Abu Dhabi GP 2010 - Yas Marina Circuit

[Goran2812]

Lack of refuelling made strategy variety and overtaking even more of a living hell than normal. I mean come on, every single car had 1 stop.

Lack of refuelling wasn't the problem, it's the damned tyres. When the supposedly marginal option tyre can manage two thirds race distance on a supposedly high wearing surface without giving away much performance then something is seriously wrong. We need option tyres that are good for approx 1/4 to 1/3rd race distance, with prime tyres good for 1/3rd to 1/2 race distance. That should split the strategies between 2 and 3 stops with an outside chance of someone being able to pull off a 1 stop if they're really careful and are able to defend on shot tyres in the closing laps.

Hopefully that's what we'll get with the Pirelli's next year, and when coupled to the removal of the double diffuser then hopefully we'll get better on track action as well.

+100000000 .!. bridgestone

[djos]

I think Petrov drove out of his ruddy skin! "Very well" doesn't cover it. At least Alonso acknowledged that Petrov didn't make any mistakes. I guess that's something....

Petrov gets man of the match from me, that was a brilliant drive to keep a very experienced super motivated Alonso behind him on not make a single obvious mistake - amazingly it was Alonso making all the mistakes!

I'm very disappointed Webber couldn't snatch victory from the jaws of defeat but Vettel has definitely earned his WDC by having a very impressive back half of the Season!

Im looking forward to seeing what Seb & Mark can do with Newey's RB7 - I suspect the loss of the Double Diffuser might suit Seb more than Mark but im sure he'll at the very least keep Seb honest.

[vall]

Lack of refuelling made strategy variety and overtaking even more of a living hell than normal. I mean come on, every single car had 1 stop.

Lack of refuelling wasn't the problem, it's the damned tyres. When the supposedly marginal option tyre can manage two thirds race distance on a supposedly high wearing surface without giving away much performance then something is seriously wrong. We need option tyres that are good for approx 1/4 to 1/3rd race distance, with prime tyres good for 1/3rd to 1/2 race distance. That should split the strategies between 2 and 3 stops with an outside chance of someone being able to pull off a 1 stop if they're really careful and are able to defend on shot tyres in the closing laps.

Hopefully that's what we'll get with the Pirelli's next year, and when coupled to the removal of the double diffuser then hopefully we'll get better on track action as well.

Indeed, the tires were the big disappointment in 2010. Once Vettel did the whole race on primes and once Webber did 2/3 of a race on option without loosing too much performance. This is not the way it should be.

[Ray]

Wonder if Petrov gave him the California Howdy? I would have.


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sFKyKofW_g[/youtube]

[djos]

JB: I have ripped him up over the year, but credit where credit is due, he had a former WDC drive today.

MW: You had the car under you what happened? Alonso made how many mistakes and you where nowhere. This is exactly why RB did not ask SV to move over last race. I agreed with RB call not to do so last weekend, and thank god they did.

The problem with JB is he needs a damn near perfect car to beat or be on-par with Lewis, when he hasn't got the car sorted his Qualifying is worse than ordinary - Still , a good drive.

Mark really should have stayed out on the tires as they came back to both Seb, Jenson and Lewis - I doubt RBR intentionally pitted Mark to screw with Nando but hey it got RBR the WDC so that's a fairly small sacrifice.

Im more annoyed at JA for not having the good sense to get out of Marks way sooner than he did, this really hurt Mark and prevented him from jumping Nando (not that it would have really made much difference to the end result).

[djos]

Webber got what he deserved, no objections please. Such a performance when it all matters can only only be expected from a driver who is best at ramming his championship rivals out of the track; ZERO racecraft.

Dont be a Hater, Webber showed his race craft by winning the Hardest GP on the calender, Monaco in style this year! Nelson Piquet likened Monaco to "riding a bicycle round your living room"!

[segedunum]

Im looking forward to seeing what Seb & Mark can do with Newey's RB7...

I hate to disappoint, but while Vettel will be there next season I can't see Mark being there, more so than ever now. I was flabbergasted at his interview yesterday when he was what can only be described as defeatist when he still actually had a great chance at the championship today, and his snooze cruise behind Alonso looked like that of a driver who had totally given up. I found this weekend an extremely bizarre one for Webber.

[djos]

Im looking forward to seeing what Seb & Mark can do with Newey's RB7...

I hate to disappoint, but while Vettel will be there next season I can't see Mark being there, more so than ever now. I was flabbergasted at his interview yesterday when he was what can only be described as defeatist when he still actually had a great chance at the championship today, and his snooze cruise behind Alonso looked like that of a driver who had totally given up. I found this weekend an extremely bizarre one for Webber.

