2012 Abu Dhabi GP - Yas Marina

[raymondu999]

FFS peeps let's get away from this whole driver comparison.

On a funnier note...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtaulxTt0Gc[/youtube]

[zeph]

I heard it during the race, but it's even funnier now...

[Intego]

And consider that Buttons car was not a slow one, he is a good defender and had DRS behind Alonso for some time.

=D> +1

I think the concept of Alonso and Button being on the same tyres (medium) and same setups they had in quali

and Sebastian Vettel having fresh soft tyres and a setup primed for overtaking against car on medium tyres

is obviously lost on both of you.

We don't know if they found the setup perfectly, because they had no single lap to try out.
And how often do we see drivers taking time to overtake and then declare it as a pleasure?

Fact is: With a strong pace, a little luck and the right strategy at the right time Vettel made the best out of his position. Period.

[johnny99]

While not a massive fan of Vettel, but an admirer, you have to hand it to him. He got a bit of luck with the SC, and grasped it with both hands, great drive, and fantastic to see Kimi on the top step. Great to see both of the Williams in the top 10.

John

[banibhusan]

I wonder how would his engineer feel when Kimi replied, "You don't have to remind me everytime."!!

Overall a very thrilling race at a not so thrilling track. I wonder whether Kimi would still call it a s*itty track.. Thoroughly deserved victory by Kimi and Lotus. They have been trying real hard throughout the season and finally something to cheer for. It's also great to notice that this Lotus win came after 25 years. The last was back in 1987 by Senna at Detroit.

Alonso also drove a great race as he always does. I somehow felt that after the 2nd SC he was just maintaining the gap between him and Button to make sure that Button stays in the DRS zone which would make it difficult for Vettel to pass Button. But eventually he pulled away since it was clear Vettel was way faster than both.

Vettel did a very good job in limiting the damage. It's expected that many would think its primarily because of a strong car and luck. But that's not his fault right. On top of that his mistake behind DR(seemed pretty stupid to me) also somehow tarnish what otherwise could have been a great drive. But it still doesn't compare to what Kimi did in Japan, 05 IMO.

I don't want to talk about McLaren!!

[siskue2005]

Kimi sounded really rude to me , but I have to say I laughed alot

[ell66]

Hamiltons had horrendous luck all year, he's easily been just as good as alonso all year...annoys me no end when fools on the bbc and sky talk about fernando being head and shoulders above everyone. It frustrates me even more when that mediocre driver that is button actually edges closer to beating lewis again despite being nothing more than --- all year long.
Not going to go into mclaren this season is a prime examle of why they fail to win championships.

vettel was pretty average today, botched overtakes showing he cant pass cleanly but credit for finishing on the podium.

Once hamilton retired im glad it was kimi who won, good to see him back.

[Dragonfly]

Kimi sounded really rude to me , but I have to say I laughed alot

Rude? I'd actually like to hear more drivers do that. The race engineers are turning into ridiculous baby sitters or worse - gamers who use their driver as a remote control. And often miss to convey a really vital information exactly when it matters. Merc engineers are in the lead there.

[Phil]

It's not phenomenal because of the two safety cars. If it was last to third in normal circumstance then I would say yes, that was pretty amazing. The only genuine overtake today was on Button, that was good. The others were easy for red bull, just a simple DRS overtake.

I agree though Alonso was more deserving.

I guess we will agree to disagree then. IMO what you define as phenomenal plainly isn't possible - because if any driver did indeed perform on such a level, it wouldn't be without a huge surreal car advantage. The only race that comes to my mind where someone performed similarly was Canada 2011, when Button came from pretty much back of the field to take the win - but it was only possible due to a superbly set-up McLaren for the conditions and the safety car as well and some other incidents. In fact, as I (and some others have pointed out) repeatedly, the biggest factors for Vettel today was perhaps Webber and his incident with Massa, causing the latter to spin and end up behind a Vettel.

Safety car 1 didn't help him much besides bringing the field together, but due to his own clumsyness hitting the billboard, he dropped back again, so one could argue if the safety car was any advantage at all. The early pit stop only compromised his race, as he then later had to pit again, rather than being able to get through with one single stop.

Safety car 2 didn't help much either, because at that point, he was already 4th with nothing much to gain. The only position he gained was at Button's expense. It closed the gap - but while this helped him close the gap to Button, it was actually Alonso who could have benefited most, by closing the gap to Raikoennen and coming very close to winning this race and an additional 7 points. Alonso didn't capitalize on his potential benefit, Vettel could. No big win though, as with the pace advantage Vettel had over Button, there's a probability he *might* have passed him anyway - or at least close the gap.

All other incidents were out of his hands, and I'm not sure how he really benefited from them in a way that didn't also benefit many other drivers.

In a sport where the car and the team is probably the biggest factor, I don't really know what there is more to say other than that there are no miracles to the level you might expect Vettel to achieve that would make him a worthy champion. IMO - this race has given some form of justification if Vettel does take the WDC this year. Without this 3rd place podium, it would have been too easy (if he does take the title), but this race and this result, he really had to drive for it. And while there were elements of good fortune, it wasn't to the extend you are making it out to be.

It's been a hard day for Alonso and Ferrari today and one can only assume how he must feel. But it's still a team sport and one has to be impressed with Red Bull and the level they are performing at. And believe me, being a Hamilton supporter, watching how at the very opposite end McLaren is performing, this very point hurts to admit.


And btw: So happy for Raikoennen. Got to love the guy, what a character...

[Lurk]

BTW, what Kimi said the first time? (when his engineer talked about the gap with Alonso)
I didn't catch his answer...

[stefan_]

BTW, what Kimi said the first time? (when his engineer talked about the gap with Alonso)
I didn't catch his answer...

"Just leave me alone, I know what I'm doing."

[Lurk]

thanks. It is even better than his "yes yes yes yes I'm doing it all the time"

[Mr Alcatraz]

Great drive by Scuderia Alonso to claw back some points, Now with one sealed lump left he is in good shape. See ya''awl boys in Austin (staying in San Marcos) I'll be in priority seating in the stadium section! T15. Ok later

[andartop]

According to Massa he did have to break hard to avoid Webber when he was rejoining the track, so surely this could be seen in the telemetry???

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104041

[langwadt]

According to Massa he did have to break hard to avoid Webber when he was rejoining the track, so surely this could be seen in the telemetry???

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104041

It was obvious that massa spun because he lifted to avoid webber, maybe he really didn't have and was just surprised
but I think it could easily have given a penalty for not reentering the track in a safe way