2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Richmondgal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
2,858
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Car(s)
Still a Hyundai...but this time an i30
Any thoughts yet?

For me, I haven't found this track really special yet, despite all the glamour.
 
To me, this is the worst 'new' circuit, Korea is just a little behind in terms of boring your skull inside out. India is interesting by itself.

And with the season drawing to a close, these race discussions are starting to appear only on the first day, is everyone getting a bit tired out from the Vettel domination? Though personally I prefer to have all race discussions in the 2012 thread itself. :)
 
I remember the times where race threads would reach 2 or 3 pages even before the practices... :p
 
I feel the lack of interest is less because of Vettel domination and more the tracks in this region of the season have little history so there is little to discuss. I do wonder, though, that if Alonso hadn't been taken out in Spa and Suzuka and Hamilton hadn't lost so much ground so that the standings were a lot closer, that the discussion might be more vivacious.
 
I feel the lack of interest is less because of Vettel domination and more the tracks in this region of the season have little history so there is little to discuss.

Speak for yourself. Vettel's dominance is not the problem, more like the quality of the posts.

For the past 1.5 years or so, a number of teenage fanboys have turned this part of the forum into a real toilet. It's no co-incidence that several senior forum members have stopped posting this section.

RBR & Vettel caused it? What a bunch of foolish spammers :rolleyes:
 
I'll agree with that. Fanboyism has ruined discussion of F1 full stop, there are few places you can go to discuss F1 without it being spoiled.

BTW, my post was negating Vettel as the cause of stagnant conversations, i'm unsure that you read it as such.
 
Vettel continues to dominate in Abu Dhabi and Ferrari trouble.

Sebastian Vettel once again took the letters in the second free practice session held at the end of the morning in Brazil and Evening / night in Abu Dhabi, the German who leads the league did the 2nd free practice to time 1:41.751 and put nearly two tenths on top of Lewis Hamilton and 2nd with McLaren which shows this very well at this track since Jenson Button finished in 3rd place in 1st free practice Mclaren led training.

As for the Ferrari to Friday was a nightmare, and shows that behind the Red Bull, shows this also behind Mclaren and even Lotus that with Grosjean and Raikkonen finished with the 5th and 6th time already the Ferraris were with 7 and 8 times for Alonso and Felipe Massa respectively, Sauber and Williams can get ready for Sunday's race by the performance of the cars in Practice.

Results of the 1st free practice

1 4 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:43.285 - 21
2 3 Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:43.618 - 19
3 1 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing-Renault) 1:44.050 - 23
4 5 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1:44.366 - 21
5 2 Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing-Renault) 1:44.542 - 22
6 7 Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) 1:44.694 - 23
7 18 Pastor Maldonado (Williams-Renault) 1:45.115 - 26
8 8 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:45.194 - 19
9 19 Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Renault) 1:45.347 - 25
10 9 Kimi R?ikk?nen (Lotus-Renault) 1:45.422 - 15
11 6 Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:45.567 - 24
12 12 Nico Hulkenberg (Force India-Mercedes) 1:45.587 - 20
13 14 Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari) 1:45.722 - 20
14 10 Romain Grosjean (Lotus-Renault) 1:45.743 - 20
15 11 Jules Bianchi (Force India-Mercedes) 1:45.769 - 22
16 15 Sergio Perez (Sauber-Ferrari) 1:45.811 - 22
17 16 Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:46.649 - 24
18 17 Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:46.708 - 26
19 20 Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham-Renault) 1:47.418 - 23
20 24 Timo Glock (Marussia-Cosworth) 1:47.891 - 21
21 22 Pedro de la Rosa (HRT-Cosworth) 1:48.354 - 22
22 25 Max Chilton (Marussia-Cosworth) 1:48.887 - 22
23 23 Ma Qing Hua (HRT-Cosworth) 1:50.487 - 20
24 21 Giedo van der Garde (Caterham-Renault) no time - 3

Results of the 2nd free practice

1 1 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing-Renault) 1:41.751 - 34
2 4 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:41.919 - 34
3 3 Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:42.412 - 36
4 2 Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing-Renault) 1:42.466 - 21
5 10 Romain Grosjean (Lotus-Renault) 1:42.500 - 34
6 9 Kimi R?ikk?nen (Lotus-Renault) 1:42.532 - 28
7 5 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1:42.587 - 31
8 6 Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:42.823 - 33
9 18 Pastor Maldonado (Williams-Renault) 1:42.998 - 37
10 15 Sergio Perez (Sauber-Ferrari) 1:43.106 - 36
11 19 Bruno Senna (Williams-Renault) 1:43.191 - 34
12 8 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:43,200 - 36
13 12 Nico Hulkenberg (Force India-Mercedes) 1:43.255 - 34
14 7 Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) 1:43.267 - 32
15 11 Paul di Resta (Force India-Mercedes) 1:43.578 - 34
16 14 Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari) 1:43.689 - 32
17 16 Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:44.260 - 27
18 17 Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:45.005 - 19
19 21 Vitaly Petrov (Caterham-Renault) 1:45.245 - 36
20 20 Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham-Renault) 1:45.782 - 33
21 24 Timo Glock (Marussia-Cosworth) 1:46.589 - 36
22 25 Charles Pic (Marussia-Cosworth) 1:46.671 - 32
23 22 Pedro de la Rosa (HRT-Cosworth) 1:46.707 - 26
24 23 Narain Karthikeyan (HRT-Cosworth) 1:47.406 - 3
 
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Vettel continues to dominate in Abu Dhabi and Ferrari trouble (in Free Practice).

The Ferrari's found religion in Q1 and Q2, alas they fell back in Q3.

Hamilton on Pole. Webber 2nd and Vettel 3rd, though Vettel stopped on course after completing his lap under instructions from the team to stop the car after it dropped into neutral. Hamilton's times in Barcelona were disallowed due to stopping on track, so we shall have to see if the stewards take action.
 
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Bottas did well in practice 1, it's pretty much a certainty he's got senna's seat for 2013,

ANOTHER FINN!

Excellent, fingers crossed for Bottas. So cool, calm and collected, just like a typical Finn.

Senna having some trouble finding a seat for 2013? Good riddance, he won't be missed.
 
How could it take so long to come to a stewards decision on running out of fuel before the session ended? Vettel's 3rd place on the grid is hanging in the balance.
 
The investigation is believed to have been delayed as FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting is taking time out to dine.

I bet Horner and Newey are making him a lovely dinner with candles and rubbing warm pig fat onto him. :lol:
 
And there we go.
It's not like they had much of a choice after Barcelona. This is not some pro-Ferrari conspiracy, but "only" one of the rare instances of the stewards being consistent.
 
Just maybe...Alonso can take full advantage of this, as everyone infront crashes, Vettel runs out again and he can lead the WDC after Abu Dhabi.

I never give up.
 
Wow that is really freaking harsh. Even though I'm all pro-tifosi now, you gotta feel for the kid; that's just frustrating.
 
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