Abu DhabiGP/Fernando Collects £800 & can pass go Thread - Contains Quali & Race spoilers

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Yas Marina wants for nothing in terms of facilities. If only the same could be said of its track.

Track data: Yas Marina

Lap length 5.554km (3.451 miles)
Grand prix distance 305.355km (189.739 miles)
Lap record (race) 1’40.279 (Sebastian Vettel, 2009)
Fastest lap (any session) 1’38.434 (Lewis Hamilton, 2011, qualifying two)
Tyre compounds See drivers’ choices
2015 Rate the Race 5.25 out of 10
2015 Driver of the Weekend Sergio Perez
Yas Marina track data in full

But the circuit which has the honour of holding this year’s title-deciding race leaves everything to be desired when it comes to challenging the world’s best drivers and cars.

It’s wide, smooth, flat and – aside from a pair of lengthy straights – slow. Whatever brief the track designer was given, showcasing F1 at its best was not it.

“It’s not the most thrilling of tracks,” says master of understatement Daniil Kvyat, “as many of the corners are very similar”. Other drivers have been similarly dismissive of its untaxing, stop-start nature.

The track has produced few riveting races since it first appeared on the calendar in 2009. The surprise outcome of the 2010 title-decider and Sebastian Vettel’s race through the field two years later stick in the mind. But last year’s forgettable finale was more typical of what we’ve come to expect from this venue.

Abu Dhabi’s stable climate means we can discount the possibility of surprising weather changes playing a role in Sunday’s championship finale. But Pirelli’s decision to bring its most aggressive tyre selection could offer the drivers new strategic options this year.

A lap of Yas Marina


From the start line the drivers arrive quickly at turn one. This is the first of many 90-degree corners but is quicker than the rest, typically taken in fourth gear. Accelerating out of the left-hander the drivers approach what passes for the most interesting section on the track – the flat-out sweep through turns two, three and four.
The pit lane entrance joins the track at this point and we have seen some near-misses as drivers blend in with traffic. Fernando Alonso took a punishing ride over the kerbs here in 2013.

As the drivers leave turn four at speed they are quickly upon the next sequence of corners: a slow chicane followed by a hairpin. “You go down the hill, braking into six – very tricky braking turning into six, then straight away into seven,” explains Romain Grosjean. “You need to be well positioned for the hairpin going down the back straight. It’s tricky to get the car to turn.”

Two long straights separated by the turn eight/nine chicane follow. “Again you need to be well positioned between the left and right-hand side corners,” says Grosjean. “Then it’s another straight line on to 11, 12 and 13. It’s a triple chicane and as soon as you exit that part you go flat out then brake for turn 14, which is a 90-degree left-hand side corner.”


Following the tricky curved approach to turn 17 the final sector of the lap involves a sequence of slow bends, most of which are right-angles. “As soon as you go out of 17 you have to brake again for 18,” says Grosjean. Two left-handers lead them beneath the Yas Viceroy hotel, with a “tricky exit” as the cars straighten up ahead of the final pair of bends.
“The second to last corner is good,” comments Grosjean. “It’s high speed in fourth or fifth gear.”

After that the run-off area at the final corner invites drivers to run wide. “The last corner is very tricky,” Grosjean explains. “It’s very wide on the entry phase with the pit lane on the right-hand side. It’s not easy to find a line.”

[dyrewolfe]

Be interesting to see what the fallout is (if any) from Kvyat taking out Vettel (again), this time with 2 shunts in quick succession, as well as throwing a spanner into Ricciardo's race.

Has Kvyat overstepped the Marko?

An Austrian, 73-year-old Dr Marko is the head of Red Bull's driver development programme, which supports promising drivers in junior formula with the best progressing to its two Formula 1 teams - Red Bull and Toro Rosso.

He was a driver himself and won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1971 before a brief Formula 1 career was ended a year later at the French Grand Prix when a stone thrown up by Emerson Fittipaldi's Lotus pierced his helmet visor, blinding him in his left eye.

Dr Marko is not afraid of bruising egos and has had some blunt words for notable drivers.

In January 2013, in the company's own magazine, he said then Red Bull driver Mark Webber "falls relatively easily into a downward spiral" while two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was "busy with politics and funny comments".

It would take a hard heart not to feel some sympathy for Daniil Kvyat after the Russian Grand Prix.

