Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race Preview
When the F1 circus marched into Abu Dhabi last year, the World Championship was wide open. There were still five drivers statistically alive and three of them – Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel – all had a legitimate shot at the title. Still, a tremendous late-season surge made Alonso the odds on favorite to win his third World Championship.
Revealing a track that is not friendly to overtaking – however – Alonso spent most of his race stuck behind a stubborn Vitaly Petrov. That – combined with a botched pit strategy – allowed the title slip through his fingers. Vettel was all too ready to take advantage and – with a race win – came from behind to win the championship in dramatic fashion. Now Vettel returns to Yas Marina with a second title already in hand with no signs of slowing down.
Thus, the only meaningful position now is second place. Over the past seven races Jenson Button has emerged as the likely runner-up to Vettel. If he stands on the podium this weekend and his primary rivals – once again Alonso and Webber – fall down the grid, he will all but secure that honor. This would be a major victory for Button whose heart and desire to win had been questioned earlier in the season.
But will the race be worth getting up for? While located in the very lap of luxury, Yas Marina has not produced many thrills to go with its opulent surroundings. For those who watched Alonso’s futile attempts to pass a rookie driver in a middling Renault, there may be reason to doubt that the race will generate any drama. Yet, there is still hope. Two independent DRS zones should help with overtaking this year and all of the drivers – some of whom may be racing for their seats in 2012 – are keen to end the season on a positive note.
No driver wants to finish the season strongly more than Lewis Hamilton. One thing is certain – if the race in Abu Dhabi is to reach its potential, Hamilton will likely be a big part of it. Though plagued by mistakes all year, Hamilton has shown signs of overcoming his mid-season slump. He snagged pole position – the first time this year a Red Bull car was not on pole – in Korea and would have been on the front row in India but for a practice penalty. Also, Hamilton sat on pole at this race in 2009 and set the fastest lap during last year’s contest. If he can just stay out of Felipe Massa’s way, he should have a strong race.
Beyond Hamilton, this race is critical to the likes of Force India’s Adrian Sutil, whose seat is under siege from Nico Hulkenberg and Williams’ Rubens Barrichello, who may be forced out by Kimi Raikkonen’s return to F1. Also, Robert Kubica’s return is still undecided which may open up yet another seat on the F1 grid with Renault. So there is a lot for the middle drivers to race for.
And then there are the constructors. This is where the money is and is and what sponsors look to when considering where to spend their marketing budgets. Force India is in a tight battle with Renault for fifth place while Toro Rosso makes a late-season push up the order. Lotus could pull off a true stunner if they finish in tenth place. Their decision not to allow affable but non-competitive Indian driver Karun Chandok to run in his home grand prix demonstrates how much this means to them.
In what should be a dry-weather race, Pirelli will feature its soft and medium compound tires at Yas Marina. At a track where fast cornering is at a premium, short runs on harder rubber may not be the strategy of choice as it was at India. More stops – at least three – will likely be needed to win the day.
As with the races, this preview has not mentioned Sebastian Vettel since the start. That’s because he is likely already in the paddock with his slippers on and his feet up.