2018 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX

[Big Kev]

2018 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX



Yas Marina Circuit

Lap data
Lap length 5.554km (3.451 miles)
Race laps 55
Race distance 305.355km (189.739 miles)
Pole position Right-hand side of the track
Lap record* 1’40.279 (Sebastian Vettel, 2009)
Fastest lap 1’38.434 (Lewis Hamilton, 2011, qualifying two)
Maximum speed 339kph (210.645 mph)
DRS zone/s (race) Two straights
Distance from grid to turn one 305m
Full throttle 59%
Longest flat-out section 1233m
Downforce level High
Gear changes per lap 56
Fuel use per lap 1.82kg
Time penalty per lap of fuel 0.04s

UK Times
Friday 23rd November 2018
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free Practice 1: 13:00-14:30 (UK time: 9:00-10:30)
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free Practice 2: 17:00-18:30 (UK time: 13:00-14:30)
Saturday 24th November 2018
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free Practice 3: 14:00-15:00 (UK time: 10:00-11:00)
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying: 17:00 (UK time: 13:00)
Sunday 25th November 2018
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: 17:10 (UK time: 13:10)

Previous Winners
2017 Finland Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
2016 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2015 Germany Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2014 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2013 Germany Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
2012 Finland Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault
2011 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
2010 Germany Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
2009 Germany Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault

Videos

2012 on board Hamilton pole lap


2013 onboard Alonso v Hulkenberg


Facts from the last race

Michael Schumacher has been Formula 1’s most successful driver in terms of race victories since 2001, when he broke Alain Prost’s former record of 51 wins.

However since the V6 hybrid turbo era began Lewis Hamilton has been winning races at a rate which suggested he could reach Schumacher’s tally sometime in 2020.

The Brazilian Grand Prix was Hamilton’s 19th victory of the last two seasons, with one race still to run this year. He signed a two-year extension on his Mercedes contract earlier this year, and if he adds another 19 wins during that time he will draw level with Schumacher’s 91.

Hamilton has surpassed his championship rival Sebastian Vettel as the driver most likely to inherit Schumacher’s mantle. Hamilton is now closer to Schumacher’s total wins tally than Vettel is to Hamilton’s.

Hamilton began the weekend by clinching Mercedes’ 100th pole position. The next team they should catch is Lotus (107), while Williams (128), McLaren (155) and Ferrari (219) also lie ahead of them. He did so with the fastest ever lap of the Interlagos circuit, over a second quicker than last year’s pole position time.

Mercedes won the constructors’ championship for the fifth time and completed a five consecutive sweep of both titles. It was the first time since 2011 that the constructors’ title was won after the drivers’. Mercedes matched Ferrari’s record for 2000-2004, though they need one more constructors’ title next year to beat their Italian rivals’ record of six in a row.

The fastest lap award increasingly looks like the consolation prize for the driver who isn’t able to make his tyres last and has to make an extra pit stop. For the second race in a row it went to Valtteri Bottas. That was the 10th of his career and it puts him level with three world champions: Mario Andretti, Graham Hill and John Surtees.

A furious Max Verstappen may have missed out on victory after tangling with Esteban Ocon, but he did finish on the podium for the fourth race in a row, which is the longest streak of his career to date. It was him 10th podium finish of the year to team mate Daniel Ricciardo’s two.

Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium. He has been on the rostrum 12 times this year, more than any driver bar Hamilton.

Finally, if Hamilton finishes on the podium in the season finale he will set a new record for most points scored in a season, beating Vettel’s 2013 tally of 397. Of course this record is heavily dependent on the points system (a win was worth no more than 10 points as recently as 2009) and the length of the calendar (2016 was the only other year which featured 21 rounds).

Drivers’ Chosen Tyres


Championship Standings

[Big Kev]

Alonso will have a special final race livery in Abu Dhabi

[Dr. Pain]

Hulk smash!

[Dr. Pain]

Hulks crash did highlight one issue with the halo and this is, getting drivers out of upside down cars on fire.

[KNAPPO]

Hulks crash did highlight one issue with the halo and this is, getting drivers out of upside down cars on fire.

As much as the halo has scored praise this year, im glad Hulks crash happened as it highlights what most people feared with the halo. I just hope they can learn from it pros and cons with this years design and find a better solution for the future as its not going to go away.

Having to wait for an army of people to turn your car back over so you can get out isnt the best solution. Fire doesn't wait for anybody.

[KNAPPO]

[Dr. Pain]

The test of the new cars begins in a couple of days. They are talking 3 to 4 seconds slower than what we had this year. I think these beasts might be the most powerful and fastest F1 cars for a while.

[w00dsy]

Showing off his Christian tattoo in an Islamic country.

[durbster]

Hadn't thought of that but I think Lewis thinks more about getting a memorable photo. You can see he's thought about that, turning the cap round so it still gets the Mercedes badge in shot. For all his faults, no F1 driver has ever handled their personal brand better than Lewis.

Seb's ruined the symmetry a bit by not joining in. Good for him

[Big Kev]

Decent season all in I think.

We could do with Red Bull getting up there next year and Ferrari being more consistent and not making mistakes. I think Leclerc could well give Vettel a run for his money. Only 5th in the championship for Bottas is very poor in the best car on the grid. He's hugely under pressure from Ocon for next year now. I don't think his likely win in Russia would have made much difference to his performance. Could be some huge fireworks between Max and Gasly though. Interesting to see that although the Honda is now much better, Toro only scored 3 points more than McLaren did last season. Much as I would like to see McLaren and Williams get back in the mix I'm not sure I can see it happening. I'm not overly excited by the McLaren pairing (not sure either are as good as they seem and won't be good for development) and I fear Kubica might be too far off the pace. I think George Russell will do him over. I'd like to see Renault step up. It's a works team with a lot of money and 2 good drivers so they should be knocking on the door of Red Bull if their new engine is good but they need to fix their reliability. Haas will muddle along as usual. Sauber look much improved but are now basically a Ferrari B team so should do well and Force India will show up just how bad Stroll is (he was out qualified by Sirotkin this year for goodness sake), you'd be hard pushed to remember he was even on the grid this season.

[Dr. Pain]

Dad's money will keep Stroll there. There are some good drivers without seats now and some who promised so much then didn't deliver. Stoffel stuffed it and yet he was near unbeatable in GP2.

[Big Kev]

Yeah Stoffel was really disappointing but I did read that the inherent base set up was heavily influenced by Alonso and his driving style didn't suit Vandoorne. But even so, to be battered 21-0 in qually wasn't good.