Abu Dhabi GP 2010 - Yas Marina Circuit

[Shrieker]

Pic of the year ?

[Green Genes]

Bulldoze this track. How many million dollars to bookend the season with parades in the desert? Feck.

Also, can't be happier to see the back of super soft Bridgestones that last 200km. The same strategy every race, bah. You never even got the sense watching the race that the soft tire was the fast-paced tire. Finish every race with empty tanks and set purple laps on hards. Silliness.

Also, ban wings. It's that simple.

Bah. I'm just grumpy things didn't end to my liking. Vettel's a little snot. But that's what it means to be a sports fan, no? To cheer the wins and lament the loses.

[Mandrake]

I don't like Horner and I'm not too keen on Mr Finger, but I think they played a blinder in this race. Webber happened to be the sacrificial lamb (what a surprise!), but I reckon they MIGHT have been being "fair" there too.

+1
agree on that, just don't sure yet, how RB persuaded Weber to do that.

I never had the impression throughout the whole race that Webber was sacrificed in any way. It was him touching the wall slightly and complaining about his graining rear tyres. RB made a quick call to get him into the pits which at the end of the day was the wrong decision for Webber. But since it came (at least it appeared to be like that on the TV) very spontaneous I doubt there was too much thought going into that strategy other than "This might benefit us cause new tires will be faster".

Vettel would have come in as well as soon as graining started, but his track position was far from optimal, that's why they waited with him and luckily his tires recovered from the graining and this was key to his championship win!

[Gerhard Berger]

I don't like Horner and I'm not too keen on Mr Finger, but I think they played a blinder in this race. Webber happened to be the sacrificial lamb (what a surprise!), but I reckon they MIGHT have been being "fair" there too.

+1
agree on that, just don't sure yet, how RB persuaded Weber to do that.

I never had the impression throughout the whole race that Webber was sacrificed in any way. It was him touching the wall slightly and complaining about his graining rear tyres. RB made a quick call to get him into the pits which at the end of the day was the wrong decision for Webber. But since it came (at least it appeared to be like that on the TV) very spontaneous I doubt there was too much thought going into that strategy other than "This might benefit us cause new tires will be faster".

Vettel would have come in as well as soon as graining started, but his track position was far from optimal, that's why they waited with him and luckily his tires recovered from the graining and this was key to his championship win!

I don't understand why they wouldn't bring Vettel in either because his tyres were going off and he was falling back into the clutches of Hamilton.

[Gerhard Berger]

Now that the season has ended and the dust has settled lets look back at a couple of the wild statements made by drivers:

Alonso, British GP: "We are going to win the championship."
Webber, British GP: "Not bad for a number 2." Quite an understated as finishing behind your teams lead driver is, I believe, a minimum requirement for a number 2 driver.

"He's certainly a very silly young man, quite frankly. OK, I'll say it, he's a dickhead."
Telling it like it is, Australia's transport official, Tim Pallas is asked for his opinion on Lewis Hamilton's improper driving ahead of the Grand Prix.

"We need to get rid of a few of those cripples."
Ever the diplomat, Bernie Ecclestone gives his view on how to manage the slower teams on the grid.

Anyone got any other driver quotes? Please keep this good humoured.

I'm not sure what's funny about the Alonso and Webber quotes. First of all, you have actually misquoted Alonso. What he said after the British GP was:

"Forty-seven points seem a lot, but we don't see it that way. Besides, before coming to Silverstone I trusted I could fight for the title, but we had to confirm that the car was working well at this track. And now after Silverstone, regardless of the points we have lost, the car was flying in the race, so now I believe I can win the title much more than I believed before."

Note that he never actually said he was going to win the championship. Alonso was spot on with this quote, and and his quote regarding podiums after Monza.

As for Webber, his quote was referring to his performance in the race.

[Green Genes]

I don't understand why they wouldn't bring Vettel in either because his tyres were going off and he was falling back into the clutches of Hamilton.

