Grand Prix 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

So here it is, the season finale and the two Mercedes drivers go in to it with the chance of taking the title. Hamilton leads Rosberg by 17 points so a repeat of the result in Brazil makes Lewis the Champion but double points means that the permutations are almost endless (boringly endless that is).

Two titles have already been sown up. Mercedes are constructors Champions and Nico Rosberg is the Pole Position Champion. Hands up all those who thought he would beat Lewis in qualifying? No one? Thought not. There will be a few other cars and drivers at the race but, frankly, all most of us will be interested in is which of the Merc drivers comes out on top. With 10 wins to 6 Lewis would have won on Bernie's Gold Medal system but then the Ring Master decided that simply winning races isn't enough and to keep things "interesting" decided making one race result worth twice that of any other was a good idea. I wonder what craziness will be visited on us fans next year. Perhaps something for a separate discussion.

Back to the race, this is the one which starts in the sunshine and then gets dark and it has the weird pit lane which makes the cars look like they are leaving a multi-storey car park. For anyone going, Ferrari World is just outside the circuit, somehow I don't think it will be Ferrari World inside.

Anyone got any other thoughts? Can Williams steal a win? Will McLaren carry on improving? Will this be Jenson Button's final race in F1? Sebastian Vettel will be saying goodbye to Red Bull, Sutil and Gutierrez will, most likely, be saying goodbye to F1 and we've already said goodbye to Caterham and Marussia.

Hope you are sitting comfortably, let the final race begin.
 
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Hamilton once again comes up short when it counts during qualifying.

Another tenth either way between him and Bottas and he would have been starting in third.
 
I do wonder if Hamilton keeps coming up short during qualifying because he gets a bit over-zealous in chasing those tenths of seconds?

Great job by Rosberg to once again get pole position. Now I just have to hope it doesn't all fall apart for him on race day.
 
As I said in chat. The Mercs are so quick off the line and the Williams's still a tenth or two off the pace in the race, it's still going to be a merc v merc fight. If there are no mechanical issues Hamilton will bring it home.
 
Ideal Lap (sum best sectors) in theQual:
No – Driver – Qual Result –Ideal Lap – Flaw
1 - 6 - Nico Rosberg - 01:40,480 - 01:40,427 - 00,053
2 - 44 - Lewis Hamilton - 01:40,866 - 01:40,680 - 00,186
3 - 77 - Valtteri Bottas - 01:41,025 - 01:40,974 - 00,051
4 - 19 - Felipe Massa - 01:41,119 - 01:41,056 - 00,063
5 - 3 - Daniel Ricciardo - 01:41,267 - 01:41,257 - 00,010
8 - 22 - Jenson Button - 01:41,964 - 01:41,738 - 00,226
7 - 26 - Daniil Kvyat - 01:41,908 - 01:41,757 - 00,151
6 - 1 - Sebastian Vettel - 01:41,893 - 01:41,795 - 00,098
10 - 14 - Fernando Alonso - 01:42,866 - 01:41,878 - 00,988
9 - 7 - Kimi Räikkönen - 01:42,236 - 01:42,153 - 00,083
 
Assuming that Rosberg holds the lead, I think it could get very interesting. If he holds Hamilton up in the twisty sections, where there is little or no chance to pass, and then floors it through turn seven and out onto the straights, the Williamses could get in amongst Hamilton - or at least give him enough of a distraction to potentially make mistakes.

I don't expect that strategy to work - Hamilton would be close enough at pitstop time to potentially leapfrog him - but it would provide some intrigue at least.
 
Indeed.

There is little point in Rosberg just disappearing up the road as Hamilton will simply follow and they will come home 1-2.

Rosberg needs Hamilton to finish at least 2 places behind.
 
The FIA have actually declared their car illegal.

So they can change it and start from the pit lane, or race under appeal and face possible DSQ after the race.
 
This issue may need its own thread at some point but the FIA allege that "the wings were 'designed to flex under aerodynamic load'".

I don't think that's anything new really considering all the tests which were done last season and the season before.

I suspect the FIA may not be too pleased though at the attempt to get around the rules again.
 
It did strike me during qualifying, that bit when Ricciardo exiting a left-hander, and his front-left wing-flap scraping the floor causing a shower of sparks under laterlal load.
I did think uh-oh, what's going on there?...
 
22 November 2014

TEAM STATEMENT

Following the decision of the Stewards regarding the front wings on both our cars (Car 1 and Car 3), we are disappointed that we have been singled out for a front wing deflection test when it is clear that other teams are interpreting the rules in a similar fashion.

The team accepts the decision of the Stewards and will start the race from the back of the grid.
 
Rosberg's meagre chances have just dipped even further...
Being honest, the only cars that had a real chance of getting in front of the Mercedes is the Williams...

Hamilton now has a really difficult choice tomorrow.

He could attack Rosberg into turn 1, but run the risk of damaging his own car and putting himself out of the race. However, knowing that he only needs to finish second, he could take it easy into turn 1. However, this runs the risk that the two williams could get past him! I really don't envy his decision!
 
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