Abu Dhabi GP 2009 - Yas Marina

[ringo]

I want him to be there next year, just that if i was in his place i would sit it out. Yes there is a chance he can beat Hamilton in a 1 off race but it's not a given, let's face it, he is 30 years old, he won't be as sharp as he use to be. He will have to repeat his best seasons, which is about 6 or 7 wins atleast 5 poles, and he is going to have to do that against arguably the sharpest tool in the shed in the same car.
We know he can beat 2nd tier guys any day of the week. But looking on it objectively, kimi will have to be at his best in all 19 races with the thought in the back of his head that he is going all out for less money. He will have to out drive someone head to head who has never been out driven. god help him [-o<

In this respect this is why i can't wait for this abu dhabi gp. The season could not have ended better. 2 KERS cars, both suited for this track, 2 drivers within 1 point of each other, both carrying the team on their backs with virtually no team mates frozen at 22 points a piece. 2 Mclaren drivers past and present, one championship a piece.
The width of the track will only make things more exciting, Spa 2008 all over again; but no run offs for you kimi
keep the car on the track, this aint rally bub.

[ISLAMATRON]

But come to think of it he will be a fool for racing. Ferrari will only give him 20 mil if he decides to race for another team, so he will be at a loss of 30 million.
That is a lot of money!
Unless another team pays him 30 million i don't see him racing next year; it's a no brainer, 50 million for sitting a year out is a gift. We have to convince ourselves what 30 million really is before we question kimi's actions.
I sure as hell would not be racing if i stand to lose a potential 30 mil, his wife and family could be pressuring him to sit 2010 out and spend the money with them
And going up against Hamilton in the Mclaren there is no way he is going to win a WDC, so the sacrifice will be in vain.

Let's see how he does in his final race in F1.

Where has it been written that Ferrari will pay him less if he drives for another team next year? I doubt Kimi and his mangers are stupid enough to take such a deal. Ferrari must pay him whether or not he drives next year.

And for those who think Kimi is unbeatable, please remember how Massa has been whooping him for the last season and a half.

And when it comes to LH vs Kimi, I really cant think of 1 good pass Kimi has put on Lou, but I can think of a highlight reel of LH over Kimi passes.... like I said before Kimi is Lou's favorite bitch... after Nicole of course.

[nipo]

If anybody thinks Alonso is any better than Kimi, consider the former's year at McLaren. If you say Kimi can't win a straight fight with Lewis, neither can Alonso.

Alonso is quick, no doubt about that. Is he the quickEST of them all? I am not so sure.

Back to Yas Marina - don't nobody think that the circuit has too many right-angle corners? I think those are a killer to an exciting race. It makes a circuit less flowing. Also, it doesn't have significant gradient changes (correct me if I am wrong), and I think this track tends to minimize the performance differential among drivers and cars.

Also regarding the first straight leading up to T8, I think it is always a waste to follow a long straight up with a chicane, overtaking-wise. On a single corner you could normally take a slightly wider line going in, build up speed earlier through the turn and hope that you can overtake on the next straight. But if it is a chicane instead, this outside-in move won't work because the "inside" of the first corner is the "outside" of the next, and you don't gain any advantage going side-by-side into a corner on the outside.

So my guess is we'll see some cars looking like they have the potential to overtake at T8, then the car in front brakes late, takes a defensive inside line, forcing the car behind to make the outside-in move which is bound to fail. I think we've seen a lot of that on other "modern" circuits.

Well, we still have the second straight...

[raceman]

there they go again, Kimi v/s Lewis

[WhiteBlue]

DC had a comment on Autosport which was interesting:

"You mentally get so used to all the modern tracks getting more and more run off, and then in Abu Dhabi suddenly the run offs are really short because of this Tecpro Barrier. You look at it and think, 'that doesn't look like much run-off'.

"Yet, I would happily trundle around Monaco and not even think about run-off. You always get used to a level of comfort and suddenly, if it is not there, you think about it - but does it actually affect your ability to do your work and the rest of it? It doesn't.

