2010 Abu Dhabi GP Official Thread *Spoilers*

i cba to do all that previous race info etc.. !

but here we are with one race and we have 4 drivers in with a shot.

The only word I can think of is wow! Sure its not as close as we would have liked, and team orders will likley play a part, but it seems on natural that the 2010 season comes to a close with 4 drivers going for the title.

For me at least, this season has rivalled and maybe even beat 2000 in terms of excitment and drama!

If Alonso wins the WDC he will yet again confirm being the best all round driver, and again confirm that you should never right Ferrari off! He has by far been the best driver of the latter half imo.

If Webber wins then ... Webber wins. Alongside Vettel I never expected Webber to win a WDC, but he's done very well this year, and has often put Vettel in the shade. Webber is who I am going for, but he's got a tough job!

If Vettel wins then it would have meant an awesome effort and maybe a serious mistake from Alonso. Vettel deserves some payback from the badluck, but I believe Kimi is still waiting for his ! badluck is part of the game, and when Vettel has had the luck he's often not been quick enough.

If Lewis wins on the other hand, again it will probably be down to these guys making mistakes, but it would also be a huge achievement in the car he's had to drive all season. In no more than 2-3 races has it been the best car... Lewis has strangled that car to places it should not have been, but likewise those places included other cars and the wall. Lewis should look back on this year nad think what could have been with a not so great car imo. Due to silly errors he's is further behind than he should be. Lewis is Lewis and errors like he has this year will happen year on year IMO. He didnt learn from 07, 08, 09, or even 10.

Should be an awesome race, I think they should all be close again but RBR and Ferrari ahving the slight addvantage. Question is, how will the drivers react to their posistions?

The only bad thing about this weekend is that it is the last !

its been a great year of racing, 2011 should be even better!! I have faith in Brawn to produce, and Schumacher seems a different guy these last few races. Can we really have the 7time WDC going at it against Alonso, Lewis, and Vettel? Then we have dark horse Nico! Just so you know, im getting a bet on for Nico 2011 WDC nice and early!

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

Will be a tough race for sure, Red Bull took 1-2 last year but it was actually Lewis who dominated the weekend until brake problems (pole by 0,7 second difference to Vettel etc.) so this tracks layout isn't so good for Red Bull but their car is great so it should still be at least good enough to challenge for the win.This track should suit for McLaren and Ferrari so it will be difficult for Red Bull drivers but if Hamilton and Button can get between RBR drivers and Alonso then good

Vettel, Webber and Alonos off at turn one and Lewis wins lol.

I recon RBR will walk away with this one, it was the kers last year that got Mclaren at the front. I think in this race Alonso will break down as pay back for Germany.

i would love to:

-see Webber winning the title and the race,2nd Vettel and 3rd Alonso.Just because i don't like Alonso
-see Vettel winning the race and the title,2nd Schumacher,3d Webber and 6th Alonso.Just because I like Vettel and Schumacher.Do I ask too much?

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as versuvius says, Red Bull might not have the advantage they have on most of the tracks here. i think Ferrari can probably match them in the race, but they need to improve in qualy. If Alonso manages to qualify ahead of the Red Bulls he will most likely remain ahead in the race and vice versa. if there are no mechanical failures, championship will be decided Saturday

crossing fingers for another strong Schumacher showing, i think the guy feels 2011 is close and he's getting ready.. he's been consistent for these last few races with Qualy still being his weakest point but a lot better than most of the season.

Lewis still has a chance, hard one but there it is still. his main rivals are in front and most likely will battle it out hard together, with RBR drivers anything can happen and if you add the reliability problems that might occur to them (Ferrari's engines, RBR reliability) he better be there to grab what they miss

tbh i'm glad season is ending, we'll finally have a champion and next season will most likely be even more exciting with the new tyres coming in.. a change in the established order??, hopefully...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2010 05:20PM by Slash.

Slash, just to mention. dont you think (and the rest of the guys in the forum as well), that schuey wasnt always in the points earlier in the season because he was fighting for podiums and wins, or nothing. now he seems settled with geting 5th 6th 8th places and people see his consistency as a positive. i personally am afraid, that this might mean he is getting happy with just marginal achievement, like jsut finishing in the points. hopefully not !!

It's been a terrific season. At the beginning we had the possibility of 4 teams and 8 drivers being in the hunt for the championship,that wasn't to be. But I'd settle for 3 teams and 4 drivers still with a mathematical shot in the last race (not counting the constructor of-course) and when is the last time we could say that?

This year has almost been a throw back to a bygone era, it's retained it's controversial moments and irritating politics but to be honest what would we talk about between races if it wasn't for them?

Best race? (so far) We've had so many exciting (or at least enthralling to follow) races this year it's difficult to pick one out. I think Melbourne for Button being Prost to Hamilton's Senna, and then Silverstone for having been there for the race day atmosphere, the best I'd experience for years.

Best moment? Hulkenberg's pole position, very un-expected but very much cherished.

Back on topic... this race? It'd difficult to see past another RBR 1-2... but with it being the last race and both Webber and Vettel in the running for the title it's also easy to see them imploding. Alonso is probably the favourite, but his engine situation might yet have the last laugh. The weather forecast looks to be dry and hot... so the weather isn't going to throw a double six, I'd like to see some randomness though, a Rosberg, Kubica or Williams win would be very welcome if very unlikely.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2010 07:15PM by J i m.

