The Formula 1 paddock united on💯 Saturday night in Abu Dhabi to bid farewell to Fernando Alonso in a special event that saw both the sport's bosses and the Yas Marina Circuit honour the﷽ Spaniard ahead of his final grand prix start.

Two-time 🌞F1 world champion Alonso will exit the sport following Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but has left the door open to a potential return in the future, and is set to remain involved with McLaren's F1 interests.

In a special event held in the Abu Dhabi paddock, Alonso was shown a number of video messages from integral figures from his F1 care🅺er including Luca di Montezemolo, Flavio Briatore, Stefano Domenicali and Zak Brown, as well as on-track rivals and teammates such as Sebastian Vettel, Felipe Massa, Giancarlo Fisichella and Kim🅺i Raikkonen.

Alonso was also presented with a special edition print by F1 CEO Chase Carey and commercial boss Sean Bratches, while the Yas Marina Circuit announced it would be leaving the artwork put up in the drivers' briefing room for hi🌠s final race intacﷺt, renaming it the 'Fernando Alonso Drivers' Briefing Room'.

"Even if I will try and I will dr🃏ive different series, and I will try to race around the world, I think my life will always be with Formula 1. I will always be a Formula 1 driver, or an ex-Formula 1 driver," Alonso said.

"My driving style, my philosophy on driving, my skills to drive a racing car will always be behind a Formula 1. I love this sport. I fell in love a🧔t a very early age, looking at my icons and my idols.

"I’m happy that I𝔉 will be around, maybe not driving the car but I will always be a Formula 1 fan."

Mic just failed briefly at Alonso’s goodbye party. “OK✅, that’s just part of my career...” he deadpans

— Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1)

"On behalf of Formula 1, I want to say how special this is. Sports are built on heroeꦅs, champions, stars, and Fernando is all of those and more," said Carey.

"You’ve been a hero to people around the world, you have fans around the world. We coul𓆏dn’t be more appreciative of everything you have done for the sport, and we hope you will continue to if not race in a car with us, continue to be a part of our family and be a part of what makes Formula 1 so special.

"It’s been a privilege to have the opportunity to watch you race, a🥂nd to watch what you’ve done and watch what you’ve achieved."

Carꦦey finished by saying: "Try and ge♔t back in a car sometime!"

Asked how he would like to be remembered in F1, Alonso said: "As a fighter, as a guy that never gives up. I’ve been driving very good cars, I’ve been driving slower cars but with the same moti🌃vation, the same ambition and the same love for raci🌼ng.

"I race every week of my lꦍife. Sometimes it’s here in this paddock, some other weekends it’s on a go-kart track, some others in sports cars, if 💖not in the video games. I’m a full time race driver. That’s probably the way I hope people will think about me in the future."

Alons𒁃o will make his final start from 15th on the grid on Sunday.