2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina, Dec 10 - 12

[tpe]

It's already poisoned....
The last race of the year, the last race of an era.
Let's try to enjoy it, we will not see those cars again.

[Shrieker]

Last year he started on pole and just disappeared in to the distance, and that was when the Mercedes had a much bigger performance advantage.

I think the changes made for this year will work in merc's favor tho. The 4-5 flip flop chicane is gone, so is the left-right-left-left sequence at the end of the back straight.

From the first corner up until the first hairpin, it is a longer full throttle section than it used to be, followed by two long straights in combination no doubt will favor a stronger engine. It can also open up charge/deployment strategies massively if it comes to a head to head during the race.

One last thing is, Lewis was coming back from covid last year, and probably wasn't %100. Personally, I'll be impressed if MV actually manages to disappear like he did last year.

[draw73]

I’ve seen this movie already. Chick”Thunder”Hicks is going to crash out the King and win the Piston Cup.


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[draw73]

Sorry forgot to spoiler tag it!


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[WaikeCU]

I think for the past seasons it can't be compared. Both championships were done and dusted before we even were at Abu Dhabi. For what we know, Merc might have looked at the whole weekend as an opportunity to gain mileage and data to test things out. Knowing how short Winter testing is these days, I wouldn't be even surprised!

I think Sector 1 and 2 will favour Merc, but the final more technical sector will favour Max and Red Bull.

[dertli01]

Last year was a total victory for RB. After all those changes and upgrades on cars, its hard to guees who is gonna be in front this race. Jeddah race shown that mercs straight pace is not that astronomical anymore. Not much as Brazil at least.

[sushantasapkota1]

Maybe bottas should change his engine and help the team..

[Magicsenna_41]

What if…. Perez misjudges his braking and takes Verstappen out… almost happened last weekend.

Albon will jump on its own in a car and recreate Situation in Silverstone.

[El Scorchio]

Maybe bottas should change his engine and help the team..

TBH I don't the team would want to risk having him not up the front of the grid. There's no way they'll want two Red Bulls right next to Hamilton with no Bottas there.

[WaikeCU]

Maybe bottas should change his engine and help the team..

TBH I don't the team would want to risk having him not up the front of the grid. There's no way they'll want two Red Bulls right next to Hamilton with no Bottas there.

Also Constructors:
- If 1 or 2 RB dnf's, then that's the Constuctors sealed for Merc
- If RB 1-2 and 1 Merc in P3 + Other Merc DNF's. That will be level points if none of the top 3 has the fastest lap => RB wins Constructors I think

[El Scorchio]

Maybe bottas should change his engine and help the team..

TBH I don't the team would want to risk having him not up the front of the grid. There's no way they'll want two Red Bulls right next to Hamilton with no Bottas there.

Also Constructors:
- If 1 or 2 RB dnf's, then that's the Constuctors sealed for Merc
- If RB 1-2 and 1 Merc in P3 + Other Merc DNF's. That will be level points if none of the top 3 has the fastest lap => RB wins Constructors I think

I was thinking more of what might happen to Hamilton at the start of the race, TBH! They won't want the top three to be Hamilton Perez Verstappen in any order. I think unless there are multiple DNFs or a mad race then the WCC is with Mercedes anyway so an engine change for Bottas won't really matter. He needs to be in the top 3 on the grid assuming Hamilton is also there.

[Magicsenna_41]

TBH I don't the team would want to risk having him not up the front of the grid. There's no way they'll want two Red Bulls right next to Hamilton with no Bottas there.

Also Constructors:
- If 1 or 2 RB dnf's, then that's the Constuctors sealed for Merc
- If RB 1-2 and 1 Merc in P3 + Other Merc DNF's. That will be level points if none of the top 3 has the fastest lap => RB wins Constructors I think

I was thinking more of what might happen to Hamilton at the start of the race, TBH! They won't want the top three to be Hamilton Perez Verstappen in any order. I think unless there are multiple DNFs or a mad race then the WCC is with Mercedes anyway so an engine change for Bottas won't really matter. He needs to be in the top 3 on the grid assuming Hamilton is also there.

Bottas should start near the top grid. If not Mercedes will run into RedBull strategic games with early pitting Perez. Assuming Hamilton starts on pole.
But did Bottas engine survived a leakage from last weekend. So he would have only one engine in his pool with for us unknown status.

[Jolle]

Also Constructors:
- If 1 or 2 RB dnf's, then that's the Constuctors sealed for Merc
- If RB 1-2 and 1 Merc in P3 + Other Merc DNF's. That will be level points if none of the top 3 has the fastest lap => RB wins Constructors I think

I was thinking more of what might happen to Hamilton at the start of the race, TBH! They won't want the top three to be Hamilton Perez Verstappen in any order. I think unless there are multiple DNFs or a mad race then the WCC is with Mercedes anyway so an engine change for Bottas won't really matter. He needs to be in the top 3 on the grid assuming Hamilton is also there.

Bottas should start near the top grid. If not Mercedes will run into RedBull strategic games with early pitting Perez. Assuming Hamilton starts on pole.
But did Bottas engine survived a leakage from last weekend. So he would have only one engine in his pool with for us unknown status.

Bottas & Perez probably only come in to play in the first third of the race, if they can get in between Hamilton and Verstappen. Who wins the race doesn’t matter. If Bottas his engine blows half way trough doesn’t matter either (or Perez’).

[FWandE]

What a weekend we are in for! Will Lewis beat Max and secure an 8th WDC? Will Max beat Lewis to secure his first? Will Max take Lewis out securing his first but also a reputation as a fast but ruthless and irresponsible cheat? (A reputation he will never lose no matter what else he achieves in the sport). Will Mercedes dominance of the pre 2022 hybrid era be total or will RedBull capture the constructors championship? If Max & RedBull lose will they challenge Lewis & Mercedes win by claiming flexiwings or engine irregularities? Thereby ensuring the 2021 season drags on & on & on in legal battles and securing a reputation as sore losers?
I want a good race. I want to see Max & Lewis go head to head, wheel to wheel. I want the fastest driver/car combination to win FAIR & SQUARE. I am almost certain I will be disappointed.

[El Scorchio]

I was thinking more of what might happen to Hamilton at the start of the race, TBH! They won't want the top three to be Hamilton Perez Verstappen in any order. I think unless there are multiple DNFs or a mad race then the WCC is with Mercedes anyway so an engine change for Bottas won't really matter. He needs to be in the top 3 on the grid assuming Hamilton is also there.

Bottas should start near the top grid. If not Mercedes will run into RedBull strategic games with early pitting Perez. Assuming Hamilton starts on pole.
But did Bottas engine survived a leakage from last weekend. So he would have only one engine in his pool with for us unknown status.

Bottas & Perez probably only come in to play in the first third of the race, if they can get in between Hamilton and Verstappen. Who wins the race doesn’t matter. If Bottas his engine blows half way trough doesn’t matter either (or Perez’).

Exactly. and going on this season historically, it's more likely to be Bottas in the top three than Perez, so they'll really want to have him qualify and start there. The dream I think would be as it was in Saudi with a short clean run down to t1, on the assumption that Verstappen doesn't accidentally brake too late for t1 and collide with Hamilton. If Verstappen and Hamilton are on the front row then Hamilton should just let Verstappen go as my feeling is Verstappen is just going to go in hot to the first corner and take whatever line he wants, regardless of whether there 's a black car in his way or not.