First of all a message from our sponsors, "Sportswashing is Us", without whose $$$ all this Middle Eastern Stuff would not happen
Yes I know Sportswashing and F1 go back to pre WDC days.... Hitler funding the Mercs and Audis in exchange for a few Swastikas would I guess now be seen as Sportswashing. Politics and F1's love of $$$ have been entwined for decades. Moving on....
The only way I could see of diverting from last weekends debacle was to start a thread for this weekend's race, so here it is. Wont be anything special as I have a bit on today....
Just to promote the Entertainment and Showbiz aspect I notice that Max and Lewis have been put together in the usual Thursday Press conferences schedule. Hmmmm. Its all about the entertainment and not the racing.....
Let the handbags fly......
Im not going to mention last weekend beyond the fact both drivers are now tied on points. As an aside, should neither driver finish Max will be WDC on Countback of more wins. Should both drivers finish in the points, he who finishes higher will be WDC. (Penalties and Protests aside)
I know we have had many close finishes to the WDC before, but I dont recall one quite so close through the season...although I think that Regga and Emmo were tied on points going into the last round in 1974, so this year is not a first in that respect. Obviously Emmo won out then.
It is actually I guess more remarkable for it to be happening this year given the ease of scoring points and 25points for the win over the 9 FTW and points only paid for 1-6 not 1-10 back then.
OK The Track
We know the track has had some mods to improve the racing. We know it will be faster, 10-15 seconds maybe. Its is a few hundred metres shorter now as well.
Two DRS zones might make it advantage Merc as they are two split by one corner. The second zone might be a problem for Max if Lewis still has the grunt of his relatively new engine.
The history given the new mods is less relevant than a normal race, but FWIW....
First Grand Prix
2009
Number of Laps
58
Circuit Length
5.281km
Race Distance
306.183 km
Lap Record
null null (null)
Yas Island
When was the track built?
In 2006, plans were announced to develop Yas Island, located just to the east of Abu Dhabi, into a new tourist destination, with a major part of the plans centring around a 5.5km race track. The diggers rolled into what would become the Yas Marina Circuit in May 2007, with the project completed by October 2009.
When was its first Grand Prix?
In 2009. The track debuted as that year’s Formula 1 season finale, with Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel winning from team mate Mark Webber and the already-crowned 2009 champion Jenson Button. Vettel would go on to secure his first title in Abu Dhabi a year later, amid much crying.
What’s the circuit like?
The Hermann Tilke-designed track is dominated by its 1.2km straight between Turns 5 and 6 – which, with slow-speed corners marking its beginning and end, makes it a honeypot for overtaking moves. Other highlights include the tricky run through Turns 10 and 11 into 12, which forces the drivers to brake hard with bags of lateral load still on the car. Track modifications ahead of the 2021 race, shortening the lap slightly to 5.28km, have only added to its excitement.
2020 highlights
If you want to see what happened last year here are the F1.com highlights. As usul with their stuff you need to watch on youtube.
Other than the track being new, McLaren had a (slightly) different livery for the race. Yes it is another money talks politically grey area as it is to do with Vuse, Vuse is the "Vaping" division of RJ Reynolds, and they are the market leader, claiming to "increase your vaping experience.
So a bit of when is smoking not smoking (given you still inhale and exhale smoke). I dont have an issue with smoking advertising.... I think long gone are the days when people smoke because its cool , and I dont believe seeing an ad is going to make a non smoker to rush out and buy a pack of smokes. Of course this new livery is nothing about the product other than brand association.... it is disguised as supporting young artists.
Smokewashing anyone?
Anyway the livery.... Given the background of the pics it is difficult to judge the livery. It will be less evident when on track.
Yes it is different but I much preferred the Gulf Oil one off they ran at Monaco.
TIMES.
Its one of those dusk start events , so not as unsociable in Aus as last weekends all nighter. Europe and US will I guess be in daylight, (P2, Qualy and Race start at midnight Aus Eastern Time)
TYRES.
https://press.pirelli.com/2021-abu-dhab ... --preview/Words from Pirelli....
WHY WE’VE CHOSEN THE TYRES
The longest-ever Formula 1 season concludes with its 22nd race, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After two new venues in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the Yas Marina circuit is a more familiar challenge – although the track has been quite significantly modified this year. Nonetheless, based on simulation and other data, the same tyre compounds have been nominated as in 2020: the C3 as the P Zero White hard, C4 as the P Zero Yellow medium, and C5 as the P Zero Red soft.
The changes to the track, which have been designed to provide more overtaking opportunities, will increase speeds and loads through some corners. However, as the circuit will still be smooth, with average stress on the tyres in terms of wear and degradation, the three softest compounds in the P Zero range remain a suitable choice.
TRACK CHARACTERISTICS
Several changes have been introduced to the circuit layout, which was previously unaltered since its debut in 2009. Early in the lap, the chicane that formed Turns 5 and 6 will be bypassed with a straight. The following hairpin has been brought forward and widened, increasing the speed carried onto the subsequent straight. A long and slightly banked turn has been created to replace the technical complex of corners (Turns 11-14) that existed previously. Near the end of the lap, the four tight corners that route the track around the Yas Marina hotel (Turns 17-20) have all been opened up and made faster.
These changes have shortened the circuit by 273 metres, which means the race distance has been increased from 55 to 58 laps and lap times will fall by an estimated 14 seconds.
As usual, the race will begin just before sunset and run into darkness, with track temperatures falling quite quickly: in turn affecting tyre behaviour. FP2 and qualifying are the only two relevant sessions, with the other two free practices run in the heat of the day.
Last year’s winning strategy, with the same tyre nomination, was a medium to hard one-stopper: the same tactic used by all the top three. Only three drivers stopped more than once, and it was the sixth consecutive time that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had been won from pole.
Im not about to go through all the innuendo, threats and potential scenarios. We know there will likely be drama, and it might not all be pretty.
I just hope that we have a sensible race, one not compromised by driving stands, penalties or stuff like that. I dont want to be waiting until after the start of next season whilst the lawyers and courts decide this years winner. I dont want a race decided by mechanical issues, grid penalties or some of the issues we have got used to of late.
Neither of them are Saints. May the best man win.
Oh just a final thing for those in the UK I have read that Channel 4 are negotiating for them to be allowed to broadcast the race live on FTA, so for the likes of @Star who usually wait for the Ch4 highlights, kee an eye on the news . You might be in for a pleasant surprise.
Discuss away.
