Grand Prix 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

This one's gonna be a classic.......

After the utterly amazing Indian Grand Prix where it's facilities wowed pretty much everyone worldwide and to be honest we are so lucky to have an Indian Grand Prix at the moment........

Thats would you would think if you were the BBC or any major commentator, for the fans it was a pretty dour race with little or no action throughout apart from the now routine crash between Hamilton and Massa and the rather humerous reaction of Rowan Atkinson in the Mclaren pitlane.

Sebastian Vettel continues to dominate the 2011 season with yet another win in the old jewel of the British Empire with Button consolidating his position in the WDC with another second place as his stock at Mclaren continues to rise.

However at the other side of the garage things aren't quite so rosy with Hamilton adding to his list of high profile accidents which included yet another crash with Felipe Massa. But this time it was Massa who was given a penalty as it was perceived by the stewards that he had turned in on the Mclaren, a decision which bemused the Brazilian as he felt he had given Hamilton enough room and he had the racing line, but both sides (and fans) have differing opinions and a definitive answer is unlikely to come any time soon.

Ferrari and Alonso continue to go through the motions as they wind down and focus on their 2012 after a poor season by their standards, while the car hasn't been awful like their 2009 car, Fernando is rarely anywhere other than third or fourth come the chequered flag. Ferrari have been a team that has been caught out my the ever changing EBD rules and clarity over this for 2012 should help them regain top end competitiveness at the start of next season.

In the midfield it is still close as drivers are fighting for championship places and also contract extensions as very little has been agreed for 2012 although we are now in November and approaching the second last race of a very long season. At Toro Rosso Jaime Alguesuari continued his impressive turnaround with yet more points in India to take his season haul to 26, more than Paul Di Resta and 11 more than his team mate Buemi which could be crucial with the likes of Ricciardo waiting in the wings for a possible seat and there is always the possibility of a Red Bull seat at some point in the future as there is still a question mark about Webbers future, particularly past 2012.

We go to Abu Dhabi for the third time and while the first two races have been pretty lacklustre with a lack of action and overtaking (just ask Alonso), with DRS maybe we might have more this weekend, but then, we can only hope really, just like we can hope Vettel isn't top of the podium by Sunday evening, but that usually ends up to be false hope as I expect another dominating performance from the young German.

For Galahads supreme circuit write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/yas-marina-circuit/

 

[Josh]

Ah, yes - Yas Marina, the one that looks like a gun!

So... mjo's layout reminds you of the old layout?

 

[mjo]

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Ah, yes - Yas Marina, the one that looks like a gun!

If any track looks like a gun it's Spa.

Definitely looks like an Uzi... I and think it's China that looks like a skier.

 

[Jen]

Sorry a mad moment - Spa looks like a rook though or maybe a bear!

 

[MCLS]

And I thought I was the only one who thought that about Spa

 

[Jos the Boss]

A hand puppet!

 

[The Pits]

Abu Dhabi reminds me of the scribblings of a lunatic, or some of my youngest childs drawings of a tiger!!

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Think the first activation for DRS is to far down that straight it needs to be maybe a 1/4 of the way down that first DRS zone, that way we'll see better overtaking down that straight. The second DRS zone seems right. Reckon we'll get more overtaking down that one that the first one.

Really can't wait for this one now should be good . Really think this one could suit Mclaren and Mercedes well.

 

[Jos the Boss]

I thought high downforce would be better, so unfortunately I think Mclaren and Red Bull, however Forza Mercedes!

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

I wanna stay positive as i want to see Rosberg on the podium in one for the last two races.

 

[Jos the Boss]

I wanna see schumi's podium jump!

 

[Fenderman]

Ah, yes - Yas Marina, the one that looks like a gun!

 

[Slyboogy]

DRS zone should be through the chicane, and in the pit-lane exit tunnel

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Are those the confirmed DRS spots?

I think the best would be two zones. The first detection point should be just before the hairpin, with the activation point about a thrid of the way down the straight. Then although I'll admit they are really close... the second detection point should be at chicane at the end of the long straight, the activation should be immediately after the chicane. Even with all these benefits I doubt the DRS will be that effective, as I seem to remember that DRS was most beneficial coming out of a fast corner but I can't remember why...?

 

[Slyboogy]

I seem to remember that DRS was most beneficial coming out of a fast corner but I can't remember why...?

The driver is at a higher speed and won't suffer much from a bad exit compared to a slow corner?

Not really technical I know, but that's the best I can come up with after midnight.

I will just post this, but I myself will wait for Afroderman's (Fenderman) reply

 

[teabagyokel]

Well, we could see some passing and repassing there then, if the guy overtaken down the 7-8 straight then gets an instant shot of DRS!

 

[Fenderman]

Such faith, Sly! I will try my best to provide a sensible explanation!

In theory, if the driver wishing to overtake (I'll call him driver "B") can stay close enough to driver A through a reasonably fast corner he will initially benefit from the slipstream of "A". B will therefore be travelling as fast as, or maybe faster than, A by the time they reach the DRS activation zone. Normally if you only have the slipstream to give an advantage, that is effectively lost the moment you pull out of the slipstream to overtake since your car has to cut through the air on its own. As you know the DRS reduces drag giving a 10 to 15kph advantage which is plenty to complete the move in this situation.

Coming out of a slow corner, though, the benefit of a slipstream from the car ahead is significantly less. As you know there is a concertina effect when cars close up under braking on entry but the gap opens on exit as the first car through will be earlier on the gas. A successful overtake in this situation requires driver B to get better drive out of the corner than driver A to minimise the gap and keep in touch on exit. Some drivers approach this problem by braking slightly earlier than the guy in front, hanging back a little and then pushing harder through the corner in order to have a faster exit to close the gap that way. This is much harder to achieve and often the DRS only seems to enable driver B to catch A but not necessarily succeed in overtaking.

Does that help, guys?

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

DRS zone should be through the chicane, and in the pit-lane exit tunnel

.

 

[Slyboogy]

Such faith, Sly! I will try my best to provide a sensible explanation!

In theory, if the driver wishing to overtake (I'll call him driver "B") can stay close enough to driver A through a reasonably fast corner he will initially benefit from the slipstream of "A". B will therefore be travelling as fast as, or maybe faster than, A by the time they reach the DRS activation zone. Normally if you only have the slipstream to give an advantage, that is effectively lost the moment you pull out of the slipstream to overtake since your car has to cut through the air on its own. As you know the DRS reduces drag giving a 10 to 15kph advantage which is plenty to complete the move in this situation.

Coming out of a slow corner, though, the benefit of a slipstream from the car ahead is significantly less. As you know there is a concertina effect when cars close up under braking on entry but the gap opens on exit as the first car through will be earlier on the gas. A successful overtake in this situation requires driver B to get better drive out of the corner than driver A to minimise the gap and keep in touch on exit. Some drivers approach this problem by braking slightly earlier than the guy in front, hanging back a little and then pushing harder through the corner in order to have a faster exit to close the gap that way. This is much harder to achieve and often the DRS only seems to enable driver B to catch A but not necessarily succeed in overtaking.

Does that help, guys?

That is why I kept the faith!

 

[Slyboogy]

This track and what happened last year is arguably the sole reason DRS exists in F1, so let's see if it works. Probably the two big straights at the back, the whole of both of them.