Abu Dhabi thread containing spoilers

[Fernando]

The modern Yas Marina circuit welcomes Formula 1 for the 17th round of the 2013 season this weekend.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix made its debut in 2009 with its unique 55 lap race. Drivers line up on the grid as the sun sets and take the checkered flag under starry skies. As F1’s only day to night race, floodlights are used to create a seamless transition.

Cars pass the glamorous Marina, drive by the huge Ferrari World theme park and pass under the beautiful Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi hotel en route to the start/finish line.

Sebastian Vettel heads to Abu Dhabi as the only two-time winner of the race and a newly crowned quadruple world champion. He took victory in 2009 – the inaugural race – and 2010. The latter subsequently sealed him his first world title.

Lewis Hamilton has always performed strongly at the track and was robbed of victory in 2009 and 2012 due to mechanical failures. However he did win the race for McLaren in 2011 after a rare dose of bad luck pitched pole-sitter Vettel out of the race on lap one.

Kimi Raikkonen took advantage of Hamilton’s woes last year to take the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory – his first race win for Lotus and the 19th of his career. He had a storming start and inherited the lead from Hamilton on lap 20. Alonso finished in second, helping to take the title fight to the next round in Brazil, with championship leader Vettel recovering to third after starting from the pit lane.

The circuit isn’t usually renowned for hosting thrilling Formula 1 races, but the 2012 round was just that after a number of dramatic moments and – unusually – plenty of overtaking. Let’s hope for the same this weekend.

A lap of the 3.450mile circuit starts with a run down the medium length pit straight. Turn one is a 90 degree left-hander that is taken in third gear. It is a tight corner that can catch drivers out at the start of the race.

A short straight follows before the fast sixth gear left that is turn two. This flat out corner leads on to the long right-hander of turn three, taken in sixth gear and at 254kph. It is one of the trickiest corners on the circuit with its long radius that can cause tire graining. Unusually, the pit exit feeds in to the third corner as it goes under the circuit at turn one.

It is the only track on the 2013 calendar that includes a tunnel in the pit exit. With the track being anticlockwise and the pit lane being on the right of the pit straight, the tunnelled exit enables cars to re-join the track on the left. Drivers have to negotiate a tight downhill hairpin and a left-hand kink to exit the pit area.

Turn four is a barely-there corner that leads in to the second sector. The next three corners are tight and tricky with a big braking zone for the left-right chicane of turns five and six. It is a decent overtaking opportunity, particularly on the first lap, but the narrow track can cause contact – we saw this in 2010 with Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and Vitantonio Luizzi.

Turn seven is a second gear, 70kph hairpin. Good traction is vital for a good exit, in order to propel cars down the long back straight. Cars reach 316kph on the run to turn eight and spend 1,000 meters on full-throttle. This is where the first DRS zone is positioned and its detection point is set just prior to the hairpin.

Turn eight is a slow second gear hairpin that leads immediately on to the right of turn nine. This is arguably the strongest overtaking place on the circuit due to the heavy braking zone and the DRS. The run-off area for the eighth corner actually runs under the large grandstand that is situated at the end of the straight.

The second DRS zone arrives just after the turn 10 kink, giving drivers a good burst of speed on the following straight. Turns 11 and 12 make up a challenging left-right chicane that is immediately followed by a third gear left-hander. The large braking zone for the chicane provides another strong overtaking opportunity.

After the 110kph left of turn 14, the drivers are given a slight break before the hugely challenging triple-apex right that makes up turns 15 to 17. The first is taken flat out before speed is gradually scrubbed off for the final apex.

The next left takes cars under the illuminated Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi Hotel with its unique design and changeable light panelling. Turn 19 is another left-hander that leads alongside the hotel and to the penultimate corner, a fast right.

The final corner is a third-gear right-hander that leads on to the pit straight. The pit entry is to the right and undercuts the last turn. That is a lap of the $1.3 billion Yas Marina Circuit.

Vettel will arrive in Abu Dhabi on a high after taking his fourth consecutive title. His Red Bull Racing team, who also took the constructor’s crown in India, will be free of pressure and keen to add more victories to their incredible tally.

After the quick turnaround from India, focus now turns to the battle for second in the constructor’s championship as Mercedes, Ferrari and Lotus all duel for the runner-up title. The former have a good car underneath them, which was evident in India by Rosberg and Hamilton’s strong mid-race pace.

The big question now is this: how long can Vettel keep up his incredible winning streak?

Source/http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/formula-1/formula-1-2013-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-preview/

[GSC]

It is hard to see past Vettel. Hamilton is also good around this track, but hes struggling with braking, which is where he made time around this track.

I tend to agree with Gary Anderson, this could've been a special track given the funding, room and setting. Instead its a bit eh.

[Guest]

I like the track, provides good overtaking, usually a safety-car & the night aspect is always something different & really shows off the cars differently. Also, anyone see the 180 degree rotating camera on Alonso's car? They've had it in other formula for years & in Indycar, really like it.