Rubbish, Mark has a contract for next year and Horner and Mark have both either confirmed or implied Mark will be at RBR for 2011!

We mustn'€™t forget Mark in all this and what an incredible job he'€™s done this year. He'€™s driven superbly well, he'€™s won four grand prix victories and has taken the Championship to the final race. It could have gone to either one of them this year and it'€™s a great privilege to have these two guys in our team.

You dont make comments like that when you are planning to ditch a driver unless your team is hurting for sponsorship and you are hunting for pay drivers to survive.

I tried my absolute hardest and we did everything we could, but in the end it wasn'€™t enough. You'€™ve got to take your hat off to Sebastian, he's done a great job all year and to lead the Championship at the last race, he'€™s got the timing right and I fully congratulate him on the World Championship. I was in with a chance of winning the Championship until the last race, so I must have been doing something right and in the end there are a lot of positives. I feel I have driven very well for most of the season and that's the most important thing to me. This weekend didn't turn out and it's a shame, but it'€™s a good time to reflect in the next few weeks and look back at the highs and the lows but that's the way the sport is sometimes.

There have been quite a few emotions over the last couple of weeks; when you come so close to the top and just miss out, it's a shame, but I tried my absolute hardest and I have great guys around me. I think two championships for the team is not bad and I'€™ll be fighting again next season

Clearly without a driver of Webber's Caliber RBR would not have won the WCC so why would you boot him?

[Giblet]

just a small point ....luca wasn't at the race , he just went to get on TV as many times as possible , then left before the race started

He never stays for the race. He makes an appearance, and goes away.

Every race.

[segedunum]

Rubbish, Mark has a contract for next year and Horner and Mark have both either confirmed or implied Mark will be at RBR for 2011!

It really doesn't matter I'm afraid. These things have a way of getting 'sorted' - plus we don't know what that contract says. This weekend has hammered home to me more than ever that he can't and won't be there next season. Ally that to the fact that he's far heavier than other drivers, he's 6" 2' and KERS will be added next season and you've got a clear disadvantage right there before you do anything.

His interview after qualifying yesterday when he was still a firm title challenger, his non-committal performance today and the fact that he won't be at the Pirelli test just makes it an open secret to me. I predicted that Webber wouldn't be there months ago and the bizarre events of this weekend just convince me even more now. I know it's difficult to see but it's all there.

Clearly without a driver of Webber's Caliber RBR would not have won the WCC so why would you boot him?

Because he's not good enough when the chips are down, and so it proved this weekend. I've predicted what would happen to Mark in other threads from his past Formula 3000 exploits amongst other things, and I was proved dead right. Yesterday was just a very bizarre and sad throwing in of the towel that seems very familiar to me.

[djos]

Rubbish, Mark has a contract for next year and Horner and Mark have both either confirmed or implied Mark will be at RBR for 2011!

It really doesn't matter I'm afraid. These things have a way of getting 'sorted' - plus we don't know what that contract says. This weekend has hammered home to me more than ever that he can't and won't be there next season. Ally that to the fact that he's far heavier than other drivers, he's 6" 2' and KERS will be added next season and you've got a clear disadvantage right there before you do anything.

His interview after qualifying yesterday when he was still a firm title challenger, his non-committal performance today and the fact that he won't be at the Pirelli test just makes it an open secret to me. I predicted that Webber wouldn't be there months ago and the bizarre events of this weekend just convince me even more now. I know it's difficult to see but it's all there.

Clearly without a driver of Webber's Caliber RBR would not have won the WCC so why would you boot him?

Because he's not good enough when the chips are down, and so it proved this weekend. I've predicted what would happen to Mark in other threads from his past Formula 3000 exploits amongst other things, and I was proved dead right. Yesterday was just a very bizarre and sad throwing in of the towel that seems very familiar to me.

The fact is that Webber is an excellent driver and has managed to qualify within 2/100ths of a second of Seb at many races this year - that's not the sign of an average driver - he's also managed five pole positions, four victories and ten podiums. Why would you not want a driver that consistent working for you when you are fighting MacMerc and Ferrari for Constructors Championships?

Show me one other "#2" driver who is consistently that close to their "#1" driver and consistently bagging the kind of points needed for the WCC?

[Terrible3]

For me the real question would be is if Mark was to leave RBR who would fill his shoes? I don't think RBR would replace him with a rookie any day soon. With that being said I think Redbull could use a less aggressive driver than Mark as lets face it, both Mark and Vettel tend to push a little too hard sometimes. I guess its Marks call, is he really willing to stay at RBR when he knows he will not longer get equality?

