" during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after encountering damage early on in the race.
While Fernando Alonso rounded out a difficult 2017 campaign with a points finish in ninth place, Vandoorne finished three positions and over a minute behind his McLaren teammate in 12th.
The Belgian lost ground at the start and was seen running wide in the final sequence of corners at the end of the opening lap. He reckons the damage he picked up on the first lap ultimately led to the handling issues he faced throughout the grand prix.