I think a long first stint was their plan A for both drivers, the one they worked out as optimal all else being equal. I don't think it came as a surprise to Redbull that the options would last so long. Perhaps Webber's were dropping off quickly, but then so were Vettel's until they came back to him.

If Webber had stuck to plan A he might have finished higher up the standings but not ahead of Alonso, and with the race developing as it did they decided to try plan B and pit earlier. An all or nothing sort of thing, with the excellent added benefit that it forced Alonso's hand.

It might be my pick for the tactical call of the year, come to think of it. Far from shoving Webber into traffic to gift Vettel the championship, Redbull spotted a win/win unfolding in front of them and they played their cards perfectly. If Plan B worked, Webber would jump Alonso, and if it didn't, Vettel would take the win.

Lightyears ahead of the sort of racecraft they seemed to be lacking even earlier this season. If it wasn't a fluke, if they can keep learning and developing at this rate, it could be the dawning of the age of Red Bull. Look for the FIA to start developing rules designed to stop the Newey-Vettel steam roller after their third back to back championship.

[gridwalker]

I think that they have started developing anti-Red-Bull regulations already : Note the sudden changes to long established wing flex tests ...

[raymondu999]

Actually, I wonder if there really is something with tyre management and Webber on this circuit. I remember Webber's tyres were shot to hell last year at the closing stages of Abu Dhabi, while Vettel was just flying. Won the race by 17 or 27 seconds from Webber, I can't remember which it was.

[komninosm]

I think that they have started developing anti-Red-Bull regulations already : Note the sudden changes to long established wing flex tests ...

What sudden changes? You mean for next season? Or the failed ones so far?
Red Bulls are cheaters and should have been dealt with sooner.
The rules say there's a limit to the flexing of the wings and FIA can create whatever tests it likes to check that flexing. The rules don't say what kind of testing can be done. Only the limits for the flexing. If FIA wanted to, they could use video evidence to penalise Red Bull.

[gridwalker]

The failed ones so far : the regs defining the FW tests have been static for many years, but were suddenly changed to deal with RB's flexibility.

I expect more to come.

[Giblet]

You sure they can use video evidence? I think that is wrong. They can only use the tests written in the rules, ie static load test.

[Tomba]

Go watch it again...
He immediately pushed the gas pedal then stopped realising that half the grid was coming at him and this was no time to make a U-turn on track. Stop trolling please.

Pushed the gas to stop the car sliding backwards and eventually continue turning until in the right direction again. That's an immediate reflective reaction. But there were too many crowded cars and he stopped.

Umm, that's what I said, he tried to make a U turn. Why are you arguing?

[...]

[komninosm]

You sure they can use video evidence? I think that is wrong. They can only use the tests written in the rules, ie static load test.

I vaguely recall reading a post in this forum that quoted the rules saying that tests can change. I'm not sure if they can only change to different static load tests (heavier load, or different position or orientation). Even if they can't change to different type tests, I'm sure a proper wing test can prove what the video footage shows is happening. Unless there is a secret button/lever that affects wing flexibility for race/testing and they are REALLY really cheating, but I hope it hasn't come to that. Nah, that's crazy talk. If they were found out doing that, they'd be... banned?

The way I see it video evidence can be at least used to interrogate. Let's say team A has a wing that looks normal, passes tests, then in the race it almost touches the ground on straights. I think FIA can then ask team A to formally explain that behaviour of their wing themselves. It's not only up to FIA to "catch" them cheating. IMO.

[Tomba]

[...]

[Green Genes]

Yeesh. Cyber egos. Say what you like about Schuey, I was just glad to see him walking and smiling afterwards. That was the scariest collision I've seen in a long while. Well no, scariest since Hungary '09. But still, he could probably taste that right front it was so close.

Did anybody else keep having visions of that wall out of turn 19 becoming the new wall of champions? Only part of the whole track I actually enjoyed watching. The sport as a whole needs more of those go-big-or-go-home corners.