It was his 22nd birthday on the Tuesday before his home race.

He was blown away in qualifying by team-mate Daniel Ricciardo for the fourth consecutive time this season.

He was at fault in two crashes with Vettel in two corners at the start of the race. The first of these wrecked Ricciardo's race. The second put Vettel into the wall.

And, as Vladimir Putin watched from the stands, the country's racing poster boy trailed to the finish in 15th place.

Kvyat's problems are bigger than that, though. They are that a hard heart is exactly what beats in the chest of Red Bull's notoriously ruthless motorsport chief Helmut Marko.

Kvyat is a very decent F1 driver, but he knows he is driving for his career this season. In the drinks company's junior team - for which Kvyat himself drove two years ago - are two highly promising young stars.

One of them, 18-year-old Dutchman Max Verstappen, is already being touted as a future world champion, and attracting the attention of other top teams.

Verstappen is under contract for next season. But if they do not want to him to be attracted by the bright lights of, say, Ferrari, Red Bull will surely have to promote him next season. Now, there are rumours it could happen sooner than that.

[Fernando]

[GSC]

Verstappen and Kvyat likely to swap places for the Spanish GP apparently

[Jermaine2015]

Wow Red Bull Racing really hold no prisoners. Poor old Daniil Kvyat just on the podium 4 weeks ago has been demoted back to Toro Rosso. Can't really see Kvyat having any future at Red Bull with Pierre Gasly waiting in the wings.

Now let's see what young Max can do at the factory Red Bull team.

[Guest]

I'd expect Ricciardo to show how much farther Max still has to go, in terms of development. Max has done nothing to suggest he's leaps & bound above Sainz as of yet, he's still petulant & inexperienced from what I've seen this season. This is more to secure him long term, than anything.

Let's not forget, Kyvat achieved a podium in China three weeks ago, so to see him removed, is fairly bad treatment, for just one incident in which he was in the wrong. Will Max get this tough treatment after he makes a mistake..... I don't think so.

[Jermaine2015]

Verstappen might act like a little child(he's still pretty much a child) but he has proper speed. So he'll keep Ricciardo on his toes.

[dyrewolfe]

Verstappen and Kvyat likely to swap places for the Spanish GP apparently

Not just the Spanish GP...

Max Verstappen replaces Daniil Kvyat at Red Bull for rest of season


I think they are understandably worried about their relationship with the other teams and general negative publicity, if Kyvat continues having these incidents. Shame, as he'd been driving reasonably well, apart from that.

I also think RB are motivated by Ferrari and Mercedes' reported interest in Verstappen, whose contract runs out at the end of next season. Maybe they think giving him a run in the senior team will help them hang on to him.

[GSC]

I would suggest its 99% the 2nd one.

[dyrewolfe]

I'd expect Ricciardo to show how much farther Max still has to go, in terms of development. Max has done nothing to suggest he's leaps & bound above Sainz as of yet, he's still petulant & inexperienced from what I've seen this season. This is more to secure him long term, than anything.

Let's not forget, Kyvat achieved a podium in China three weeks ago, so to see him removed, is fairly bad treatment, for just one incident in which he was in the wrong. Will Max get this tough treatment after he makes a mistake..... I don't think so.

Only because his dive up the inside of Vettel took Seb out of the race and forced Kimi to pit for a new nose. Ricciardo has generally been out-performing Kvyat by some margin, so at worst RB will be getting a replacement of similar ability, if not better.

Also, managing to hit Vettel twice in the space of 2 corners (in the very next race) is fairly bad driving, so I think some sort of punishment is justified. Maybe his head isn't in the right place at the moment and a spell back at TR will help him re-focus, or unlearn any bad habits he has picked up.

[Guest]

That dive up the inside was brilliant, ruthless driving. He didn't touch Vettel at all & the paddock were even praising Kyvat for the move & in bewilderment at Vettel's post race rant. If Hamilton had done it, people would be saying, 'that's why he's a champion'. He did it & achieved a podium, had he not done it, he would of been nowhere.

Reality is Kyvat is not the golden boy. RB have used this opportunity as an excuse to achieve their long term goal, of promoting Max, before he joins Ferrari.

