[Official] Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 17 of 17

[wnut]

I was just looking at the stewards reports and thinking that the prctice of deleting lap times needs upgrading to a penalty for cut/ short laps.

In particular Leclerc has gained 1.36 seconds in cut lap which depending on when the advantage is obtained could be considerable in obtaining track position.

https://www.fia.com/sites/default/fi...es_turn_21.pdf


Thoughts?

[Greem]

That's baffling. I can understand, sort of, them referring to that lap not counting towards the FL point but surely deleting a lap time during the race means that driver is now a lap down...

I don't think I've ever heard of lap times being deleted during a race.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Greem

That's baffling. I can understand, sort of, them referring to that lap not counting towards the FL point but surely deleting a lap time during the race means that driver is now a lap down...

I don't think I've ever heard of lap times being deleted during a race.

I think it's seen as a formal notification of cumulative transgressions, prior to further sanction.
'If a driver ends up having a third lap time deleted in a session, they’ll receive a black and white warning flag from the stewards, and can be further penalised for subsequent transgressions.'

(Different race, but similar circumstances I think).

[chavez]

Well done to Max.

Very much the kind of weekend he'll need together on a regular basis if he wants to be World Champ one day.

[S griffin]

Good win by Max. Lewis clearly was struggling, almost got caught by Alex at the end. At least it meant Bottas could beat him again

Once again Abu Dhabi provides another yawnfest. Why do they keep having this dull circuit as the final race of the season? The final race of the season should be one to look forward to

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Why do they keep having this dull circuit as the final race of the season? The final race of the season should be one to look forward to

The short answer is because the circuit pays for the privilege of being the last race of the season.


A question surrounding the race will always be how much excitement is lost because there is nothing/little at stake. With the WDC and WCC being wrapped up a while ago - would many other circuits been any more exciting?

Racing is all about having something at stake - if you went to Monaco for the final race this season, it too would probably be as dull as dishwater there (it's boring enough to watch races at already).

For me, what is important is what happens between the white lines (or slightly beyond them in some corners ). Everything surrounding the circuit is immaterial. So Monaco has a tunnel, Suzuka is a figure-of-eight, Baku goes through the old town, Mexico has a stadium section. So what? Those features alone do not make a good circuit (in my opinion).

Give me something at stake in the race, and a level of competition between cars/drivers - and I'll tell you it was worth watching/listening to. I couldn't care less if it was the 1st race at that circuit or the 100th, if it was at the end of the season or the start.

Which is the best circuit to host the final round? - the one at which the drivers and teams head to and have to leave everything on the track to get a result. And if the way the regulations are set up means that is not possible, then just give it to whoever pays the most. Don't blame the circuit, when it is the FIA that has meant the race has no excitement.

[steve_r]

There was little or nothing at stake for a massive part of the season, as the WDC and WCC were a formality. However, many such races with nothing riding on them were still brilliant.

This track is purpose built, so they could do anything they wanted with the layout - and they are not short of cash. It was an awfully dull race, as expected.

[dsg]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

With the WDC and WCC being wrapped up a while ago - would many other circuits been any more exciting?

Racing is all about having something at stake - if you went to Monaco for the final race this season, it too would probably be as dull as dishwater there (it's boring enough to watch races at already).

I was thinking the same thing. Nothing to play for, engines at the end of their life and everyone wanting to go home after a long year. I am not sure it would have been any better if the final race was at Silverstone other than a shorter drive home for most teams.

[Taxi645]

It was a bit odd how Vettel stormed towards Leclerc with 13 lap newer tyres, but when he came close all of a sudden lost all speed.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

It was a bit odd how Vettel stormed towards Leclerc with 13 lap newer tyres, but when he came close all of a sudden lost all speed.

It's interesting to compare their respective times, based on the age of their tyres.

For both drivers, their lap times on their final set of tyres reads:

Tyre Age (laps)	CL	SV
8	102.854	104.71
9	103.993	103.384
10	103.091	103.276
11	102.424	103.273
12	102.537	103.605
13	102.96	103.654
14	103.274	105.724
15	103.195	14.527

Looking at the lap times, SV got 7 laps out of the tyres where he was making ground on CL, after having 11 laps where he was falling further behind.
CL's looks to be the better strategy.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by dsg

I was thinking the same thing. Nothing to play for, engines at the end of their life and everyone wanting to go home after a long year. I am not sure it would have been any better if the final race was at Silverstone other than a shorter drive home for most teams.

It was still all to play for between McLaren and RP, for 3rd place in the WCC.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

It was a bit odd how Vettel stormed towards Leclerc with 13 lap newer tyres, but when he came close all of a sudden lost all speed.

Not really that's a 2020 Formula one car for you completely unable to run close to a car infront without losing massive amounts of downforce

[steve_r]

Yeah, Hamilton said as much in the post race interview, when you are within 2/3 seconds, it's very difficult to follow.

I am not sure if anyone asked Vettel the same question or not.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

The short answer is because the circuit pays for the privilege of being the last race of the season.


A question surrounding the race will always be how much excitement is lost because there is nothing/little at stake. With the WDC and WCC being wrapped up a while ago - would many other circuits been any more exciting?

Racing is all about having something at stake - if you went to Monaco for the final race this season, it too would probably be as dull as dishwater there (it's boring enough to watch races at already).

