Abu Dhabi GP 2010 - Yas Marina Circuit

[marcush.]

Hamilton had all bases covered last year..RedBull was not even close ,considering Hamilton had brake issues from the word go..so why not having Lewis and Jenson right up there?It´s not like they did not win races on merit/speed this year.
My feeling is the final is not just Alonso vs Webber and Vettel deciding..it will be a bit more complicated

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Problem is tyres Marcush.

Mclaren may be able to live with Ferrari and maybe Red Bull over a lap, but a race distance? I dont think so, The track surface is newish and relatively unused, so tyre degredation will be higher than average right?

Lets see, Mclaren will be more competitive but not so much so that they can beat the Red Bulls.IMO

[Gerhard Berger]

No doubt Ferrari will be stronger relative Red Bull. But Mclaren will appear rejuvenated at this track. Hamilton will be able to challenge, because the Mclaren is a better package at Abu Dhabi than it was at Brazil.

The car is good in terms of "straightline" performance. Braking, accelerating and top end. However there are question about it tyre management and also downforce. The latter not really as big an issue at this track as it was in Brazil.

Not saying they will win, because I think Red Bull or Ferrari are still that much quicker. But They will be faster here.

one of the longest full throttle stints in F1 and Mclaren did not have the speed in Brazil, what will be different in Abu Dhabi? Lewis even asked if his f duct waas working their cars were so slow. I think others have caught up to their only advantage which was straight line speed.


I think it will be Alonso vs Vettel if RBR allows Vettel to race.

I think what was telling was the way Alonso was all over the back of Hamilton on the straights in the first couple of laps (he even outdragged him on the start/finish straight).

[Sean H]

Hamilton had all bases covered last year..RedBull was not even close ,considering Hamilton had brake issues from the word go..so why not having Lewis and Jenson right up there?It´s not like they did not win races on merit/speed this year.
My feeling is the final is not just Alonso vs Webber and Vettel deciding..it will be a bit more complicated

2 podiums in the last 6 races is why I discount LH. The cars seem to be letting both LH and Button down. He may finish 4th again, but that has no bearing on the championship.

I personally think Webber will choke. Either trying to out qualify his teammate or trying to press the issue early. Unless, Red Bull does team orders. He also hasn't won a race in over 3 months, which is ultimately what he needs to do here.

That leaves Alonso and Vettel to battle for the win and WDC. Afterall, those two drivers have won the last 5 races.

[forty-two]

Lewis even asked if his f duct waas working their cars were so slow. I think others have caught up to their only advantage which was straight line speed.

And yet, he was putting in fastest laps at the time. I think Lewis' perception was perhaps affected by his desire to be winning.

For example, have you ever noticed how the traffic on the road seems to be worse when you really need to get somewhere quickly, while if you actually look at your journey time it's usually about the same as normal?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Anyone have top speed figures?

[segedunum]

Hamilton had all bases covered last year..RedBull was not even close

Pardon? McLaren got on pole and in front with a large straight line speed advantage through KERS. Once the race was underway it was clear the Red Bulls were way too fast through corners for Hamilton to hold on to that lead.

[hollus]

I can't believe that I am saying this, and even giving tips, but Hamilton has a real shot at winning the WDC. He has nothing to lose, and sometimes just that is a powerful weapon. The top three have all to lose and much to gain too, so the name of the game should be play them against each other. Worth of the soap opera that F1 is. So I'll try to suggest a possible scenario:
LH qualifies on the hards, and comes 4th, or 5th behind Button, or even 6th behind Button and Massa. We have SV, MW and FA in the top three, pick your order. Now comes the most difficult part: stay close enough to get ahead after those three pit. Difficult but not impossible, possibly helped by a safety car. And then, stay ahead, just stay there, driving slowish, for ever (that is, as long as neccesary). Let SV, MW and FA get close to each other, pack them within 3 seconds and in dirty air, and there is a good chance that two will take each other out fighting for position between themselves. Then there is only one left to have bud luck and go out in smoke...
OK, enough crazy underdog strategies, but he IS in the chase, and at the very least, he might mess up with the fight between the top three.

[mach11]

this season has by far been the best season in the past 5 years ( apart from 2008 when massa and hamilton took it till the end)... the driver's title being decided in the last race... i mean... even though i have my University exams on the day of the race... i wont miss it...

Next year it is going to be a 20 race calender.... i hope that too goes down to the wire...

[mach11]

well if we are predicting the wildest possible race results... why not have rain... in the middle of the desert... you never know (global warming)....

[Gerhard Berger]

this season has by far been the best season in the past 5 years ( apart from 2008 when massa and hamilton took it till the end)... the driver's title being decided in the last race... i mean... even though i have my University exams on the day of the race... i wont miss it...

Next year it is going to be a 20 race calender.... i hope that too goes down to the wire...

Personally i think it is remarkable that, in a 19 round championship, we still have 4 drivers in contention for the WDC going into the final race.

[Gerhard Berger]

I can't believe that I am saying this, and even giving tips, but Hamilton has a real shot at winning the WDC. He has nothing to lose, and sometimes just that is a powerful weapon. The top three have all to lose and much to gain too, so the name of the game should be play them against each other. Worth of the soap opera that F1 is. So I'll try to suggest a possible scenario:
LH qualifies on the hards, and comes 4th, or 5th behind Button, or even 6th behind Button and Massa. We have SV, MW and FA in the top three, pick your order. Now comes the most difficult part: stay close enough to get ahead after those three pit. Difficult but not impossible, possibly helped by a safety car. And then, stay ahead, just stay there, driving slowish, for ever (that is, as long as neccesary). Let SV, MW and FA get close to each other, pack them within 3 seconds and in dirty air, and there is a good chance that two will take each other out fighting for position between themselves. Then there is only one left to have bud luck and go out in smoke...
OK, enough crazy underdog strategies, but he IS in the chase, and at the very least, he might mess up with the fight between the top three.

I think that is perhaps a little far fetched. However i do agree with your last line - he can fiht with the Red Bulls and Alonso during the race, and that could mess things up, particularly for the Red Bulls.

[marcush.]

Hamilton had all bases covered last year..RedBull was not even close

Pardon? McLaren got on pole and in front with a large straight line speed advantage through KERS. Once the race was underway it was clear the Red Bulls were way too fast through corners for Hamilton to hold on to that lead.

Hamilton did just 20 laps but stil was 3 rd quickest in the race with a car that was not raceworthy when pitting for tyres...and he went into the pits leading the race...I´d say he would have won this for that rear caliper/pad issue not happening.Not too shabby considering they had the slowest car at the start of the season.
that KERS factor was not really that much of a help it did perhaps claim back a bit of the potential lost by the clumsy baseproduct the Mclaren was in 2009..

[segedunum]

I don't follow Marcush. The two Red Bulls were stuck right behind Hamiltonfrom the start, Vettel passed him in the pits and Hamilton had no chance and did not have 'bases covered' - the point being that the Red Bulls are likely to go well at this circuit as they did at Brazil twelve months ago.

[Rob01]

Fernando has a practically unused engine for Abu.