Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Abu Dhabi - 14 Nov 2010

[Guest]

Back to Abu Dhabi, with its colourful hotel and run off areas. Last one of the season and it could go a number of ways. RedBull have left it to the drivers to sort - and that could mean that Alonso will come away with the cup.

Want to know who needs what to win the championship? Well have a look on the official F1 web site and I'm sure its all on there. It'll end up being either Alonso, Webber, Vettel or (outside chance) Hamilton.

I've got to admit I'd like it to be Webber or Hamilton. Vettel would be a great result for Red Bull. Can't say I'd be thrilled if Alonso takes it - especially after the 'Alonso is faster than you' episode. Have your say.

Qualifying went like this:


1  VETTEL        Red Bull      1m39.394s
2  HAMILTON      McLaren       1m39.425s
3  ALONSO        Ferrari       1m39.792s
4  BUTTON        McLaren       1m39.823s
5  WEBBER        Red Bull      1m39.925s
6  MASSA         Ferrari       1m40.202s
7  BARRICHELLO   Williams      1m40.203s
8  SCHUMACHER    Mercedes      1m40.516s
9  ROSBERG       Mercedes      1m40.589s
10 PETROV        Renault       1m40.901s



11 KUBICA          Renault
12 KOBAYASHI       Sauber
13 SUTIL           Force India
14 HEIDFELD        Sauber
15 HULKENBERG      Williams
16 LIUZZI          Force India
17 ALGUERSUARI     Toro Rosso
18 BUEMI           Toro Rosso
19 TRULLI          Lotus
20 KOVALAINEN      Lotus
21 GLOCK           Virgin
22 DI GRASSI       Virgin
23 SENNA           HRT
24 KLIEN           HRT

[MadBoB]

Back to Abu Dhabi, with its colourful hotel and run off areas. Last one of the season and it could go a number of ways. RedBull have left it to the drivers to sort - and that could mean that Alonso will come away with the cup.

Want to know who needs what to win the championship? Well have a look on the official F1 web site and I'm sure its all on there. It'll end up being either Alonso, Webber, Vettel or (outside chance) Hamilton.

I've got to admit I'd like it to be Webber or Hamilton. Vettel would be a great result for Red Bull. Can't say I'd be thrilled if Alonso takes it - especially after the 'Alonso is faster than you' episode. Have your say.

Qualifying went like this:


1  VETTEL        Red Bull      1m39.394s
2  HAMILTON      McLaren       1m39.425s
3  ALONSO        Ferrari       1m39.792s
4  BUTTON        McLaren       1m39.823s
5  WEBBER        Red Bull      1m39.925s
6  MASSA         Ferrari       1m40.202s
7  BARRICHELLO   Williams      1m40.203s
8  SCHUMACHER    Mercedes      1m40.516s
9  ROSBERG       Mercedes      1m40.589s
10 PETROV        Renault       1m40.901s



11 KUBICA          Renault
12 KOBAYASHI       Sauber
13 SUTIL           Force India
14 HEIDFELD        Sauber
15 HULKENBERG      Williams
16 LIUZZI          Force India
17 ALGUERSUARI     Toro Rosso
18 BUEMI           Toro Rosso
19 TRULLI          Lotus
20 KOVALAINEN      Lotus
21 GLOCK           Virgin
22 DI GRASSI       Virgin
23 SENNA           HRT
24 KLIEN           HRT

[MadBoB]

Looking at the grid Alonso seems to have done enough so far - ahead of Webber.

Button qualified soooo much better and Hamilton doesn't look too shabby.
Petrov out qualified Kubica and Hulkenburg's moment of fame seems a distant memory down in 15th with Barri excelling in 7th.

The track should suit the 'f' duct cars down the long straights and back it up with a bit of grip in the twisty sections and it'll show. Hamilton and Button could well show some serious race pace. RedBull must be looking at the grid and just wondering how it will go. The Ferrari isn't too slow in a straight line either and they must be feeling pretty confident.

There are a few walls around, but also there are plenty of run offs so safety cars are unlikely I would guess. It did rain (yes in the desert!) and there is apparently a drop forecast for tomorrow.....

