2016 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Yas Marina, 25-27 November

[flynfrog]

when was the last time there were 3 world champs on the podium?

[matt_b]

when was the last time there were 3 world champs on the podium?

Singapore 2013: Seb, Alonso, Kimi

[Unc1eM0nty]

Title fight aside I thought it was a good race, only because Hamilton backed them up though to compress the front runners, lets face it - if he hadn't this race would have been dull as dish water with nothing to talk about.

Lets hop for similar close racing next season eh? well...... we can dream can't we :0)

Today was easy for Rosberg, Brazil in the wet was where he wont the title race , it would have been very to run off track and loose a hand full of places.

[Fifty]

I think this race showed Ver's only ability.... push the other car off the track supercross style, in order to pass...
He truly is a PlayStation driver.

Major props to Vettel for only trying the pass on Nico once and then acting like a gentleman and not risking any contact. In doing so preserving the world title for Nico and 3rd for himself.

Good start by Hami, but very childish of him in the end and green room. Maybe Niki Lauda will expose him destroying another room in a temper tantrum!

Nico isn't my favorite, but points don't lie.

[Sonador]

I think this race showed Ver's only ability.... push the other car off the track supercross style, in order to pass...
He truly is a PlayStation driver.

What makes you think that?
And is it Supercross style or Playstationstyle, or is it both?

I do not agree with you statement, but i am curious to know why you think that.

I think he did awesome to finish 4th from back of the grid, and strategy and tiremanagement played a key part in that.
He fights harsh but fairly, the only time i tought he was out of line was in Spa, the pressure got to him in front of his home crowd. Not a fan of him, but i give him credit, he did very well this year, and did put some spice back in to F1 (wich was needed imo)!

[Fifty]

His idea of hard driving is diving in, early apexing and then giving the other car two choices:
1)stay on the track and risk a collision
2)drive off the track and don't risk a collision but give up place.

I truly believe that FOM and their financial ward, the FIA, are turning a blind eye to his actions because he is filling seats with his fans. In a time where ticket sales and viewership is down, and countries/tracks are dropping out like flies, FOM and FIA will bend many a rule for someone who has recently brought a sea of orange.

[notsofast]

The general fear is that this overshadows the actual events of the race through bitter comments about deserving/not deserving the title, including events from past races, etc.

In order to have a better chance at keeping this a technical forum, I suggest that perhaps a better way might be to ruthlessly delete posts that are clearly off topic or not in keeping with the spirit of this forum. It's your website, you don't owe anyone an explanation. Just delete the stuff that doesn't belong.

[ringo]

Dani Ric is also like max, he dive bombs and tries to make it stick. Some think he is the best overtaker, but i think he has exposed himself not to be. He tends to do these dive bombs, and when they don't work he loses the place and also loses a lot of pace. He and his teammate deserve similar criticism for their driving. I wouldn't be too hard on Max, as both redbull drivers are more like crash bandicoots than honey badgers.
When they can attack and fail, and still be in a position a few corners later to setup another attack that's when i could say they are good at overtaking. Max isnt as bad as playstation driver, he just needs a little more experience and polish.

[Fifty]

I agree.

The best road race drivers I've ever seen get you coming out. Theycarry that corner and exit speed. Clean skill there.
But some will say there is any ways to skin a cat, and that is true. We have only listed two.

[Manoah2u]

Lol, usual haters on max out.

Max drove great after a first corner incident. The only comment i could make on max apart from that, was that his defense against Rosberg could have done with moving to the right after taking back the corner and having nico on the inside with better traction, forcing him alongside the left instead of right, i just felt it was 'unfinished' defense, even if to me it was clear the merc had so much power packed to that moment that it wasnt going to make a difference period.

as for the race, i think they delibaretely waited for nico to let the ferrari pass in the 1st pitstop, as if they didn't no doubt he would have come out in front of lewis, and that would have given solid hellfire. i think it was also very interesting to look into the behaviour of the mercedes crew. clear as day that it was a planned event. toto's expression really said it all to be honest.

the sky interview with paddy was also very interesting, effectively cornering him and left him out with nothing to say.

[ringo]

Since this is about the race and not the dumpster thread.. i mention vettel not being too willing to try attacking nico harder.
He claimed that he didn't have any tyres left.
What do you all think?

[Fifty]

I think he was being a gentlemen and made one attempt and then made sure not to risk ruining Nico's chance over a possible 2nd place finish.

[max_speed]

Great drive by Hamilton, trying every trick on track to win, even in the face of the team pulling for his team mate. Out qualified and took more wins than his team mate and only let down by the engine. Rosberg is undeserving of being called "champion".

seriously great drive ? a world champion's drive ? he has mega talent but has to become a Man first. you say in media that i am not going to back Rosberg up , just want to disappear and then do completely opposite to it in race.
i am damn sure hamilton is going to face serious consequences by not obeying team orders.
i love him but he lost a lot of respect yesterday in my eyes.

[PlatinumZealot]

Hamilton mastercraft of race control. The tactic had the whole Nico support team scared crapless.

Riccciard got screwed over with the strat but no reason why the RBR decided to change from plan A.

Great race from crazy Max. Didnt do anything too special but he made a race out of it.

[zac510]

I don't think Verstappen's one-stop would have worked if he hadn't held up everyone from 3rd backwards. That really won him back a lot of time that he lost in his turn 1 spin. So I don't think it's easy to just say a 1 stop was better.


What a fantastic race, I loved it. Great tactics. For the last dozen or so years the 'battle' between the desire of the teams to control their drivers to 1-2s and the drivers individual (selfish) desires to win outright has been won by the teams but yesterday it was great to see that all chucked out and a raw race being run on a driver's whims. I hope we can see more of it in the future.

I can't believe that anyone who criticizes Hamilton's tactics would not do the same in his situation. Fortunately for them they likely won't be in the same situation ever, so they will just criticise knowing that they can never be proven to be hypocritical.