Have you seen the forecast for Fri/Sat on the BBC site - showers and then heavy rain. Sunday should be warm and dry but quali may be a lottery with sand as well as rain.

mitadumapaga Wrote:
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> Slash, just to mention. dont you think (and the
> rest of the guys in the forum as well), that
> schuey wasnt always in the points earlier in the
> season because he was fighting for podiums and
> wins, or nothing. now he seems settled with geting
> 5th 6th 8th places and people see his consistency
> as a positive. i personally am afraid, that this
> might mean he is getting happy with just marginal
> achievement, like jsut finishing in the points.
> hopefully not !!


i don't think so m8, he said recently that podiums every now and then is not "good business" for him, he says that he's aiming for victories but obviously for next year, and that when the going gets tought the tough get going, i always admired his determination and if anything he will try harder and harder until he achieves what he's looking for.

i think his performances recently shows that he's solved some problems with the car setup and tyres... the thing is that he hardly ever complains about it and only addresses the issues in a general way so he doesn't specifies what it is.
the speed's always been there, he just needed to sort out his consistency, and so far it seems to have improved even if he's still missing some tenths to Rosberg, as now he can capitalize when his rivals make mistakes

Heres an interesting point...

Vettel's a racer, Lewis style. His need for fastest laps etc prove this imo. Vettel wants to be #1 all the time.

So let's say the posistions are:

1. Vettel
2. Webber
3. Alonso

This would gift Alonso the WDC. So if this were the case, Vettel has said he will help.

Thing is when does that happen?

Anything can happen in F1, we all know.

So let's say with 20 laps to go Vettel and Webber switch and Webber leads.

Then a lap or two, bang goes Alonso's engine. What does Vettel do then? Hunt Webber... I will almost guarantee they will tussle and probably collide once or twice, and who will be there to gather the pieces? Lewis.

Alonso is rather marginal on engines I believe at least compared to RBR. So how long does Vettel wait to help? He will not want to do it until it is 100% certain he can not win...

There are so many possibilities for this race, i just ohpe its not an anti-climax.

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

Well Vettel and RBR said they will help if needed, so we're going to go on the assumption that he will move for this discussion.

They won't move him until the very end, because after Hockenheim, the precedent has been set. The punishment is $100,000 fine, nothing else. That is well worth the money. They'd move him on the last corner if they think they'll get away with it.

Heres a depressing thought. If Vettel Webber finish 1-2, then Vettel will beat Webber in the championship. If Ferrari had not switched the drivers, then Vettel would have been champion under those circumstances. Ferraris swap at Hockenheim has indirectly screwed Vettel much more than any other driver. :-\

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Edit: Dave beat me.

I can't see Vettel moving over until the last lap. He wants this title (maybe even more than he wants Webber to lose it ), so I can't see him moving until it's clear that he can't win it.

Of course, this is assuming Alonso is 3rd... it's not going to go that smoothly in a title decider. McLaren were unexpectedly very quick here last year, and they'll certainly be better than they were at Interlagos.

Quote
J i m
Best race? (so far) We've had so many exciting (or at least enthralling to follow) races this year it's difficult to pick one out. I think Melbourne for Button being Prost to Hamilton's Senna, and then Silverstone for having been there for the race day atmosphere, the best I'd experience for years.

Sorry Jim, but Montreal was the best race for many, many years. Certainly the best dry race for a decade or more.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2010 09:11PM by gav.

Webber's fine for engines, I believe. As for Alonso and Vettel, they're on dodgy ground with mileage, Alonso more so.

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If red bull are winning 1-2 then it only makes sense to switch at the last corner, given the mileage on Alonso's current engine.

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Ferrari were only given the £100,000 fine because it could not be proven with evidence that team orders had occured. Massa had said that he moved over, but said it was on his own accord.

The rule still stands, so I guess if RBR will do it at the final corner, I suspect the same will happen. Seb will say he did it by himself with no team instruction.

Interesting stat Dave!!

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

The main problem I have with Alonso winning is that he's won before (i.e give the others a chance) and the team orders thing at Hockenheim. I admit, the team orders do play a bigger part in my decision though :p

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going to be very interesting if we get

1. vettel
2. webber
3. alonso

towards the end of the race

As an Australian, its obviously very exciting to have a compatriot in the championship battle with one round to go, something that I've never had in my lifetime. Considering the mocking and criticism that Webber has received in his early years, it makes it particularly satisfying what he has done this year.

I think the underdog role probably suits Mark, which I think is partly to blame for his mindset and eventual crash in Korea. We didn't get to see it in Brazil unfortunately due to the SC and lapped traffic, but I think Webber has more in reserve to take the fight to Vettel. However, if he can just get it together in qualifying which he hasn't done for a while, it would make it a lot easier.


Anyway, I've seen elsewhere that some people think Hamilton would rather Alonso win than one of the Red Bulls. This is unlikely, not least because he actually said he'd like to see Webber win, but also due to the constructors battle for 2nd.

Vettel could easily go off track at the final corner and do it easily. It will be an interesting character test for him how he decides to give the lead to Webber and how he reacts post-race. A lot of people already have a negative perception of him after Turkey and Hungary, and if he isn't dignified if he loses, it could be permanently damaging to his reputation, not to mention if he doesn't let Webber by and Alonso wins.

Hopefully reliability doesn't come into it, an early-race Vettel failure with Webber 1st and Alonso 2nd would be a big pity.

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X (@ed24f1)

Red Bull have shot themselves in the feet way too much this season to win the WDC, they are shooting themselves again this week if they don't impose even the slightest of team orders.

I think Alonso will win the race though. This track is more Ferrari territory to me than Red Bull.

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who says the media dictates what people think?






Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2010 09:30PM by Slash.