[Guest]

Hamilton using his fourth MGU-H already this season & has already used three elements of his turbo-charger, whereas Nico has only used one element of each part of the power unit. That will be key later in the season, an inevitable penalty heading Lewis' way + one more reprimand is a 10 place grid penalty for Lewis too

[dyrewolfe]

That dive up the inside was brilliant, ruthless driving. He didn't touch Vettel at all & the paddock were even praising Kyvat for the move & in bewilderment at Vettel's post race rant. If Hamilton had done it, people would be saying, 'that's why he's a champion'. He did it & achieved a podium, had he not done it, he would of been nowhere.

Reality is Kyvat is not the golden boy. RB have used this opportunity as an excuse to achieve their long term goal, of promoting Max, before he joins Ferrari.

I didn't say it wasn't good driving - just that it had consequences that helped him considerably. I do have issues with the word "brilliant" though. It would have been brilliant had he managed to avoid causing an incident. As it was I would call it "opportunistic".

Personally I just viewed it as an unfortunate racing incident. When you've got that many cars bunched together, there is usually a collision. It just looked bad for Kvyat that his legitimate, but risky move ended up taking Vettel out of the race and effectively ended Kimi's chances of getting a decent result.

Had he not done it, he still had a good chance of finishing well in the points. The RB has one of the best chassis, if not the best engine.

In any case, it was still far more excusable than what he did to Vettel in Russia.

[dyrewolfe]

Ferrari quickest in 1st practice - though they have been running the soft tyre, unlike Mercedes, who opted for the medium.

Rosberg half a second slower - pretty impressive, considering the medium tyre is meant to be a second a lap slower. Hamilton under 0.2 sec behind him.

Verstappen seems to be adjusting to the RB quite well - less than 2 tenths slower than Ricciardo.

Kvyat won't be a happy bunny - only 12th quickest and 0.5 sec slower than team mate Sainz.

[Guest]

If Ferrari suddenly become competitive then Hamilton would become the second driver, with Rosberg the favoured driver. Everything suggests this should be another race for Rosberg as Mercedes try to sort out Hamilton's engine issues. At the moment Mercedes are fully supportive of Hamilton saying that the issues have originated on the engineering side rather than the drivers side.

[Guest]

Lol to that entire post above, with 17 races to go or to the even laughable suggestion it was driver fault.

[Guest]

Verstappen proving he is different quality to Kvyat. Verstappen in his first run out for Red Bull now challenging and beating Ricciardo in the pre-race testing.

[Guest]

Ricciardo showing who's still the boss

Hamilton on pole

[GSC]

Nailing the starts going to be key, because you know Verstappen is going to divebomb the **** out of turn 1.

[dyrewolfe]

Good response by Hamilton...now he just needs to nail his start tomorrow, or else Rosberg and both the Red Bulls could be a major threat.

RB look to have made big strides since Russia, relegating Ferrari to 3rd best team, by some margin.

Good job by Alonso to get into Q3 and make top 10 on merit (no penalties to anyone ahead of him).


All we need now is for there to be an actual race up front. Imagine there will at least be quite a scrap between Ricciardo and Verstappen.

[Guest]

Hamilton seemed to find some extra speed from nowhere. At least he is getting the poles when he has no penalties or engine failures to deal with.

[Guest]

Hamilton seemed to find some extra speed from nowhere.  At least he is getting the poles when he has no penalties or engine failures to deal with.

You kind of answered it yourself. He hasn't found extra speed from anywhere, it's always been there. He's just had a car that has failed him in two qualifying sessions. Let's not forget, Nico Rosberg has not actually beaten Lewis Hamilton in qualifying this season, in a fair battle, hence why Lewis has just stated, 'that's three for three this season'.

[Guest]

Hamilton is finished, await the abuse now

[Jermaine2015]

Lewis overrated Hamilton bottles it again

[GSC]

Can't wait for Lauda postrace.

Great chance for Verstappen to make a statement. RB have it in the bag surely

[Guest]

Once again, the issue is a poor start for Lewis. He was never going to not make that move, given how slow Rosberg was.

Lauda 'Completely unnecessary & unacceptable. Lewis too aggressive & a miscalculation'

[GSC]

It was a suicidal move unless hes banking on Rosberg to let him through.

That door was always going to be slammed shut. The GP is 66 laps, I'd be furious if I were a Merc boss.

[GSC]

Vettel has the pace to get at the RBs here. Could be some fun.

[nathan]

I always thought you had to leave a cars width?