For me, what is important is what happens between the white lines (or slightly beyond them in some corners ). Everything surrounding the circuit is immaterial. So Monaco has a tunnel, Suzuka is a figure-of-eight, Baku goes through the old town, Mexico has a stadium section. So what? Those features alone do not make a good circuit (in my opinion).

Give me something at stake in the race, and a level of competition between cars/drivers - and I'll tell you it was worth watching/listening to. I couldn't care less if it was the 1st race at that circuit or the 100th, if it was at the end of the season or the start.

Which is the best circuit to host the final round? - the one at which the drivers and teams head to and have to leave everything on the track to get a result. And if the way the regulations are set up means that is not possible, then just give it to whoever pays the most. Don't blame the circuit, when it is the FIA that has meant the race has no excitement.

In answer to your question, yes! There are plenty of better circuits that are much more exciting to watch, which is something you don’t seem to get

And when have we ever used Monaco as the last GP? That’s a very poorly thought out example

Maybe you should try ask the Abu Dhabi organisers for a job in PR . It’s clear that you seem to be good at spinning it. Most other just want better circuits, with better surroundings. Quite frankly if circuits like this were the majority, I think less people would watch

[chillibowl]

i personally think the stuff around the track is amazing particularly the surrounding buildings, amusements facilities, and marina. i wish we could marry this level of construction/design but place it around a track that genuinely suits F1 cars.

but not every race can be made exciting just by being at the right track and circumstances has a lot to do with how well a race turns out. its just that unusual things dont happen here.

each venue should pose a different challenge and this one does all be it one that i dont think these F1 cars can solve. again waiting for the 2022 car designs and hope it catches up to the track layout....but then again, maybe fixing the cars for here makes them pants at another, even more highly regarded, circuit.

as an aside, are the problems here at all related to the amount of running teams do here now? a Barcelona type situation if you will.

if 2020 has shown us anything, it is that F1 teams are far too prepared, too well funded, and way too dialed in.

perhaps the last venue each year should be on a rotating basis of tracks F1 rarely doesn't go to?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

In answer to your question, yes! There are plenty of better circuits that are much more exciting to watch, which is something you don’t seem to get

I don't watch F1 for exciting circuits, I watch it for the sporting element.

You're right - I don't get why any circuit is exciting to watch, because I don't watch circuits.

I appreciate some people might watch F1 because of the circuits they race at, or the surroundings. But I'm not one of them.

I personally see no problem with any circuit being last on the calendar, provided there is competition on track. On this occasion, there was little on track action so the race was poor. I don't see why circuits should be swapped around to solve that problem. The sport shouldn't need to select it's tracks based on what they bring to the sport - the cars, drivers and teams should be enough.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I don't watch F1 for exciting circuits, I watch it for the sporting element.

You're right - I don't get why any circuit is exciting to watch, because I don't watch circuits.

I appreciate some people might watch F1 because of the circuits they race at, or the surroundings. But I'm not one of them.

I personally see no problem with any circuit being last on the calendar, provided there is competition on track. On this occasion, there was little on track action so the race was poor. I don't see why circuits should be swapped around to solve that problem. The sport shouldn't need to select it's tracks based on what they bring to the sport - the cars, drivers and teams should be enough.

I think what a track brings to the sport is very much a part of it. Le Mans would not be Le Mans without that particular track and its surroundings and neither would the Indy 500. Each track, its characteristics and its surroundings are unique and are an integral part of motorsport. Otherwise why not race on the same track throughout the entire season?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I think what a track brings to the sport is very much a part of it. Le Mans would not be Le Mans without that particular track and its surroundings and neither would the Indy 500. Each track, its characteristics and its surroundings are unique and are an integral part of motorsport. Otherwise why not race on the same track throughout the entire season?

It's interesting that you pick two events that, to most casual observers, are stand-alone events.

When it comes to a season, there should (IMO) be a variety of tracks. Each of those tracks will see the challenge vary from event to event, but each race also stands on its own as an event in itself. I just don't feel personally we should worry about which of those tracks is last in the schedule, if the product on the track is enough in its own right.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It's interesting to compare their respective times, based on the age of their tyres.

For both drivers, their lap times on their final set of tyres reads:


Looking at the lap times, SV got 7 laps out of the tyres where he was making ground on CL, after having 11 laps where he was falling further behind.
CL's looks to be the better strategy.

interestingly the 1:02.xx laps were the laps where Leclerc was cutting the circuit and was not penalized despite doing it on 4 occasions as mentioned by Brundle in the commentary, and listed as 3 in the stewards documents.

[wolfhound]

At the young driver test in Abu Dhabi Renault appear to have found a talented young driver by the name of Alonso who went fastest in the test with a time that was faster than Ricciardo or Ocon at the GP.

Have Renault found a possible world champion in their new signing?????????

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15...ng-driver-test

[Aysedasi]

Just newbies' luck.....

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

At the young driver test in Abu Dhabi Renault appear to have found a talented young driver by the name of Alonso who went fastest in the test with a time that was faster than Ricciardo or Ocon at the GP.

Have Renault found a possible world champion in their new signing?????????

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15...ng-driver-test

Didn't he (modestly) claim that having him in the car was worth something like 6/10ths of a second when he was at McLaren? Is that how much quicker he was than the regular pilots?

[greentrumpet]

Pity the "goat' proved him wrong!

[Mister_T_Head]

The final race of the year is done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsebecmWNxM

[wnut]

Looks like we are going to find that RoGro and Magnussen were not as bad as everyone thought and young Schu has been handed a poisoned chalice.