"So, I think there will be a few of the drives saying, 'this looks a bit tight'. But in many ways, they have got used to having tracks with lots of run off and you go to Suzuka, which is a track with not a lot of run-off, and kids are throwing it in the wall.

"I actually think we need an element of that in Formula 1 to maintain respect for the people out of the car - that if you drop it you are going to have a big shunt.

"Also for the drivers, there has to be a penalty for going off a circuit. It should not be a big crash that ends up hurting you, but there has to be a price to pay. And I think this track has redefined the FIA safety standards because of the safety barriers."

Brundle added: "I think it's good. What is refreshing is that it is not a car park with delineated kerbs. You can still whack the barriers there.

"Like at Suzuka, if you make a mistake then you pay the price. Those that didn't [in Japan] looked awesome didn't they? The real stars to me were showing up in Suzuka because it was bloody tough and hard for then - and Abu Dhabi if you make a mistake you will be in the wall.

"It is nice, because in some areas everything else is done to excess, that they have not created acres of run off and supermarket car park zones."

I have long been a fan of the tec pro barriers. They are not widely used because old tyres are cheaper. But they actually exceed the safety of tyre barriers by factors and not by percents.

Many circuits could be massively improved if the Tec Pros would be utilized more liberally. Canada and Brands Hatch come to mind. Suzuka and Barcelona would be other examples.

[roost89]

there they go again, Kimi v/s Lewis

Oh my, there's even a thread for it too

[alelanza]

So does anyone know why Yas 1.2 km straight is longer than china´s 1.3 straight?

[roost89]

So does anyone know why Yas 1.2 km straight is longer than china´s 1.3 straight?

It's like the Tardis, the straight appears shorter than it actually is when you're on it.

[zgred]

is the pitlane tunnel subject to the pitlane speed limit? if it is, i wonder if the driver can hold it through the tunnel. or if they will have to slow down a bit to make it though.

who knows, it might make for an interesting moment during the race. where would i go to place a bet on who crashes in the tunnel first?

The answer to that question is No. The pitlae line is just before the cars go down to the left hander into the tunnel. Meaning there could be a Hamilton @ Shanghai moment in the tunnel, but according to Force India there is suficent space in the tunnel if there is a accedent, its 7 meteres wide and from what i can see has a crane attached to the roof of it for extraction of any cars that choose to park for some reason in there.

Also a driver can make a significant ammount of time on the exit if the practice it enough in FP1, FP2 and FP3, id expect a driver could make up a place or two if they are really dialed inj.

It is not that narrow in fact. But it is not so difficult to imagine some stupid actions here

[gator]

It is not that narrow in fact. But it is not so difficult to imagine some stupid actions here

When I first watched the video and saw pictures of the pitlane tunnel entrance, I just pictured an over zealous driver understeering on cold tires right into the wall. Thats why I asked...

Just a few more days now!

[PlatinumZealot]

Back to Yas Marina - don't nobody think that the circuit has too many right-angle corners? I think those are a killer to an exciting race. It makes a circuit less flowing.

90 degree turns are going to make this race wicked! Thing about a right angle turn is that the apex is literally a single point jutting out. There is no rumble strip near your path to the apex.. just asphalt. More room/road near the apex. That means another car can squeeze inside meanwhile you are lining up your car on the far side of the track to take the best path.

That sounds right, right?

[alelanza]

So does anyone know why Yas 1.2 km straight is longer than china´s 1.3 straight?

It's like the Tardis, the straight appears shorter than it actually is when you're on it.

Hehe, makes sense then

[timbo]

It is not that narrow in fact. But it is not so difficult to imagine some stupid actions here

Imagine what Piquet Jr. could've done with it!

[Belatti]

whats this?

[ISLAMATRON]

A new type of curb and some astroturf to stop the drivers from using too much curb maybe?

Which turn is that?

edit, looks like the outside apex between turns 17 & 18