Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso will contest this weekend's season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix sporting a special one-off livery on his McLaren MCL33 to celebrate the end of his career in the premier single-seater series.
Racing in Formula 1 for 18 years after making his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, Alonso's time in the series will come to an end this weekend and in order to celebrate the Spaniard's success, McLaren has decided to commemorate the race in Abu Dhabi through a unique livery.
Maintaining McLaren's papaya colour scheme, the car will feature the iconic yellow, red and blue branding that appears on Alonso's helmet, applied across the engine cover while specially commissioned 'FA' insignia will feature on the top and sides of the cockpit.
“We’re incredibly pleased and proud to be able to race a special one-off livery for Fernando in Abu Dhabi this weekend," said McLaren team boss Zak Brown.
"We want his last grand prix to feel special in every way, and this was just one of the ways we could reflect that.
“We worked closely and collaboratively Fernando, and then with the FIA and Formula 1 to make the change for this one race, and they were all hugely supportive of the move.
“Hopefully, this will give Fernando’s fans a little something extra to look forward to at what is bound to be an especially emotional weekend.”
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will mark the first time that a McLaren has raced in a one-off livery since the 1986 Portuguese Grand Prix when Keke Rosberg raced in a yellow-branded car.