[GSC]

If alongside. Nicos entitled to pick his line

[Guest]

You do. Brundle & Anthony Davidson side with Lewis & say he had the right to make the move & Nico should have left the cars width.

[nathan]

If alongside. Nicos entitled to pick his line

Surely that's incorrect, he's allowed to make one blocking move but you have to give a cars width when it's not the racing line (which it wasn't)

[GSC]

He only has to leave a cars width if Hamiltons actually up the inside, he wasn't.

[Jermaine2015]

The boss of Mercedes AMG has just confirmed on German television that Nico Rosberg has signed a new contract for 2017.

[nathan]

He only has to leave a cars width if Hamiltons actually up the inside, he wasn't.

He was, his front wing was alongside nico's car and the rules state you have to give a cars width.

Look at the photo in this tweet...

https://twitter.com/andrewbensonf1/status/731829543770697729

[nathan]

For me it's 80% rosbergs fault and 20% Hamiltons fault

[Guest]

The more data & images the experts have looked at, are siding with Lewis more.

As for the race, only a matter of time before Kimi divebombs at turn 1, he simply won't care

[Guest]

Verstappen has won. RB strategy cost Ricciardo the win

[Guest]

The incident happened so quickly and was on part of a complex of fast turns that it is difficult to blame Rosberg for that one. As the one behind Hamilton in my opinion has to take the blame. However if Rosberg was moving and overly slowing at the same that will need to be looked at. But as a first thought one has to side with Nikki Lauda's comment - it was too risky a move too early in the race when Rosberg was clearly in front and Hamilton behind.

[CaledonianCraig]

First up - cracking drive by Max. Driver of the day by a mile.

The other big talking point was the Rosberg V Hamilton crash and it will be intriguing to see how Mercedes apportion blame. The general consensus of opinion is that neither driver comes of it smelling of roses. A bit of a bonsai move by Hamilton but Rosberg not being aware and giving him room also wasn't good. So how do Mercedes handle this? If they take sides it alienates one driver and if that driver that is blamed is Hamilton it will add fuel to the fire for those who swear Rosberg is the favoured man this year (not that I agree with that).

[Guest]

Rosberg did leave the door open though on the inside line, and would have seen Hamilton making the move, but it happened so quickly. The key is whether one was overly slow or the other overly fast leading into the corner ahead and whether this part of the circuit is the best place for overtaking. It is definitely a tricky one. However I suspect Mercedes have clear rules as to what happens when the two drivers find themselves in such a situation ... and I suspect Hamilton will be found at fault.

Again a poor start from Hamilton handing the initiative to Rosberg. "Three out of three" for Rosberg overtaking Hamilton off the start line.

[Guest]

Dream start for Verstappen.  There is going to be a fight for his services.  Red Bull's decision seems to have been "inspired" and the rumours that Ferrari and maybe others were considering poaching him may have been true. However Red Bull have a history of making the right moves when it comes to taking a risk on up and coming young drivers.

[Gregers]

How cam sky possibly say that it was rosbergs fault? Never a gap there for Lewis and a truly stupid move from him.

What a performance from max though!

[dyrewolfe]

First up - cracking drive by Max. Driver of the day by a mile.

The other big talking point was the Rosberg V Hamilton crash and it will be intriguing to see how Mercedes apportion blame. The general consensus of opinion is that neither driver comes of it smelling of roses. A bit of a bonsai move by Hamilton but Rosberg not being aware and giving him room also wasn't good. So how do Mercedes handle this? If they take sides it alienates one driver and if that driver that is blamed is Hamilton it will add fuel to the fire for those who swear Rosberg is the favoured man this year (not that I agree with that).

Congrats to Verstappen - amazing win for him in the circumstances. Okay it was a big help that the Mercedes went out on the first lap, but considering he'd only driven the car for a couple of days beforehand and had Kimi, Seb and his team mate within 6-7 seconds of him for most of the final stint, is pretty amazing. Youngest ever GP winner and first Dutchman to win a F1 race.

First time I've ever heard the Dutch national anthem...

Won't say it vindicates Marko's decision to promote him to the team (one swallow not making a Summer etc.) but he has certainly shown the potential he has and that he will take opportunities when presented with them. Would expect him to get a few more podiums at least, when Rosberg and Hamilton manage to stay on track.