[Shrieker]

Dont be a Hater, Webber showed his race craft by winning the Hardest GP on the calender, Monaco in style this year! Nelson Piquet likened Monaco to "riding a bicycle round your living room"!

+Props to him for pulling the Monaco GP win. But you'll see below that my lament isn't without reason.

The fact is that Webber is an excellent driver and has managed to qualify within 2/100ths of a second of Seb at many races this year - that's not the sign of an average driver - he's also managed five pole positions, four victories and ten podiums

No - that an average driver doesn't make; but ramming people off the track and ruining their races four times in one season does.

1 - Melbourne, rammed Hamilton from behind. 2- Istanbul, clash with his team mate; although I agree Vettel was more to blame on that occasion, Webber wasn't entirely innocent either. Singapore, rammed Hamilton from behind - yet again (my gawd!). 4- Korea, took out Rosberg which was entirely avoidable (like his other deeds weren't )

So as you can see, someone keeps the score. And maybe there's something I forgot to mention too ?

If Lewis Hamilton had committed only one of those offences, people would've been calling for his head. He had his close moments and brushes, but didn't take out anyone. He definitely would've gotten a grid penalty or something. I won't even mention doing it four times in a year.

So how -and why - did Webber got away with all those ? He either did a couple of them on purpose, or can't keep the car under control when it matters most - wheel to wheel racing. Which again, is zero racecraft in my books.

[zeph]

No - that an average driver doesn't make; but ramming people off the track and ruining their races four times in one season does.

1 - Melbourne, rammed Hamilton from behind. 2- Istanbul, clash with his team mate; although I agree Vettel was more to blame on that occasion, Webber wasn't entirely innocent either. Singapore, rammed Hamilton from behind - yet again (my gawd!). 4- Korea, took out Rosberg which was entirely avoidable (like his other deeds weren't )

That is a matter of perspective. I could just as easily say:

Istanbul: 100% Vettel's ineptitude.
Singapore: Hamilton was a little too enthusiastic and closed the door on him, left him with nowhere to go.
Korea, he lost control over the car and that was stupid, but to say he torpedoed Rosberg on purpose is conjecture at best, and more likely just plain BS.

And you forgot Kovalainen in Valencia, even though some say that wasn't really Webber's fault either.

But this is all irrelevant now and OT, so don't bother to retort.

[djos]

No - that an average driver doesn't make; but ramming people off the track and ruining their races four times in one season does.

1 - Melbourne, rammed Hamilton from behind. 2- Istanbul, clash with his team mate; although I agree Vettel was more to blame on that occasion, Webber wasn't entirely innocent either. Singapore, rammed Hamilton from behind - yet again (my gawd!). 4- Korea, took out Rosberg which was entirely avoidable (like his other deeds weren't )

So as you can see, someone keeps the score. And maybe there's something I forgot to mention too ?

If Lewis Hamilton had committed only one of those offences, people would've been calling for his head. He had his close moments and brushes, but didn't take out anyone. He definitely would've gotten a grid penalty or something. I won't even mention doing it four times in a year.

So how -and why - did Webber got away with all those ? He either did a couple of them on purpose, or can't keep the car under control when it matters most - wheel to wheel racing. Which again, is zero racecraft in my books.

Oh c'mon, Lewis (who is now an excellent driver who I respect) is hardly the person you should be holding up as a shining example of overtaking perfection!

For example his Collision with Massa at Monza just this year was his own fault for sticking his nose down the inside when he didnt have the racing line, Massa did.

And there are other examples from other seasons of Lewis binning it even while by himself (eg monaco 2009 when it wasnt even wet).

Webber is certainly guilty of making mistakes and Melbourne is certainly one of them but to accuse him of zero race craft is ridiculous and holding Webber accountable for Turkey is just ludicrous! Every man and his dog (Helmut excepted) lay the blame squarely at Vettel's Feet!

Singapore was a simple racing incident, most commentators agree that lewis didn't leave enuf room considering he admitted that had no idea where Mark was - accusing Mark of ramming from behind is just willful ignorance, Mark was on the apex of the corner with his front wing level with Lewis's helmet!

Korea was clearly a driver error however taking Rosberg out was 100% an accident, as was proved over and over again in that race thread Webbers car was not under his control after it hit the wall and Webber putting his feet on the brakes would have done precisely zip considering his chassis was destroyed (witnessed by his right front wheel sticking up in the air as his left rear wheel was shredded).

So again I say, stop the hating! it's not cool!