As for the race, wouldn't mind Vettel crashing out second corner like a couple of years ago & actually providing us with a decent race & a different winner. Agree, Hamilton is a threat but his breaking this year has been poor in the Mercedes & will probably cost him here.

[GSC]

RB quick as ever, Hamilton might be able to get amongst if he nails his braking over 1 lap.

Ferrari nowhere, can't afford poor traction here

[Guest]

Basically the long run times have been ridiculous for RB. Ferrari gave up a long time ago. If Hamilton can't get pole or a front row, then it's basically a podium of RB/Lotus.

[GSC]

Brilliant lap from Webber. Absolutely quality.

Should be fun tomorrow, looks like Webber has better straight line speed than Vettel.

Massa again beats Alonso...

[GSC]

Probably a Vettel style pit lane start for Hamilton if his car needs fixing

[Guest]

What's the official word on Hamilton's spin, mechanical or just a normal spin? I haven't seen the post-qualifying, too busy watching Newcastle. I presume his tyres won't be in great shape but it doesn't really matter, Mercedes won't be in this race on long runs.

As predicted RB sandbagging q2, then the wick gets turned up on the engine, however I bet they weren't expecting that from Mark. Cracking lap. Should be an interesting watch tomorrow. Alonso is on holiday now, car is atrocious.

[GSC]

Said something broke in the rear of his car.

[GSC]

Raikonnens car fails a floor detection test, excluded from quali

[Guest]

Amateurish from Lotus in their quest for the second place in the constructors. Does not really effect anything for Kimi, his head is elsewhere & there's really no motivation for him this season.

[GSC]

Eh one of those things. Grosjean got away with it in Hungary

[bogbrush]

Great start by Webber, only lost two places.

[GSC]

Best of the season for him

[Guest]

Utterly embarrassing for Mercedes n Hamilton. Three races in a row, geared wrong n slow as a snail on the straights. Killing him.

Vettel strolling, borefest.

[bogbrush]

Di Resta, Sutil & Gutierezz = Team Vettel.

[bogbrush]

Brilliant by Massa!!!! Best move for ages.

[Guest]

Best move for 5th that's all, that's the state of F1. At the end of the day its all pretty irrelevant n pointless. Still can't get over Mercedes setup for Hamilton.....again. Playing into Rosberg`s hands in that team battle.

[bogbrush]

It's not entirely new in F1 for the best fights to be down the order. We just didn't tend to get shown them but now there's about 427 cameras around we do.

[dyrewolfe]

Fairly predictable starts by Vettel and Webber...I was just astonished and saddened at how far off Vettel's pace Webber was. You wouldn't think they were driving the same car (more or less).

Good drive by Rosberg and managed to keep Webber on his toes. Dunno what Happened to Hamilton but he just had another one of those races where he didn't have enough straight line speed to overtake...or make them stick in some cases.

Brilliant drive by Massa...especially his opportunist overtake on Hamilton, who was busy watching Sutil at the time. Think he drew the short straw in the final stint, when Alonso got soft tyres to make a late charge up the field, while Felipe finished on mediums. Good race by both drivers anyway.

Great result for Di Resta, especially as Sutil looked the more impressive for much of the race.

Another good drive by Grosjean. The less said about Kimi the better. I'd be surprised if he turns up for the last 2 races now, regardless.

Overall, this would have been an absolute snore-fest, were it not for the leading pack tussles between Mercedes, Ferrari and Force India. I'm really just counting down to next season now.

[Guest]

Webber lost KERS early didn't he, not sure if that fixed itself or got recharged, anyway it doesn't really matter, everyone knows he`s not quick enough. I am getting quite annoyed though at Hamilton`s ridiculous poor race pace, how can they get the setup wrong again, that's three races being unable to even overtake with DRS. Behind Massa & Ricciardo in India was bad enough, now we had to endure being stuck behind Gutierrez, completely killed the race for him.

Alonso cleared by the stewards & I`m sure Mercedes can clinch that second place in the constructors, given the form. I echo your comments dyrewolfe on wanting 2014 ASAP. Vettel winning lights to flag is getting tiresome now, irrespective of how good an achievement it is from driver/team.

[monty junior]

Great result for Di Resta, especially as Sutil looked the more impressive for much of the race.

Only because he started on the far better and more durable mediums as opposed to Paul on the softs. Di resta is really hammering Sutil at the moment, there was a good half second between them all weekend, keep it up PDR  

[Guest]

Di resta is really hammering Sutil at the moment

Last 7 races

Di Resta - Retired, Retired, 20th, Retired, 11th, 8th, 6th

Sutil - 9th, 16th, 10th, 20th, 14th, 9th, 10th

Hammering? I don't really think so. He is in terms of points gained but Di Resta has been poor in the second half of the season, numerous driver errors. Hence why he's going nowhere in F1 really.

[monty junior]

The last 3 races he has been comfortably ahead of him, two of them big gaps in Japan and Abu Dhabi. Considering ending the previous two years with a whimper and how the car is going backwards, I think he has stepped up. Not saying he's anything great but he's certainly better than Sutil and younger so should be priority of being kept as opposed to Sutil.

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