Ah well, we'll watch it on the telly, have our say, and then look forward to sports personality, Christmas, New Year and then 3 months until the new season starts again. Pirelli tyres, Kers and a new team or two as well.

[halfpint]

nice it has come down to the last race of the season. should be quite a good race tomoz.

[halfpint]

well done to Vettel, Great job well done to Petrov holding Alonzo off and ruining his championship. He is such a baby waving his fist at Petrov at the end. Alonso couldn't stomach the fact that Petrov was the better driver today. For a rookie he did brilliant this year. Top entertainment today. Awesome finsh to the year.

[MadBoB]

The Result: (and as Halfpint says, well done Petrov  )

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix result (55 laps)

1  VETTEL       Red Bull     
2  HAMILTON     McLaren      +10.1s
3  BUTTON       McLaren      +11.0s
4  ROSBERG      Mercedes     +30.7s
5  KUBICA       Renault      +39.0s
6  PETROV       Renault      +43.5s
7  ALONSO       Ferrari      +43.7s
8  WEBBER       Red Bull     +44.2s
9  ALGUERSUARI  Toro Rosso   +50.2s
10 MASSA        Ferrari      +50.8s
11 HEIDFELD     Sauber       +51.5s
12 BARRICHELLO  Williams     +57.6s
13 SUTIL        Force India  +58.3s
14 KOBAYASHI    Sauber       +59.5s
15 BUEMI        Toro Rosso   +63.1s
16 HULKENBERG   Williams     +64.7s
17 KOVALAINEN   Lotus        +1 lap
18 DI GRASSI    Virgin       +2 laps
19 SENNA        HRT          +2 laps
20 KLIEN        HRT          +2 laps
21 TRULLI       Lotus        +4 laps
R  GLOCK        Virgin       +12 laps
R  SCHUMACHER   Mercedes     +55 laps
R  LIUZZI       Force India  +55 laps

Fastest lap: HAMILTON  1m41.274s (lap 47)

[MadBoB]

So what happened?

Well, Vettel got off the line as he needed to - fast. Jenson jumped Alonso into the first corner and from here it looked like Webber would have it all to do....Queue the Mercedes twins into turn 2 - Rosberg looks like he just (and it is everso slightly just) touches Schuey on the back wheel sending Scheuy into a gentle 180 spin. The rest of the pack came through side by side and scarily Liuzzi was caught out with Schuey unsighted until too late. The Force India road up over the Merc and narrowly missed Schumachers helmet. Horrible. Both got out ok, but safety car was called while the track was cleared. Lap 1!
Crucially, Petrov, Rosberg and a number of the slower cars stopped to take on the harder tyres...would the gamble pay off? The softs were good for '20 laps at most', so could the harder tyres last 54 laps - fuel and all?

Restart - and Vettel seemed a bit naughty with his braking antics, but got away with Hamilton in pursuit. Button dropped away from Hamilton, Alonso and Webber followed on behind. 15-18 laps in Massa dived in for tyres. A complaining Webber followed suit, and Alonso came in soon after. And that decision made the afternoon. The pair came out behind Rosberg and Petrov (and some of the other cars that at that point hadn't made a tyre stop). So, Petrov had made a stop as had Webber and Alonso, if they wanted to move up the finishing order they needed to start passing people. 35 laps later, neither could keep up on the straight or pass Petrov - game over.


Kubica had started the race on harder tyres and ran through till lap 47 before stopping. When he did stop he managed to get out ahead of Petrov. Hamilton stopped around lap 25 but dropped behind Kubica, meaning he could no longer chase down Vettel. Jenson stayed on the soft tyres eventually stopping after 38 laps - not bad for tyres good for 20 at most! Jenson slotted back in behind Hamilton and it was just a matter of time before Kubica made his stop to put the two McLarens back in the 2nd and 3rd place slots.
That was it really. Vettel needed to win with Alonso 5th or lower. Watching the video, it looks a bit like the Ferrari mechanics took Alonso to one side after the race, filled him up with cool ginger beer and suggested he calm down rather than waving his fists around at people doing what they are paid to do - go motor racing.
Webber just looked deflated. All so close, yet it walked away. Hamilton must be thinking why he dropped the car those couple of times, if he'd picked up some points, the result of the championship could have been very different.
Good race, good finale. On to next year now then.