My own personal take on the Mercedes incident is that more of the blame lies with Rosberg, as he ran Hamilton off the track and onto the artificial turf, which caused Hamilton to lose control, thus taking them both out...instant karma if ever there was a case. You can get away with that when there is a run-off area, but not in this case.

Rosberg came out of the corner wide and drifted to the middle, at which point Hamilton made the decision to go up the inside. His front wheel was at least level with Rosberg's rear. Nico must have seen him, yet still chose to swerve violently right to the edge of the track, leaving Hamilton nowhere to go but the grass. On the one hand you could say Lewis should have backed out, but I'm also pretty sure the rules say you're meant to leave a car's width when defending your position, so as not to force the other car off the track.

Overall there's probably enough doubt that it will be treated as a racing incident. Doesn't affect the championship hugely, although Kimi has moved above Lewis into second place. Vettel and Verstappen also catching up.

[dyrewolfe]

Rosberg did leave the door open though on the inside line, and would have seen Hamilton making the move, but it happened so quickly.  The key is whether one was overly slow or the other overly fast leading into the corner ahead and whether this part of the circuit is the best place for overtaking.  It is definitely a tricky one.  However I suspect Mercedes have clear rules as to what happens when the two drivers find themselves in such a situation ... and I suspect Hamilton will be found at fault.

Again a poor start from Hamilton handing the initiative to Rosberg.  "Three out of three" for Rosberg overtaking Hamilton off the start line.

Hardly a poor start by Hamilton - he and Rosberg were pretty much neck and neck going into the first corner.

[Guest]

Once again, the issue is a poor start for Lewis. He was never going to not make that move, given how slow Rosberg was.

Lauda 'Completely unnecessary & unacceptable. Lewis too aggressive & a miscalculation'

Rosberg did leave the door open though on the inside line, and would have seen Hamilton making the move, but it happened so quickly.  The key is whether one was overly slow or the other overly fast leading into the corner ahead and whether this part of the circuit is the best place for overtaking.  It is definitely a tricky one.  However I suspect Mercedes have clear rules as to what happens when the two drivers find themselves in such a situation ... and I suspect Hamilton will be found at fault.

Again a poor start from Hamilton handing the initiative to Rosberg.  "Three out of three" for Rosberg overtaking Hamilton off the start line.

Hardly a poor start by Hamilton - he and Rosberg were pretty much neck and neck going into the first corner.

Well John's earlier comment that you ignored seems to be in disagreement with your opinion. Hamilton was clearly behind Rosberg leading into the incident - so how do you explain that given Hamilton was on pole?

[CaledonianCraig]

I'd say both are equally to blame and the stewards will pass it off as a racing incident. Both drivers probably feel a modicum of guilt so neither will be feeling comfortable and reckon they will both take what comes. I think you can tell that by both drivers reaction. Neither dashed over to the other shaking fists or apportioning blame. Both looked sheepish and made a hasty and discrete as possible exit from the scene.

[Fernando]

Im so proud of you guys it's taken 4 years but debating without insults

Not convinced Hamilton would of made the corner even if Nico left room personally calling it 50-50 although German Media suggesting Hamilton has said it's his fault.

[nathan]

How cam sky possibly say that it was rosbergs fault? Never a gap there for Lewis and a truly stupid move from him.

What a performance from max though!

Which race were you watching?

There was a gap there, Hamilton put his car in it and Rosberg closed it without looking. You have to give a cars width of space.

I still maintained most blame is at Rosberg, but it was still a risky move by hamilton

[Guest]

I'd say both are equally to blame and the stewards will pass it off as a racing incident. Both drivers probably feel a modicum of guilt so neither will be feeling comfortable and reckon they will both take what comes.

I suppose racing line is also going to be important.  Rosberg seemed to be taking the middle of the road - in a sort of blocking move possibly (unless he was just taking the racing line).  Hamilton had to make a decision whether to stay behind or attack.  He made a move and Rosberg made a move.  But everything happened so fast.  I think it was a racing incident but that won't satisfy Mercedes who will only be interested in preventing this type of situation from happening again.  The collision clearly benefits Rosberg - although I am sure he would have preferred finishing the race even if that meant being second.  Rosberg is holding all the cards this season - with Hamilton also carrying potential penalties in terms of warnings issued and engine parts used.

[Guest]

No penalties for either Mercedes driver

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