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.
 
Last edited:
The old scoring system then I think if am right Nico would have had no chance under 10pts for a win score and 8pts for 2nd

I see the double points as a farce - remember it was going to be the last 3 races

Obviously Bernie needs to please his Arab hosts

- the circuit itself really it is impossible to make a mistake and be punished for it with so much run off

- the most dangerous place is the start and really unless you are clumsy enough to bin it coming out of the pits going underneath the tunnel

I don't remember any of the races being excited since it hosted in 2009
 
With the points situation as it is I think the risk avoidance need is more with Rosberg than Hamilton. I'm not of the opinion that Hamilton would simply punt Rosberg off, but I think he'd be prepared to try a more speculative overtake than normal, knowing that if he did lose the car he'd slide into Rosberg and it'd be just another racing incident...
 
I don't want to contemplate the fall out from a victory by knockout. So far this season and with one major exception the first lap has been relatively peaceful between the two of them. Let that be the case for this one as well.
 
Let's hope there are no clumsy moves...

That's the problem isn't it. You've got a driver with nothing to lose and at the same time, that driver is also the only man on the grid with the skill and knowledge of how to tap his front wing against his opponents rear wheel, puncture it and still do the absolute minimum damage to his own wing. That's got to make Hamilton nervous I would say.

;)
 
I reckon Lewis will not go for the win as he doesn't have to he will probably do the sensible thing keep his nose clean so to speak and settle for second place but Nico has no choice he has to go for the win and therefor more likely to make a mistake...
 
I think I agree with you Meph. We've already seen on a number of occasions that Rosberg doesn't like it "up 'em" to coin a phrase. Hamilton just needs to track him, put the pressure on and leave the rest up to Rosberg. The chances are though that Hamilton is going to win this one by a country mile anyway so I don't think the need to run second will come in to it.
 
I don't think he is really.
If memory serves, he has won one race and was on for another until his brakes (?) gave up?

Other than that, I don't think he has finished on the podium, has he?

I'm probably completely ****ing wrong :D
 
Who will blink first. That's the question. I can't imagine the kind of pressure you could put yourself under during the weekend. Better for Hamilton at the moment but it only takes one issue and things can flip flop either way.
 
It would appear from last year that Rosberg is plenty quick enough to race Hamilton, although it must be said Hamilton seems more comfortable in this year's Merc than last year's. In all seriousness, cheeky digs aside, I hope that whatever the result is that it's not something out of either of the driver's hands, such as a failure or a brainfart by some other driver that causes an incident.
 
Back
Top Bottom